Many people with psychological problems or psychiatric disorders like depression have lost sight of activities and routines that used to be positive or of special value in their life. Due to specific negative thinking, they tend to reduce any positive activity and will not experience enough positive activities, pleasure or reinforcement in their life.

Try to think of your daily routine activities before your psychological problems occurred! Try to imagine yourself feeling healthy! What did you do on a normal day? Write down your routine activities!

1. Before becoming depressed my routine was

Examples:

• 7.OO Wake up, go to the bathroom
• 7.30 Have a cup of warm coffee and read the newspaper
• 7.45 Breakfast with my family (enjoying orange marmalade)
• 8.15 Have a walk with my dog "Teddy"
• 9.00 Going to work...

...

2. Try to focus on positive aspects and activities you liked. Try to think of pleasant activities in the past

Examples:

• Reading a journal
• listening to my favourite artist Elton John
• have a walk in the park
• Enjoy an ice cream in the city
• going to the movies

Here is another list of possible pleasant activities

List of activities

What was of special value for you? Make a list of them, e.g.

• Family
• Children
• Music
• Nature
• Work
• Literature
• Sport or other areas in life

Discuss those areas of special interest or value with your spouse, family, friends or counsellor.

3. Try to increase the number of positive activities and events in your daily routine. Make a precise schedule of these activities. But consider that it takes much more effort to complete these activities if you are feeling depressed, have a lack of energy and concentration. So it is fine to start with one pleasant activity of your list of possible pleasant activities.