Wednesday, 11 July 2012

Take “Commercial Breaks”



The most powerful battery-charger is an activity call “commercial breaks.” This is an intervention for people whose homes are in disarray and who are depressed about living in a messy place. During the space of one commercial break on the TV, you can start making a less depressing environment.

1.      Look around you and see the things you wish were done but that you do not want to do.

2.      Make a list. It will only take a few moments to write down a list of things you see: dishes on the table, newspaper on the floor, laundry to be folded, shoes and socks strewn across the living room, papers to be filed, bills to be pay, and so on.

3.      Then, as you watch TV, every time a commercial comes on, start one of the things on the list, doing it only for as long as the commercial break continues.  Then flop down and watch the show until the next break, when you will get up and do something for those 3 or so minutes. Follow that pattern until the whole task is done, cross it off the list, and then go on to the next one.

4.      If you are really tired, do this just during one show and then sit for the entirely of next one, or the next several.

You will be amazed at how much you can get done in one evening of watching TV.

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

Sleep Hygiene

1.      Set a pattern of regular times to sleep and awaken.

2.      Make sure there are sufficient hours to be asleep.

3.      Create an environment for good sleep, including a dark, quiet room.

4.      Calm the brain down before sleeping, using quiet activities, baths, herbal teas, and so on.

Increase contact with Positive Experiences



1.      Keep track of every activity you do for a few days.

2.      For each activity, access whether it was (A) pleasurable or not and (B) an accomplishment or not.

3.      For each pleasurable activity and accomplishment, rate the degree of pleasure or accomplishment.

4.      Increase the duration or quality of the pleasurable experiences and notice the accomplishments you are getting done.

Take a Break from the Problem



1.      Stop!

2.      Do something totally different for a little while.

3.      See how this changes your perspective on the problem.

Utilize your Future Energy



1.      Pick a small task to do.

2.      Create a vivid image of how you will feel when it is done.

3.      Focus on the outcome.

4.      Do the task.

5.      Pay attention to the relief or pleasure you feel after it is done.

Monday, 9 July 2012

Satisfaction with Life Scale



Below are five statements you may agree or disagree with. Using the 1-7 scale below, indicate your agreement with each item by placing the appropriate number on the line preceding that item. Please be open and honest in your responding.

7 – Strongly agree
6 – Agree
5 – Slightly agree
4 – Neither agrees nor disagrees
3 – Slightly disagree
2 – Disagree
1 – Strongly disagree

___ In most ways my life is close to my ideal.
___ The conditions of my life are excellent.
___ I am satisfied with my life.
___ So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
___ If I could Live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
___ Total

Now check where your level is.

31-35 Extremely satisfied
26-30 Satisfied
21-25 Slightly satisfied
16-20 Neutral
15-19 Slightly dissatisfied
10-14 dissatisfied
5-9     Extremely dissatisfied