Earlier this spring I noticed my yard had a significant weed problem. My neighbor empathized with me, loaned me her weed puller, and I set to work. For the next couple of weeks I pulled weeds nearly every day after work and on the weekends.  While it was tedious and time consuming it gave me more satisfaction than binge watching a show ever could. 

Pulling weeds is an example of a mastery activity. I could clearly see my progress as I completed each section of my lawn and felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I was finished.

What are mastery activities?

According to a behavioral activation workbook produced by the University of Michigan, “Mastery involves activities, such as work or sports, that involve the development of skills; we are able to accomplish things and feel a sense of mastery over our environment. When enjoyed in moderation and diversified well with other activities, they can increase positive emotions and improve how we feel about ourselves.”

Here are some other examples of mastery activities:

• Learning a new language
• Mowing your lawn 
• Learning how to replace the headlights in your car
• Painting a room in your house
• Planting a garden and learning how to maintain it
• Learning how to play pickleball
• Taking piano lessons 

When should I engage in mastery activities?

Everyone can benefit from incorporating mastery activities into their lives. However, engaging in them can be particularly beneficial for your mental health if:

• You’re feeling ineffective at work.
• You work in a job where progress or success cannot be clearly defined or measured.
• You’re experiencing challenging situations in your life that you don’t have control over. 

Picking a mastery activity that is very different from what you normally do in your daily life carries the extra benefit of adding novelty. For example, pulling weeds is completely different from what I do in my daily work as a therapist! 

Next time you’re feeling powerless or ineffective, pick a mastery activity to try and notice how you feel during and after the activity. 

Interested in exploring new activities with the support of a therapist? I specialize in helping high-performing adults work with their anxiety, stress, and perfectionism and lean into meaningful, values driven-lives. Schedule a free consultation to see if we are a good match.