What? Why?

If you’re not familiar with fantasy sports (if you skip ahead to the next section) the basic concept is you get together with a group of friends, coworkers, family members, etc., pick a sport (football seems to be the most popular/easiest), and form a league.  You all draft a team and then play out the season setting lineups, making trades, picking up free agents, etc.  Most leagues have some sort of prize (my sister play’s in a league where you win a gimmicky championship ring) for the winner, some have a funny punishment for the loser.  I’ve played for as long as I remember and it has been a great opportunity to get closer with friends and family members as well as meet lots of new people.

The Draft: Virtual Party Time

Every year your team will do a draft.  It’s a great opportunity for people to get together to hang out, talk sports, talk life, and enjoy a good pizza, or wings, or both.  With the current COVID world we live in, my league has started doing zoom virtual drafts so we can all still hang out and maintain social distance.  Although this is when the fun starts it’s only the tip of the iceberg.  Throughout the season you will have an instant topic of conversation with your league mates that can lead to you bettering your team.

What’s Next?

There are a lot of websites out there that can help you win your league if that is your primary focus.  I’m not going to be focusing on that here (though some of the things I discuss definitely can help with that).  Instead, I will be exploring different ways that you can interact with your league mates and use basic ABA techniques to increase those interactions, regardless of winning or losing should help with the overall experience.  Be on the lookout for my next blog where I will explore the social dynamics of the trade negotiation.

According to TSA, on March 28^th, 2021, 1,574,228 traveled within The United States of America. This is the busiest travel day since the Coronavirus Pandemic started in 2020. This is 1,394,226 more travelers than there were on March 28^th, 2020.

Although the feeling of returning to “normal” may be exciting, it is also important to ensure that traveling remains safe. Most, if not all, organizations have modified their policies and procedures to support the pandemic public protocols. With each state’s regulations and phases being different, I have experienced different expectations within the organization due to the state’s status. Below are some recommendations to ensure you, and the people you are traveling with, are remaining safe while traveling.

Hotel / Lodging

At the beginning stages of the pandemic, room service (delivery of goods, cleaning, entering to repair) was terminated. Recently, room service has returned. If you do not want these services, you simply notify the hotel upon checking in that you would not like anyone to enter your room. When you return from your busy day, they will have your fresh towels and soap prepared for you at the front desk.

If you are in a setting that requires the utilization of elevators be cautious that the cleaning policies of “wiping down after every use”, have become less frequent. Utilize an extra wipe, or your elbow, to touch the button to eliminate touching this public service. If you can’t avoid it, that’s ok, just wash your hands 😊

Air Travel

Air travel had significantly changed early in the pandemic. Anyone in an airport ensured their face mask covered their nose and mouth, social distancing was, unintentionally, exaggerated to 20 feet apart, and the number of people was sparse. With the “Spring Break seasons” arrival, there has been less mandating and more tolerance to the proper use of face masks, and with the increase of travelers, the inability to consistently socially distance. If possible, booking a later morning or evening flight will provide you with less populated airports.

Airplanes have, and remain, pristine. Utilize the extra wipes that are provided to you for the air vents above, upon sitting down, to ensure they were wiped. Keeping your face mask on is essential. For an additional layer, you could consider adding a second mask or wearing a scarf.

Rental Car/ Public Transportation

In the past, if you have rented a car, or boarded public transportation, you may have found someone’s leftover goldfish or Kleenex. Fortunately, that has been few and far between over the last year. Depending on where you are traveling, there may be additional materials in your car (e.g., snow brush, toll pass, etc.). Use a wipe to ensure that these are cleaned, as the cleaning policies have been modified.

Restaurant (Eat in, or Carry out)

If you are craving a meal out, call ahead! Reserving a table outside, if possible is going to be the best. If the weather does not permit, or the location you are in is not ideal, inquiring about what is used to separate the tables and guests from each other. While on the phone, also asking if they are requiring their staff and other guests to continue wearing PPE while experiencing their restaurant. Some restaurants will not require their guests to have a mask on while eating, some will not require their guests or staff to wear their face masks at all, and some will fall somewhere in the middle.

If you plan to carry out, find out if the staff is going to walk the meal to your car, or if you need to go inside to pick it up. If you need silverware, make sure you request it while placing your order, and verifying before you drive away. Do not be surprised if there is a small surcharge for the plastic utensils!

General

Traveling will always come with its own set of challenges. Your health and wellness are a top priority, and sometimes, we are our own best advocates. Always calling ahead to know of a location’s “Covid Policies” is a great way to prepare yourself, so you are not surprised. Finally, to debunk the myth that “overpacking may cost you”, I would like to clarify that overpacking facemasks will not take up any space, and it will keep you safe.

References

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/faqs.html#General

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-safe-travel-advice/art-20486965

https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/travel-safety-guidance

https://healthmatters.nyp.org/how-to-travel-safely-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/mistakes-to-avoid-traveling-internationally-covid-pandemic

https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput

 

Related words: travel, tips and tricks, covid policies, hotel, air travel, carry out

I don’t know about you, but every morning when I wake up, the first thing I do is grab my phone and scroll through Instagram just to catch up on the latest cat videos. This pattern of behavior probably sounds familiar, right?

Throughout the hustle and bustle of our daily routines, we may not notice the small behavior patterns we engage in. Some of these small behavior patterns can be considered habits. Consider small behaviors like, taking the elevator, parking in the closest parking spot, or throwing dirty clothes on the floor. How many of these little habits do you engage in daily? Are they beneficial for you? Are they healthy? Can you easily stop or change these habits?

Habits are not behaviors we are born with but rather behaviors we learn over time (through a process called operant conditioning). According to the well-known Encyclopedia Britannica, a habit “is developed through reinforcement and repetition” (Encyclopedia Britannica). If we want to successfully create or adjust our existing habits, then we need to start by initiating and repeating new patterns of behavior. According to Rothman, et al. (2015) forming new habits require stability with regards to context.

If we perform specific behaviors at the same time of day every day, then we are more likely to maintain that behavior pattern as part of a routine. For example, if I take my vitamins every morning with my coffee, then I am more likely to maintain that healthy habit because seeing my coffee will cue me to take my vitamins. Whereas, if I take my vitamins at a different time every day, then it would be more challenging to remember and maintain that specific pattern of behavior.

