Pick Three: Being Productive During Bad Days

If you are like me and have emotional dysregulation, then you know that some days you are going to be better than others. There are days when out of the blue, I decide to rearrange my room, and some where I hardly want to get out of bed. I found a trick that helps me to get up and going on days where I just want to  curl up in bed and sleep. It’s called “Pick Three.”

What is it? 

“Pick Three” is an exercise where I decided to pick three activities, tasks, or chores that I want to do that day based on the kind of day I’m having. For example, If I’m feeling really down, one of my activities might be to take a shower and brush my teeth or to call a friend. If I’m having an okay day, I might pick to go for a walk or write my blog post.

Remember the three things you pick don’t have to be housework, or running errands; they can be simple and fun activities such as working on a hobby or reading a chapter of a book. The main goal of “Pick Three” is to keep you from sleeping all day by giving you a focus for the day.  If I finish my three tasks and I start to feel better I may decide to take on more activities for that day. If not, I might just watch some Netflix and have some lunch. This exercise helps me to get myself motivated and out of bed for the day and I hope it helps you too.

Reminders and Tips

1. It is a good idea to pick your three activities when you get up. This way you can pick things to do based on how you are feeling that day. Doing this can help you stop from getting overwhelmed or feel like you can’t complete your three activities.
2. If its nice out and you’re feeling well enough, have one of your activities be outside. One of activities can even be simply going outside and sitting on your porch for twenty minutes  to get some fresh air.
3. Doing the “Pick Three” exercise can also be good when you have a lot of your mind, overwhelmed or anxious. Picking three tasks to do can help you to focus your thoughts and prioritize what needs done.

How are you feeling today? What would you pick as three activities to do based on how you are feeling today?