The Big List of Pleasurable Activities is a compilation often used in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to help clients find something pleasant to do when negative thoughts become overwhelming. It’s a list that you can turn to and pick an option from without much thought.
Many of the activities on the list of activities are less feasible during pandemic-times, as they involve meeting up with people or visiting special places. So, to help you to find something pleasant and distracting to do while social distancing, here is our "Coronavirus Edition" of the Big List of Pleasant Activities!
- Facetime or call a good friend you haven't spoken with for awhile
- Start a round of 20 questions in a group thread with friends or family
- Listen to, read, or watch something funny, like a comedy special
- Reread your favorite book or poem
- Cook your favorite meal
- Join a livestream meditation, yoga, or exercise class
- Watch all the Oscar nominated movies from a past year – and give your own awards
- Write a letter to someone you haven't spoken to in a while
- Plan a dream vacation for the future
- Read a magazine or comic book
- Play a board game
- Give yourself a self-massage
- Take a class on Skillshare or FreeCodeCamp
- Groom or play with your pet
- Play solitaire
- Play or watch video games
- Create your own website or blog
- Join Tinder or another dating service and go on a virtual date!
- Eat something soothing, like dessert or a fresh piece of fruit
- Gather items you don't need anymore to sell or donate
- Do a jigsaw or crossword puzzle. Dictionary.com has a daily, free crossword that's beginner-friendly.
- Go online shopping
- Order from your local bookstore
- Virtually visit a museum, like The Met
- Pray or meditate
- Sit by a window and sunbathe, mindfully listen to the outdoor noises, or count all the green things you can see
- Learn a new language using Duolingo
- Sing
- Plan a virtual game night, like virtual bingo or charades
- Reorganize your closet, bookshelf, or develop a filing system for important documents
- Stretch
- Look for your favorite artists, authors, or public figures on social media and follow along to see if they do any livestreams!
- Practice or learn a musical instrument
- Memorize lines to music, play, or movie and perform them!
- Take photos
- Plant a windowsill herb garden
- Print photos of favorite memories and hang them or make a scrapbook
- Paint your nails
- Knit, crochet, or sew
- Take a bath or shower
- Try out a crazy hairstyle
- Write a poem, short story, or essay
- Write in your journal
- Make a list of things you’re good at or things you like about yourself
- Draw, paint, or craft
- Make a list of people, places, and things you like
- Daydream about past parties or favorite gatherings
- Imagine yourself 10 years from now and make a list of all the possible ways your life might look
- Make a playlist of your favorite songs of all time
- Practice an exercise you've learned in therapy, like therapeutic journaling or inner child work
- Take a nap
- Browse interior design blogs and then rearrange furniture
- Clean or fix things in the house
- Plan a virtual happy hour or movie night with friends
- Dance to music on your own or join a virtual dance party
What sounds like it could be pleasant for you to do right now?
Use this list as a jumping off point for your own ideas, and come up with a plan of five things you can do whenever you're feeling down. Then, put your plan into action and boost your spirits through pleasant distraction.