Whether you are looking to get a few more steps in each day, quit a bad habit, or just want to change your mindset, maintaining healthy patterns of behavior can be challenging. Start by creating smaller, more obtainable goals for yourself. One characteristic of effective reinforcement is immediacy, so if we target behaviors that require less effort, we are more likely to access reinforcement for our accomplishments.

If I wanted to change my behavior pattern of watching cat videos every morning, then perhaps I would start small by looking at my weather App instead. This is a small change, but it easily obtainable and decreases my screen time. With repetition and motivation to make this change, I can avoid the unnecessary screen time first thing in the morning, which is a step in the right direction toward a healthier habit!

Simple Healthy Suggestions

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Park in the farthest parking spot from the entrance
• Drink seltzer water instead of soda (to decrease sugar intake)
• Eat a piece of fruit for a snack instead of the cookies or chips
• Have a glass of water between alcoholic beverages to stay hydrated (and avoid that dreaded hangover)
• Wash the dishes immediately after dinner time (so they don’t pile up)
• Prep your lunch the night before so you can have an extra 10 minutes to snooze in the morning
• Floss your teeth immediately after brushing

 

References:

Gardner, B., & Aunger, R. (2013). Forming a flossing habit: an exploratory study of the psychological determinants of habit formation. British Journal of Health Psychology, 18(2), 338–353.

Nirala, Satyavrat, et al. “Habit.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2014, www.britannica.com/topic/habit-behaviour.

Rothman, A. J., Gollwitzer, P. M., Grant, A. M., Neal, D. T., Sheeran, P., & Wood, W. (2015). Hale and hearty policies: how psychological science can create and maintain healthy habits. Perspectives on Psychological Science : A Journal of the Association for Psychological Science, 10(6), 701–5.

Key words: Habits, Healthy, Simple, Behavior

Whether you’re a direct care worker at a group home, a therapist in a clinic/home/community setting, an educator, foster care provider, hospital staff, parent, or the like; there are many ways to tailor your physical environment, even if we have to get creative sometimes to accomplish it. To make this process a little easier, I’ve created a “Learning Environment Checklist” as a quick and easy guide! Take a look at the description version first, followed by an example, and a blank template version for your own use:

Explanation – Learning Environment Checklist

1. What are we trying to accomplish?

This could be described as:

• A goal (academic task, Activity of Daily living, social goal, etc.)
• Specific time period (mealtimes, transitions, outings, etc.)
• Expectations during specific activity (during a doctor appointment or while in the grocery store)

2. What tools do we need/stimuli?

• For the activity: what is needed for the above-mentioned goal?
• For the individual: what the individual needs to be set up for success i.e. a communication device, their jacket, review of a social story beforehand, etc.
• For staff: what do staff need to have to be set up for success i.e. their cell phone, backup reinforcers, protective gear, etc.

3. Our Physical Space

• Furniture: things like tailored seating, lamination of materials, Velcroing materials, plastic covers, turning shelves towards the wall to avoid climbing, etc.
• Removing materials/make the area safe: Locks on drawers, cover sharp corners, slip mats when working with water, non-slip grips while eating
• Peers/others in the environment: seating and spacial arrangements, for outings: lookup or go to the space ahead of time, call the space beforehand to ask questions, etc.

4. Back-up Plan/Plan B (or C or D or F!)

What to do in the event of unexpected changes, like:

• Fire alarm goes off while working at the table
• Store we came to is unexpectedly closed
• Location/material we need is occupied
• iPad I brought as a reinforcer isn’t working
• Stimuli for this activity broke, etc.

4. Emergency or “Just in case” materials

• Things to have with or nearby staff, like first aid kit, important phone numbers, extra snacks, etc.

Examples

Learning Environment Checklist Example #1

1. What are we trying to accomplish?
   • Grocery store outing
2. What tools do we need/stimuli?
   • For the activity: reusable bags (around 3)
   • For the individual(s): wallet, store value card, money from the week, jacket, headphones
   • For staff: 10 passenger van (keys), emergency contact sheet, cell phone, HIPPA compliant “community cards”
3. Our physical space
   • Furniture: Use a smaller pushcart for the individual to shop with (easier for them to manipulate and serves as an incompatible), use cashier for check out vs. self-checkout
   • Removing materials/make the area safe: Avoid Sea Market at the back of the store (trigger: lobster tank), stay no further than 6ft from individual at all times; you should always have a visual on, with no obstacles in between (i.e. display items)
   • Peers/others in the environment: call store first and let them know you’re visiting that day- ask for Jim or Paula if available
4.   Back-up Plan/Plan B
   • Use hand basket if a cart is unavailable
   • Use corner store if the market is overcrowded/closed (call ahead)
   • Sometimes their store reward card doesn’t work- ask the cashier for assistance and/or its ok to use yours if/when that happens
5. Emergency or “Just in case” materials
   • Safety Backpack for outings:  first aid kit, emergency contact protocol, granola bars, back-up headphones, cell charger

Learning Environment Checklist Example #2

1. What are we trying to accomplish?
   • Eating with a fork during lunch
2. What tools do we need/stimuli?
   • For the activity: Spaghetti w/ garlic sauce- avoid red sauce to decrease stains while practicing this skill, large bowl, on top of the slip-grip mat, w/ plastic OT fork, napkins, bin for dirty spaghetti/food (reinforcer = Graham cracker bears)
   • For the individual(s): Communication device w/ cover screen wipes for the screen (food can sometimes get on the screen when communicating during mealtimes) and a water bottle (stays w/ them throughout the day)
   • For staff: Feeding program sheet, spare forks, plastic gloves (multiple), hair up (close proximity during mealtimes)
3. Our physical space
   • Furniture: use the corner table, armless chairs angled away, velcro comm device to the table (so it doesn’t slip), keep dirty food bin on the floor next to the staff, create a clear path to sink
   • Removing materials/make the area safe: clear all other items off the tabletop, remove teaching bin from side of the table, and replace with dirty food bin
   • Peers/others in the environment: One peer can utilize the same table on the other end (not directly next to)
4.   Back-up Plan/Plan B
   • See behavior plan/feeding program in addressing challenging behaviors. If the table is unavailable, use the snack table w/ no other peers. If the individual is not hungry, offer to practice moving spaghetti from one bowl to another w/ fork and move on- try again later in the day or with garlic rice as a backup.
5. Emergency or “Just in case” materials
   • First aid: kit in the kitchen
   • Extra food/water: in the kitchen
   • Emergency/back up reinforcers: chocolate chips (see behavior plan)
   • Mom’s number for change of food approval: 555-555-555

