Behavioral Activation Activity Selection
Behavioral Activation (BA) is more effective when you choose activities aligned with your values and goals, focusing on what you truly want to do rather than obligations.
THE IDEA
Choose Activities That Move You Closer to the Person You Want to Be
BA is more effective if you choose activities that are in line with your goals and values. For instance, if you want to be more sociable, setting yourself the goal of chatting with an old friend for 10 minutes on the phone would be a great BA goal.
Finally, make sure you are choosing activities you really want to do, not what you think you should be doing. For instance, don’t set yourself the goal of cleaning the bathroom or doing the grocery shopping. Sure, these are important activities, but the point of BA is to help you re-engage with the things you enjoy.
When to use it
When feeling depressed or unmotivated, use BA to schedule small, value-aligned activities to re-engage with enjoyment.
When setting weekly goals, prioritize tasks that move you toward the person you want to become, not just urgent obligations.
When choosing how to spend free time, ask whether the activity reflects your genuine interests or external expectations.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Sociability Goal
If you want to be more sociable, set a goal to chat with an old friend for 10 minutes on the phone.
Avoid Chores
Don't set goals like cleaning the bathroom or grocery shopping; BA is about re-engaging with enjoyable activities, not obligations.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
What activities align with my personal goals and values?
Am I choosing activities I truly want to do or ones I think I should do?
How can I incorporate more value-driven activities into my daily or weekly routine?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Thinking in Systems and Mental Models Think Like a Super Thinker (Dawson, Marcus P)