Let’s Talk Low MoodWeek 3

Week 3

• Feedback from last week• Increasing activity and getting a balance• Obstacles• Time management• Monitoring Mood• Life Balance • Visualisation

Feedback - Group

• How did you find the weekly tasks for last week?

• Have you got any questions?

Behavioural Activation Summary

Behavioural activation is a technique which reduces our withdrawal/avoidance behaviour and therefore we focus on:

- Re-establishing our daily routines- Increase pleasurable activities- Do the things necessary for us

Small Group Exercise

What obstacles can you think of that might get in the way?

Obstacles which get in the way

• Distraction • Procrastination • Lack of Motivation• Lack of Time

• …

What strategies to overcome these obstacles can you think of?

White Board Exercise

Small Group Exercise

What strategies to manage time can you think of?

Time Management “The Five P’s”

1. PLAN a) Assess how you use your time - use weekly diaryb) Make time to plan - e.g. lists, time to think and discuss

2. PRIORITISE A,B, C and D items

3. PASS a) Pass tasks to someone else - i.e. delegateb) Just pass, don’t do it, say “No!”

4. PERFECTIONIST Don’t be one! Remember you can make a mistake

5. PUT THINGS OFF

Do things you have to NOW!Don’t put things off that will only increase your stress

Beginning to monitor mood

• The importance of acknowledging pleasure and achievement

• Importance of acknowledging closeness and contact with others

• How to rate: ?/10 begin to consider for achievement and pleasure

• Try to do 1 thing a day for pleasure, 1 per day achievement, and 1 contact with others.

Discuss

• In a group discuss what is missing in your BA forms in terms of pleasure/achievement and closeness.

• You might like to highlight the activities that fall into each group with coloured pens so you can see at a glance where the gaps are.

• Work-life balance is a term that is useful for everybody who has home and work commitments

• People who get their work-life balance right speak of a sense of satisfaction, achievement and excitement

• If your life feels like all work and no play, maybe it’s time to think about how you could achieve a better work-life balance

Balance in your life

What might help you to achieve a better balance:

• Assess the impact that long working hours are having on your life

• Consider adopting flexible working patterns

• Remember that it’s ok to ask for help

• Delegate the domestic chores if possible

• Take up a new hobby

• Discover a new dimension in your personal life

Balance in your life

Visualisation

Weekly Tasks

• Review your SMART goals

• Follow behavioural activation planning diary sheet and try to complete all tasks you have set yourself

• Make sure you start with easier tasks

• Try to practise time management strategies