Template

Learning Environment Checklist

1. What are we trying to accomplish?

2. What tools do we need/stimuli?
   • For the activity:
   • For the individual:
   • For staff:

3. Our physical space
   • Furniture:
   • Removing materials/make the area safe:
   • Peers/others in the environment:

4. Back-up Plan/Plan B

5. Emergency or “Just in case” materials

 

Why we may not be getting the sleep we need:

COVID-19 has erupted into our world and brought with it a whole host of fears, anxieties, and stressors. Those anxieties, fears, and stressors make it much harder, or in some cases, nearly impossible to get a good night’s sleep, or any sleep at all. Yet sleep is something we all need. Getting a good night’s sleep can improve your physical and emotional health, which is essential to your safety and wellbeing during a global pandemic. The CDC has even cited sleep issues as one of the possible long-term side effects of COVID-19 (CDC, 2020). So, what are some steps we can take to improve the quality and quantity of our sleep?  

How we can get the sleep we need:

Well, one thing we can do is to set a sleep schedule. For most of us, the pandemic has drastically changed our daily routine due to work and school now also, often, occurring at home. When all of our worlds combined, some of us may have stopped following our pre-COVID routines. However, those routines, specifically going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday help improve our sleep (Bei, Rajaratnam, Drummond, & Manber, 2020; Sleep Foundation, 2020). Our sleep routine should include time to unwind and get ready for bed. Winding down should avoid high-energy activities like exercise, or things like screen time, which can make it harder for us to fall asleep. (Bei, Rajaratnam, Drummond, & Manber, 2020; Sleep Foundation, 2020; Jin, Hanley, & Beaulieu, 2013, p. 162) Another thing we can do to improve our sleep is to reserve our beds for sleep (Bei, Rajaratnam, Drummond, & Manber, 2020; (Sleep Foundation, 2020). Even though our home has now become an office, home, daycare, school, social center, etc. it is really important that we set up boundaries and try to avoid doing things like work, school, hobbies, eating or watching shows on our devices in bed. You want to associate your bed with sleep, not with other activities that may be some of the stressors that are keeping you up at night. Exercise is an additional way to improve your sleep (Bei, Rajaratnam, Drummond, & Manber, 2020; Sleep Foundation, 2020). It does not have to be high-intensity exercise, even going for a walk could be helpful. Again, just make sure you are not exercising right before you go to bed (Jin, Hanley, & Beaulieu, 2013, p. 162). Staying active during the day may not only help you sleep but may also help you avoid napping throughout the day. If you do need a nap, try to keep them short as longer naps may not only leave you groggy but also disrupt your sleep for the coming night (Bei, Rajaratnam, Drummond, & Manber, 2020). Now let’s say that you are trying these recommendations and you are still waking up and staring at your ceiling in the middle of the night, what should you do? As counter-intuitive as this may seem, you should get up. Once up, do a quiet, relaxing, and not overly reinforcing activity until you feel sleepy and then return to bed (Bei, Rajaratnam, Drummond, & Manber, 2020). Also, if you have continued sleep issues, your sleep habits are interfering with your daily life, or your sleep issues are distressing you then you should reach out to a physician for help (Bei, Rajaratnam, Drummond, & Manber, 2020).

Review:

Sleep is essential to our well-being and can help us stay healthy, which is more important than ever, during the pandemic. If you want to improve your sleep try to set a sleep schedule, set up a bedtime routine, reserve your bed for sleep, exercise, stay active, and avoid napping, especially long naps, where possible.  

Resources

Bei, B., Rajaratnam, S., Drummond, S., & Manber, R. (2020, November 27). Sleeping tips when staying indoors during isolation period. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://github.com/beisci/SleepInfo/blob/master/sleep_in_isolation.md#sleeping-tips-when-staying-indoors-during-isolation-period CDC. (2020, November 13). Long-Term Effects of COVID-19. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects.html Jin, C. S., Hanley, G. P., & Beaulieu, L. (2013). AN INDIVIDUALIZED AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO TREATING SLEEP PROBLEMS IN YOUNG CHILDREN. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46(1), 161–180. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.16 Sleep Foundation. (2020, December 17). Sleep Guidelines During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-guidelines-covid-19-isolation KEY WORDS: COVID-19 SLEEP SCHEDULE ROUTINE ACTIVE

Misconception #1: Why should I reward behavior that they should already be doing?

Chances are that the behavior or “responsibility” is not happening often enough, or at all, or at least not without arguments. Reprimands or punishment may work, but usually only temporarily, or may result in the child refusing altogether. The problem with threats or reprimands is that they do not lead to long-lasting change in behavior- that is, the child may do what they’re told but just as a response to the threat and will most likely not perform that task again in the future without a threat or reprimand.

Misconception #2: If my child is always getting a reward for a behavior then the behavior will stop as soon as I stop the reward system

Rewards will only be needed while the behavior is being established, the behavior will then become a habit, and the child will access more natural rewards. For instance, we praise a toddler every time they go potty, but as the child grows, there are other reinforcers at play, and although we stopped praising when they learn to go potty independently, the behavior will continue. One common misconception is that rewards need to be tangible items- but that is not the case, praise and attention are very effective as well!

Misconception #3: Rewarding my child’s behavior will ruin their intrinsic motivation

When used correctly, that should not be the case. When rewards are used in a structured way, that will result in habit-forming through the repetition of the behavior. The authors give the example of exercising, where in the beginning you might need some rewards to get the behavior going, but once enough repetition has occurred, the behavior itself becomes reinforcing- replacing the previously needed rewards. A good way to think about rewards are as facilitators for behavior repetition, before it becomes a habit.

Misconception #4: I have tried the point system and rewards don’t seem to work for my child!

