Mood Momentum, Building Mastery, and the Art of Getting Things Done

By: Ben Bernstein

Two weeks ago, I wanted to watch college basketball and not work on necessary tasks. It’s March, my favorite month of the year. The weather is getting nicer, the sun is shining, and Madness is coming. Usually, I’m on top of it. On this particular weekend, I wanted to watch all of my favorite teams, and I was behind on the games for the week. So I sat there, petting my dog, and watched. I didn’t really enjoy it, because I was thinking about getting the tasks completed, but I sat there anyway. There were some plays that really got me excited, and it wasn’t the same as usual. The more that I sat there, the more I thought about the need to get it done (and the more guilty I felt for not doing it). It was extremely difficult to get started.  

Does this sound familiar, especially this time of year when the projects seem to be piling up?  Then this blog post is for you. I thrive in an environment where the train keeps moving, so to speak. These concepts helped me get there, and I hope they do the same for you. 

BUILDING MASTERY IS ABOUT BUILDING BELIEF IN YOURSELF

In Dialectical Behavior Therapy, the Build Mastery skill is all about challenging yourself, a little bit at a time, to foster a sense of competence and accomplishment.  Most importantly, for many people Building Mastery provides a sense of control; this is especially important right now, as it’s so easy for us to feel overwhelmed and powerless with current events.  

Marsha Linehan, the creator of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, emphasizes the concept of self-efficacy in the Build Mastery skill; self-efficacy, in essence, is your belief in the ability to reach a goal or accomplish a task. The more you work at completing harder and harder tasks, the greater the feeling of accomplishment, the more that you believe in yourself and your abilities. The beauty of this skill is that you can make the task as digestible as possible: a win is a win is a win, no matter how small to start.  For example: if you’re finding it difficult to clean your room, clean a corner of it, and notice the difference in how you feel.  Notice what it feels like to have a corner that doesn’t have clutter. See if it’s possible to build on that momentum.  

MOOD MOMENTUM: YOU BUILD IT, AND THE PLEASANT FEELINGS FOLLOW

Speaking of momentum, Mood Momentum, another Dialectical Behavior Therapy concept, is all about setting routines as a means of maintaining positive momentum.  The more accomplishment we feel, the more we “cross the finish line,” the more we’ll want to engage in behaviors to keep the positive momentum going, such as pleasure activities, or finding other tasks that provide a sense of accomplishment. I want to provide a real-life example:  

The next week, after experiencing those unpleasant feelings, I completed my necessary tasks Friday by the late afternoon. I rewarded myself with picking up Indian food, which then provided me with a sense of accomplishment because I was providing for my family. I then completed all necessary laundry for the next week the rest of the evening while playing with my dog and spending quality time with my partner. The next day, I filled up the tank and got my groceries for the week.  After accomplishing all of the necessary tasks for the week BEFORE seeing basketball games Saturday afternoon, I could be that much more present with every play and felt more prepared for the week ahead. I rewarded myself for a job well done, which made the reward all the more worthwhile. It was a pleasant weekend overall, which then precipitated a nice start to the week. 

WHAT ARE YOUR NEXT STEPS?  

We are living in a difficult period right now.  I want to validate the struggles that folks are facing, the uncertainty that’s present in our everyday lives.  And, when we set up routines over time that provide a sense of predictability, self-efficacy and control, that can be extremely empowering.  What might you be able to accomplish, even during these times?  Speaking of this, now that I have this blog post done, I’m going to enjoy the sunshine.  

Are you struggling with completing necessary tasks?  Do you find that this is negatively affecting your self-esteem or providing excessive stress or anxiety?  To schedule an appointment, please feel free to contact us at Champaign Counseling (info@champaigncounseling.com) or call us at 217-203-2008.