cognitive behavioural interpersonal skills manual - GPSC

Chunk the DayStrategies that give people a chance to accomplish something are particularly helpfulfor depression.Sometimes you feel too depressed, unmotivated or exhausted to face the day. Here isa strategy that breaks the day into manageable chunks of time:1 Decide on the smallest amount of time you think you might be able to spend on atask. This might be a morning, an hour, even just 10 minutes. This is your “chunk” ofmanageable time.2 Decide what you will do for the chunk of time. Tell yourself: “I only have to keep goingfor this chunk. Then I can stop if I want.”3 When the chunk is over, you can decide to rest, carry on with what you were doing,or change to something else for the next chunk. You can do a whole day in chunks.Most people who try this report that they actually get more done, and as a bonus,their mood improves.For example:Let’s say Mary decides she can handle 15 minutes. In those 15 minutes she decides shecan clear off the kitchen table. Once she’s completed this task she can then decide tocarry on with another chunk, rest for a while, or decide to do another chunk later in theday. The key is to choose manageable chunks and activities. Keep it small!CBIS Manual | JunE 2009actiVATion | 41