The authors point out numerous reasons why a reinforcement program may not have been effective:

1. Make it as you go. Sometimes we tend to “wing it” and make contingencies in the moment. For instance “if you if you finish your dinner, I’ll push your bedtime” which may generate compliance, but only for the temporary reward. The problem with “winging it” is that it will not produce habits, or long-term behaviors, therefore, when the reward stops, so will the behavior.
2. Big behavior, big delay, big reward. When parents realize that reprimands or threats are only temporary solutions, they usually turn to rewards given at the end of a long period to attempt to motivate. The most common example is a big reward at the end of a school year for good grades. Remember that the purpose of reinforcement programs is to build small behaviors that turn into habits. Instead of the big reward at the end of the year, the authors recommend picking smaller behaviors to reinforce that will form the habit of studying. For example, showing the parent their completed homework every night, studying for a certain amount of time, talking about a couple things they are learning during dinner, or turning homework assignments in on time. Essentially there is too large of a time delay between behaviors that can be done now and the big reward. Instead of focusing on the long-term goal, focus on the behaviors that could become habits, and naturally will help them get good grades.
3. Difficult reinforcement systems. Some caregivers tend to create point systems that are too complex, with different points for different rewards, and bonus items. Remember that the harder the reward system, the harder it will be to implement it. Although token economies have been shown to be effective in a variety of settings and across populations, you should not need something so complex in the home, with your child. Before resorting to token systems, the authors suggest using attention and praise to shape desired behaviors. Caregiver attention is very reinforcing to children, especially with praise. Parents are always giving attention to the child, verbal or nonverbal (eye contact, touch, smile, soothing, surprised/stern looks). Even when the child becomes an adult, attention and praise are natural rewards, therefore, they can be used to change behavior without points, tokens, or prizes. However, praise and attention are often given randomly and not necessarily connected to the habit you want formed. Your goal as the caregiver should be to give attention more precisely, by attending more to desired behavior (because it’s easy to attend mostly to misbehavior).

If you want to use praise to change behavior, it’s important to keep some things in mind:

1. Be specific- not only about the expected behavior but also be specific with your praise.
2. Start small- the authors suggest starting with 2-3 behaviors you want to praise, once those become habits, you can move on to the next 2-3 behaviors
3. Model the behavior– even if the child “knows” it’ll be helpful to model the behavior and then have the child copy you, such as with role-play scenarios. The goal is repetition, so practice will only help us achieve that goal. Each time the child copies you, make sure you reward with specific and genuine praise.

Rewarding desired behavior is not a new idea and many caregivers are familiar with this concept. Although there is a large body of research vouching for its effectiveness, many still object to the idea of changing behavior through praise or rewards. That could be due to an unsuccessful attempt when implementing reward systems, or because of misconceptions. When we implement reward systems that are simple and consistent, with practice and repetition, those behaviors become habits and their own reward, which is our main goal.

Reference

Kazdin, A., & Rotella, C., (2010, March 26). If You’re Good, I’ll Buy You a Toy. Slate. https://slate.com/human-interest/2010/03/why-bribing-your-child-doesn-t-work.html#p2

 

Keywords: reinforcement system, reward system, token system, reinforcement misconceptions, effective reinforcement

Cell phone usage can negatively impact academic performance.

In July of 2018, the French government passed a law banning cell phones in schools (CNN, 2018).  This law arrived on the heels of several studies detailing just how much cell phone use negatively impacted students.  One such study published in the Journal of Communication Education found that students who were actively using cell phones during class lecture recorded less information in their notes and scored more than a  full letter grade lower on multiple-choice tests than students who did not have access to cell phones (Kuznekoff &Titworth, 2013).

Another study by the London School of Economics and Political Science traced the impact of banning mobile phones at schools on test scores. This study found that students in schools with cell phone bans earned higher test scores and that low-performing students benefited the most.  The study concluded that “Restricting mobile phone use can be a low-cost policy to reduce educational inequalities” (Beland & Murphy, 2015).

In the U.S., school policies on cell phone usage vary widely with at least half of school principals allowing the use of mobile devices (Project Tomorrow, 2013).  Many educators also feel that the use of cell phones can benefit students, as well, and since they have become a fixture of modern life, teaching students how to appropriately leverage this tool should probably be considered a critical skill.  However, given that students have access to cell phones during academic time, and the awareness that it can significantly impact learning in a negative way, school personnel need to have strategies to help control usage.

A simple method for decreasing the use of cell phones among adolescents.

While it may be difficult to establish universal school policies regarding the usage of cell phones in classrooms, it may be easier than we think to decrease usage during academic blocks.  A recent study outlines a simple yet very effective method for reducing the use of cell phones among High school students, often achieving 0 rates of occurrence during lecture (Jones et al, 2019).  The intervention that was used in this study is simple; students were allowed 10 minutes of free time to access their cell phones at the end of an academic block, as long as no student attempted to access their phone during the academic block. If any student, at any point during the learning block, tried to use their phones then ALL students lost their free time and had to participate in typical end-of-class tasks and routines.

This procedure is called an interdependent group contingency which means that the behavior of all students within a group must meet or exceed a predetermined criteria, and then the reward (reinforcer) is delivered to all members of the group. One benefit of a group contingency is that it typically benefits the entire group and not just one student. Although just a few students were identified as engaging in very high rates of unauthorized cell phone usage, this intervention plan was effective in reducing cell phone usage for all students.  Prior to the intervention, an average of 88% of students used their cell phones during class. When the group contingency was in place, this number dropped to 16.5% of students using their cell phones with half of the sessions having no students using their cell phones at any point during the academic block.  These results suggest that having uninterrupted access to “free time” on their cell phones at the end of class was more desirable to the students than having interrupted time on their phones during class.

Conclusion

Research surrounding classroom management tends to focus more on younger students and less on High school environments, but interdependent group contingencies can be effective in reducing a broad range of disruptive behaviors in upper-grade classrooms including inappropriate vocalizations, off-task behavior, and out-of-seat behavior (Mitchell et al, 2015).  The study outlined above, targeting unauthorized cell phone usage in class, demonstrated significant change resulting from this simple, no-cost intervention.  Additionally, evidence suggests that reducing cell phone usage may play a significant role in increasing academic performance and participation among High school students. While schools continue to identify and integrate best practices regarding cell phone policies, educators will need to adopt strategies to support and manage appropriate cell phone use.

