Taking action despite anxiety · worksheet 23
Looping thoughts settle in above all when you are alone with nothing to do. Planning activities that matter leaves them less room. Start small, and act according to the plan, not according to your mood.
Before you start
- What it is for: To leave less room for rumination by filling your week with activities that matter: pleasure, achievement, connection with others.
- 15 minutes to plan the week and a minute a day to write things down.
- When our mood is low, we wait until we feel like doing things. Here it is the other way round: first you do it, and the motivation sometimes comes afterwards.
- Start small: 10 minutes of something counts. Better a little and done than a lot and postponed.
Prefer paper? Download the PDF to print (with a page for psychologists).
What to do with your results
Compare mood and rumination across activities: the ones that bring rumination down are the ones to keep and repeat. Mood usually follows action, not the other way round.
If you find it hard
If you don’t feel like doing anything, choose very small activities and do them “according to the plan, not according to your mood”. If sadness lasts more than two weeks, talk to a professional.
For psychologists
The PDF also includes a page for the psychologist: how to run the exercise in session, points to watch and scientific references. You are free to use it with your clients.
For psychologists: aim, audience and duration
Reduce the free time taken up by rumination by planning chosen activities that bring pleasure, achievement or connection, and observe their effect on mood.
Rumination, isolation, low mood linked to anxiety. Duration: 20 min in session; follow-up over 1-2 weeks.
References
Martell, C. R., Dimidjian, S. & Herman-Dunn, R. (2010). Behavioral Activation for Depression: A Clinician’s Guide. Guilford.
Watkins, E. R. (2016). Rumination-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Depression. Guilford.
These worksheets do not replace therapy. If you are in distress or having suicidal thoughts, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe; 3114 in France, free, 24/7).
Free worksheet for non-commercial use: you may share it with credit to the author, without modifying it (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence).