Resources:

CNN.(2018). France Bans Smartphones from Schools. Retrieved from

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/31/europe/france-smartphones-school-ban-intl/index.html

Kuznekoff, J. H., & Titsworth, S. (2013). The impact of mobile phone usage on student learning. Communication Education, 62, 233-252.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2013.767917

Project Tomorrow. (2013). The New Digital Learning Playbook: Understanding the Spectrum of Students’ Activities and Aspirations.  Retrieved from https://tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU13StudentsReport.pdf

Mitchel, R., Tingstrom, D., Dufrene, B., Ford, W.B. (2015). The effects of the good gehavior game with general-education High school students.  School Psychology Review, 44, 199-2087.

Jones, M., Allday, R.A., Givens, A. (2019). Reducing adolescent cell phone usage using an interdependent group contingency. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52, 386-393.

Beland, L.P. & Murphy, R. (2016). Ill Communication: Technology, Distraction & Student Performance. Labour Economics, 41, 61-76.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2016.04.004

Keywords: adolescents, teenagers, High school, cell phones, classroom management, cell phone usage, group management, group contingencies

Burnout-related turnover is a complex, systemic problem that is highly disruptive to organizational functioning. Preventing and managing burnout may contribute to an organization’s success and efficacy. This post discusses how to recognize and understand burnout as behavior.  

Defining Burnout

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) released by the World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as a syndrome due to “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Its characterized by three dimensions: 

• Feeling of energy depletion or exhaustion
• Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feeling of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
• Reduced professional efficacy

Measurement

It may be important to measure workplace morale and satisfaction to assess the need for intervention. An organization may choose to use a survey to evaluate staff workplace satisfaction (important aspects of survey development may be found here and here). 

Some organizations may find the use of surveys practical to their organizational settings. Others may want to use surveys in conjunction with directly observable, measurable behaviors related to professional efficacy (pinpointing performance) to see burnout in the context of their organizational goals.

From Highly Effective to Burnt Out

A highly effective staff that may have once approached their work responsibilities with vigor and a keen sense of purpose, may begin to lose sight of that purpose and become increasingly focused on the negative aspects of work. This could lead to an increase in their reluctance to perform work duties or stop it all together, resulting in a decision to leave the organization. 

Meaningful Perspectives: A Circumstantial View of Behavior

As stated above, a once highly effective staff who has stopped performing workplace duties makes organizational leaders ask, “what happened?”

Let us establish a meaningful perspective: start by viewing “performing workplace duties” as behavior. Once we shift our perspective, consider the following environmental relationship: 

Behavior is determined by its consequences. 

Consequences are anything that happens after the behavior of interest. When the consequence is something the staff likes or wants, given a similar context, the behavior is more likely to occur again. This process is called reinforcement. Conversely, when reinforcement is withheld or discontinued, the behavior drops out or stops. 

It may be that the once highly effective staff is not accessing an appropriate amount of reinforcement for their previous levels of performance and therefore, their behavior naturally reduced or stopped.

The matter then becomes understanding how to introduce or reinstate reinforcers. To increase workplace performance, an organizational leader needs to understand what reinforcers they have in their back pocket already and what reinforcers are worth investing in. Keep an eye out for future posts, in which I will discuss how to create a positive workplace culture. 

Sources: 

https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html

https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases

Keywords: Burnout, turnover, Workplace culture, behavior, staff resilience 

As a Master Trainer working for QBS people often ask me about what my work week looks like.  I completely understand the wonder.  Working as a BCBA as a third-party consultant who travels around the country doing trainings is a bit, unique.  So, I thought it might be helpful to put a blog out that might help all who are wondering what my work week looks like.  I want to make sure I clarify before I get into it that this is not necessarily indicative of what everyone does and is specifically giving a glimpse into what a travel work week looks like during COVID.

Overview

So, first off, as a Master Trainer at QBS, I generally have three different types of workdays/workweeks.  There are local weeks where I am able to travel back and forth from the training location and my house, travel weeks where I must travel to a location and then find a place to stay until the training is done, and office days where I am doing various tasks.  This blog will focus on the travel weeks.  Master Trainers book all their own travel so we do have some flexibility on the times, hotels, airlines, rental cars, etc. as long as we stay within certain guidelines.

A typical travel week will consist of 3 to 4 days of training and 1 day of travel (for the sake of this article we’ll say travel on Monday and training Thursday through Friday).  The flights, rental car, and hotel would have been booked two weeks prior.  Monday depending on the time of my flight I may pack (or this may have been done the day before).  There was a time when packing for a work trip was stressful but it’s routine now down to packing entertainment for the flights and whatnot.  I’ll usually shoot to get to the airport about 1 hour before take-off or so.  I’ll drive to the airport and then park in the parking garage.  Security is super quick (TSA pre-check is key) and then I may get something to eat while I wait for my flight.

Arrival

Once I arrive at my destination I’ll head over to the rental car center and hopefully, they have a Members Board of sorts so I can just walk to my car instead of waiting at a counter (status is key).  I’ll grab the car and head over to my hotel.  Usually, it’s not too bad of a drive but sometimes places can be far from the closest airport.  I’ll usually stop and pick up some bottles of water and iced coffees for the fridge.  If I’m being super adulty I’ll stop at a grocery store as well to stock up the fridge for lunches.  Then I’ll do my best to get settled in and try to go to sleep.

The Mission

The next four days it’s just a cycle of training, shower, nap, order in delivery, and sleep.  During non-COVID times I would go out to restaurants or see the local sites but now it’s basically a soft quarantine to the hotel room except for work or to pick up food maybe.  On the final day of training, I’ll pack up my stuff the morning of and check out of the hotel.  I’ll do my final day of training then it’s a drive to the airport, return the rental car, fly home, get my car from the parking garage, and drive home (it’s a rough commute home from work).

So, that’s it.  Not super luxurious by any means (at least not during COVID).  Although in better times I have been able to visit some amazing places and eat some amazing foods I may have never had a chance to experience.  I should also say that the travel is rough and can also be a perk but the job itself, doing trainings, is what I really enjoy.

Keywords: Travel, travel job, BCBA training

Why Do We Need Self-Care?

Whether we work as a Behavior Analyst, Counselor, Nurse, Correctional Officer, or the many other fields that require us to care for others as part of our job; we are routinely exposed to moments of stress, traumatic circumstances, or things that can place us in a vulnerable state. One way to address these job-related stressors is through the use of self-care. Self-care habits refer to the ‘‘engagement in behaviors that maintain and promote physical and emotional well-being’’ (Myers et al., 2012).

In order for us to provide the best care to the individuals we work with, we need to make sure we take care of ourselves as well. Relative to providing the best care, Vivian Elaina and colleagues (2019) states that “the health of a hospital organization is directly proportional to the health of its doctors, nurses, and administrators”. The importance of self-care and how it relates to job performance can be even more enhanced with “those working in more restrictive settings and within a 24/7 delivery system,” especially considering the higher risk of staff burn-out rates (Jolivette et al., 2019).

So where do we begin?

In order to assess and target your own self-care behavior, start by considering “factors such as sleep, exercise, use of social support, emotion regulation strategies, and mindfulness practice” (Myers et al., 2012).

What Makes a Good Self-Care Plan?

According to Coaston (2017), a good self-care plan can follow the same formula as developing a collaborative treatment plan:

• Individualized
• Specific
• Open to revision when necessary

Avoiding generic strategies that mainly focus on general health practices (i.e., sleep) and instead becoming aware of one’s own signals that indicate stress/burnout can help us avoid burnout and help us decide on the first step in our self-care plan (Coaston, 2017).

A plan should also use evidence-based interventions and if we want any chance at sticking to our self-care plan Vivian Elaina et al (2019) says the strategies that we select should be brief and easy to access to account for time commitment barriers that most health-care professionals face.

Elements of Self-Care:

Coaston (2017) gives examples of three categories that we focus on when creating our own self-care plan but also reminds us that the division between categories is artificial and some strategies may meet more than one category. These are just a few strategies that could help us achieve self-care of our mind, body, and spirit. We can also come up with our own activities that will help us feel less stressed at work and in our personal lives.

• Mind: mindfulness, learning a new language, cooking a new recipe, learn a new strategy game, writing journal/poetry, giving yourself a permission slip for something, etc.
• Body: exercise, stretching, dance, yoga, etc.
• Spirit: religion and spirituality, massage, gardening, spending more time in nature, music, art, photography, etc.

What’s next?

Let’s make a self-care plan! We’ve put together a template that you can fill out with all the important components of a self-care plan. You can list specific activities that will support your mind, body, and spirit (remember one activity can support multiple areas). We’ve also made space for you to list your signs and signals that let you know you are starting to feel stressed out so you can do check-ins to see if you need to up your self-care game. Last but definitely not least, don’t forget to evaluate if your self-care activities are actually making you feel better or if they are just adding more stress and pressure to your life. If one or some of your activities isn’t making the cut, go back to the drawing board and keep trying new activities until you find a nice mix that supports your self-care goals!

Resources

Coaston, S. C. (2017). Self-care through self-compassion: A balm for burnout. Professional Counselor, 7(3), 285-297.

Jolivette, K., Swoszowski, N. C., Kumm, S., Sanders, S., & Ansley, B. M. (2019). Embedding staff self-care into the MTSS framework for those working in juvenile correctional facilities. Journal of Correctional Education, 70(1), 2-19.

Myers, S., Sweeney, A., Popick, V., Wesley, K., Bordfeld, A.Fingerhut, R. (2012). Self-care practices and perceived stress levels among psychology graduate students. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 6(1), 55–66.

Elaina, V., Hellen, O., Arceneaux, S. R., Flores, J. A., Vo, A., & Madson, M. B. (2019). A cross-sectional study of perceived stress, mindfulness, emotional self-regulation, and self-care habits in registered nurses at a tertiary care medical center. SAGE Open Nursing, 5

Keywords: Self-care, staff retention, burnout, self-management, turnover

Self-monitoring, also sometimes referred to as self-observing or self-recording, is an effective tool for behavior change.  In simple terms, it’s the act of observing, measuring, and evaluating one’s own behavior.  Self-monitoring programs and strategies can take many forms.  They are often used in classrooms and in working with students with special needs to both increase desired behaviors and decreased undesired behaviors. For example:

• Holifield, Goodman, Hazelkorn, & Heflin, 2010 concluded that a self-monitoring procedure used in language arts and mathematics was effective in increasing the academic accuracy and attention to tasks for two elementary students with autism.
• Coyle & Cole, 2004 found that off-task behavior in three students with autism decreased considerably when a treatment package including video recorded self-modeling and self-monitoring components was applied.

Self-monitoring can also be an effective tool for improving staff behavior in schools as well as improving behaviors outside of the academic realm. It has been used to:

• Increase teachers’ use of praise statements (Kalis, Vannest, & Parker, 2010)
• Improve specific swimmer skills (Polaha, Allen, & Studley, 2004)
• Improve weight loss outcomes (Harvey, Krukowski, Priest, & West, 2019).

Intervention Central is a great place to find a variety of Response-To-Intervention (RTI) resources.   They supply a handy seven-step How-To for teaching students to utilize self-monitoring to change their behavior.  But, as shown in the studies mentioned above (among many others), the concepts and components of self-monitoring aren’t just for the classroom.  Self-monitoring can be a useful tool for many of us who aim to change some components of behavior across a range of settings.

What follows explores the steps for developing an effective self-monitoring system for a variety of populations and settings, utilizing Intervention Central’s How-To as its guide.  In an attempt to cover a broad range of possibilities, I’ll embed examples for use with (and by) students, parents and caregivers, school professionals, individuals supported in residential/vocational/community settings, and even from my own life.  This won’t be an exhaustive or all-encompassing list, but a starting point.  My goals are to shed some light on what self-monitoring is all about and to help get the wheels turning in ways we all might take advantage of this useful tool for behavior change.

Step 1 – Defining behavior(s)

Before we can successfully change any behavior, we’ll first need to decide which behaviors to target and define them clearly.  These are the behaviors of the individual that he or she (or you, or I) will observe and monitor in one’s self.  A few examples:

• A student in a classroom might focus on the behavior of quietly raising his or her hand
• A child at home might target less teasing toward a sibling (perhaps with some encouragement from the adults in the house)
• A teacher or parent could monitor their delivery of praise (or the reinforcer of their choosing – such as high fives, thumbs-ups, smiles, snacks, juice, tangible items, preferred activities… you get the idea!)
• A school professional might target raising their voice as the behavior they’d like to reduce
• A store employee may seek to improve their productivity, thus targeting their behavior of efficiently stocking items onto shelves
• A person may seek to have more social engagements with a friend or roommate
• Someone with a nervous habit might define skin scratching as their target behavior
• A certain QBS Master Trainer who happens to be writing this blog might choose exercising and dish-washing behaviors as ones to change while off the clock
• …and so on!

In each of these examples, we would be sure to define the target behaviors clearly.  For example “teasing” might be defined as an instance of a child calling his or her sibling an inappropriate name (or you could pinpoint the exact name or names that you’re aiming to lessen).  “Exercising” might be defined as completing some number of push-ups, sit-ups, planks, and pull-ups (currently I can do exactly zero pull-ups, by the way!)

Step 2 – Choose a Data Collection Method

While observing one’s own behavior, a successful self-monitoring system will also include some form of data collection.  There are numerous ways to record data on your selected behaviors.  These can be written or non-written, and quantitative or qualitative.  A written form of data collection will allow for a historical record, tracking trends over time, and sharing information with others.

Drawing from a few of the example target behaviors identified above, the following are examples of potential methods for recording self-monitoring data.

Target Behavior	Data Collection Method
Student: Remaining quiet unless called upon after raising hand	Rating scale
Parent: Acknowledging/praising good behavior of child	Tally
Store employee: On-task completion of responsibilities at work in store	Checklist
Me: Exercising	Mental count + written log

Step 3 – Choose a self-monitoring schedule

Once we know which behavior(s) we’re going to monitor, and what sort of data we’ll collect in order to do so, the next question is “when?”.  To answer this, we establish a plan for periodically observing and measuring the target behavior.  The most appropriate schedule might depend on the nature of the behavior and/or structure of the day.  Read on for some examples.

Target Behavior	Schedule
Student: Remaining quiet unless called upon after raising hand	End of each class period or At completion of each academic activity
Parent: Acknowledging/praising good behavior of child	Following each instance of target behavior or Every 10 minutes (ask self: did I provide praise/reinforcement in the last 10 minutes?)
Store employee: On-task completion of responsibilities at work in store	Employee can check off items from list as he/she completes each step or Every 5 (or 10 or 15…) minutes, employee can reference list and check off completed items in block of time since last checked
Me: Exercising	I can count my pushups while completing them, and write down after or At the end of each day I can record whether or not I completed my specified exercises, how many, what quality, etc.

Step 4 – Decide on a monitoring cue

The monitoring cue is a reminder to observe your behavior and collect the data described above.  In some cases, the person doing the self-monitoring will supply their own cues.  In other cases, another person might remind them to complete their self-monitoring now.

Target Behavior
Student: Remaining quiet unless called upon after raising hand	Teacher verbally reminds student to complete self-monitoring 5 minutes before the end of every class or Student keeps a picture on desk as a reminder to complete self-monitoring according to schedule
Parent: Acknowledging/praising good behavior of child	Parent sets a timer on phone.  When the timer sounds, parent self-monitors
Store employee: On-task completion of responsibilities at work in store	Store employee is given the responsibility to complete their self-monitoring.  He or she does this less formally, without external cues
Me: Exercising	A friend and I check in with each other.  I call this person my “accountability partner.”  If I forget to self-monitor, she provides the external cue that I need.

Step 5 – (optional) Choose a reward for successful behavior

While not necessarily required, this can be a helpful and motivating step!  Remember, not everyone likes the same things, so the reward should always be individualized.  Our trusty Intervention-Central guide suggests several ideas to help figure out what sorts of items, activities, or interactions might be good reinforcers to provide for appropriate, desired behaviors.  These include watching the person, asking people who know him or her well, or using a survey.  Additionally, one might ask the person directly what he or she would like to “work for.”  Some (hypothetical) examples are below:

Target Behavior
Student: Remaining quiet unless called upon after raising hand	After scoring 4 or higher on a 1-5 rating scale for 3 consecutive classes, student gets 10 minutes to use a favorite toy, book, or electronic device.
Parent: Acknowledging/praising good behavior of child	When parent notes that they’ve praised their child’s good behavior consistently throughout the day, they treat themselves (and their family) to a special dinner.
Store employee: On-task completion of responsibilities at work in store	If all items are crossed off the store employee’s to-do list by a specified time, he or she gets an extra 10 minutes added on to their scheduled break.
Me: Exercising	For every 5 days that I achieve my exercise goal, I get 1 day off or For every 30 days that I achieve my exercise goal, I buy myself something from my ever-growing wish-list!

Step 6 – Conduct periodic accuracy checks

In this step, someone besides the person doing his or her own self-monitoring will “spot check” to help make sure the recording is accurate.  This can be especially helpful in the early phases of a student self-monitoring their own classroom behavior.  It can also be done by another parent, caregiver, or other adults in the home, but a supervisor at a job site, or by that “accountability partner” for me.  They’re looking for accuracy and checking that behaviors are being observed and recorded correctly and consistently.

Step 7 – Fade the self-monitoring plan

As behavior improves, the self-monitoring plan can gradually be simplified or faded.  The goal is to maintain the behavioral improvements while relying less on the need to self-monitor.

Target Behavior
Student: Remaining quiet unless called upon after raising hand	Instead of checking after each academic activity, student gradually shifts to self-monitoring after every other activity, then to mid-day and end-of-day checks.
Parent: Acknowledging/praising good behavior of child	As parent provides praise more consistently, he or she doesn’t need to continue monitoring and recording.  Instead, this behavior has become part of their daily routine.  What a great habit!
Store employee: On-task completion of responsibilities at work in store	Employee simplifies their to-do list.  4 steps such as “bring box to correct aisle, cut box open, fill empty shelf with product, return remaining products in box to storage room” become 1 more general step such as “stock shelf.”
Me: Exercising	The benefits of exercise (e.g. feeling energetic) are all the reward I need.  Exercise is part of my daily routine!

Let these steps guide your own journey to improved behavior.  Whether you’re targeting behaviors that you’d like to engage in more (like exercising) or less (like raising your voice), or you’re helping someone else (like a family member or student), self-monitoring could be a worthwhile process.  Armed with the tools to observe, measure, and evaluate one’s own behavior, meaningful improvements are possible.

References

Coyle, C. & Cole, P. (2004).  A videotaped self‐modelling and self‐monitoring treatment program to decrease off‐task behaviour in children with autism, Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 29:1, 3-16.  https://doi.org/10.1080/08927020410001662642

Harvey, J., Krukowski, R., Priest, J., & West, D. (2019).  Log often, lose more: electronic dietary self-monitoring for weight loss, Obesiety 27(3): 380-384.  https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22382

Holifield, C., Goodman, J.I., Hazelkorn, M. & Heflin, L.J. (2010).  Using self-monitoring to increase attending to task and academic accuracy in children with autism, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 25(4): 230-238. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088357610380137 

Kalis, T.M., Vannest, K.J., & Parker, R. (2007). Praise Counts: Using self-monitoring to increase effective teaching practices, Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 51(3): 20-27. https://doi.org/10.3200/PSFL.51.3.20-27

Polaha, J., Allen, K., & Studley, B. (2004).  Self-monitoring as an intervention to increase swimmers’ stroke counts, Behavior Modification (28)2: 261-275.  https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445503259280

Okay, everyone, it’s time for me to come clean. In 2020, I spent way too much time on the old internet machine viewing others utilize their pandemic downtime to do awesome stuff like bake yummy artisan bread, knit clothing, create rad looking pottery, and get in peak shape. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues into 2021, it has become clear to me that to get through the next several months with my sanity intact, I need to watch less and do more. It’s imperative that I figure out how to stay active and productive whilst, above all else, remaining safe and healthy.

Before we begin, I believe it’s important to acknowledge that, especially in times like these, we have a responsibility to one another. This pandemic is very real. There’s an overwhelming body of evidence to support that conclusion. As I write this, over 24 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the United States alone. Worldwide, the count sits at roughly 96 million. Sadly, millions did not survive their bout with the virus; countless others are left to deal with its residual effects. Maybe you’ve had someone close to you get ill. Perhaps it was a distant acquaintance. I hope they are okay. I hope you are okay. God forbid you’ve experienced a passing during this time. If so, I am sorry for your loss. At the same time, for those of us blessed enough to still be here, it’s our obligation to not only survive but thrive and it’s our duty to do that in a responsible way.

Safety First.

So here we are twenty twenty-one. If you’re like me, you want to stay as active as possible. At the same time, you‘re trying to socially distance. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it’s vital for us to stay physically active whilst social distancing. Physical activity can include anything from completing household chores (e.g., vacuum, clean out the closet, mow the lawn, etc.) to biking, hiking, or walking the dog. Just remember, safety is absolutely paramount.

At this point, scientists have gathered enough information on COVID-19 to be reasonably confident that the virus that causes it spreads primarily via the exchange of respiratory droplets between individuals in close contact. Indirect exposure (via aerosols that linger in the air or contact with inanimate objects) is also possible. That being the case, you probably want to avoid doing stuff in spaces that are poorly ventilated and/or crowded. Following that logic, outdoor activities generally present less risk than indoor activities. When outdoors, adhere to social distancing guidelines and wear a mask, particularly if you cannot maintain an adequate distance from others. During indoor activities, masks should be worn at all times. Social distancing should be facilitated. Also, proper ventilation is a must. This can be accomplished by doing something as simple as opening a window or two. If using an HVAC system, recirculation modes should be avoided and the system should be regularly inspected, maintained, and cleaned. All high touch surfaces should be disinfected regularly.

Of course, whether indoors or outdoors, proper hygiene is vital. Wash hands often. Use sanitizer. Avoid touching your face. A portal to more detailed information on things like social distancing parameters, how to wear a mask, good hygiene practice, and making your overall environment safer can be found here.

On a related note, getting inoculated as soon as possible is a smart move too. There are currently two vaccines that have been granted emergency authorization approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA; Pfizer /BioNTech and Moderna) and all 50 states are mobilizing their resources to phase in vaccinations for their citizens. Each state has unique parameters for vaccine distribution so stay in the loop to get in when it’s your turn.

Why? What? How?

There are some clear physical and psychological benefits to staying active. At this point in time, an abundance of evidence suggests that low physical activity levels contribute to reduced life expectancy (Bentlage et al., 2020). Personally, having just started a family, I’ve become keenly aware of that little tidbit. However, due to constraints resulting from pandemic-related restrictions, even achieving the minimum recommended levels of physical activity has become, well… challenging. I know it’s important to keep my body and mind engaged. I want to do things that include my family. I need to stay productive. I even find myself longing to be around fellow humans. Darn you COVIIIIIIDDDDD!!!!

Thankfully, the fine folks over at the Mayo Clinic and the CDC have put together a helpful list of low to high-risk activities. Check it out here and here. Lower risk outdoor options include (weather permitting) picnics, walking, hiking, biking, outdoor fitness classes, and for those cold weather enthusiasts, skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating made the list. Adapting physical activities to indoor settings when the great outdoors is uncooperative (like here in Massachusetts where it snowed just this morning) is a real viable option, too. In fact, supervised home-based programs are recommended during the pandemic, especially for the many individuals who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19’s effects (Bentlage et al., 2020).

A little bit of imagination goes a long way. Several of my acquaintances participate in fitness programs that have shifted to an outdoor setting (parking lot, side lot, park, etc.) in order to accommodate the infection control precautions mentioned earlier. If you are looking for more of that pandemic-friendly group vibe, there are quite a few online exercise class options. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t necessarily need a fancy mirror or hi-tech stationary bike. For example, the American Heart Association offers a variety of free virtual workouts some of which teach participants how to do a budget workout using items around the house (e.g., sofa stretch, chair dips, etc.). The neat thing about virtual exercise programs is that you can get your sweat on at your leisure in the safety of your own home.

During the pandemic, many people have also used apps and other virtual platforms to learn a new language, play a musical instrument, paint, bake, cook, etc. Knitting and crochet are popular again. Bonsai trees and succulent gardens are hot. Apparently, books and boardgames have also made a comeback! One of my wife’s friends started a band. A good buddy of mine has been tackling DIY projects around the house. Another has started gardening. Yet another has gotten into raising chickens, which provide fresh, organic eggs for their family.

When you stop and think about it, there really are a ton of options for pandemic-friendly productive activities that don’t involve watching TV, scrolling through social media, or playing video games (not that there’s anything wrong with those leisure activities; they just don’t fall into the productive category, IMHO).

Make it Happen.

Remember coloring books? Whether you like it or not, the outline is there. Those lines are your parameters. In this case, the exercise explicitly calls for you to stay within the lines. Within those lines, the possibilities are almost endless.

Ultimately, it’s about what works for you and what you’re comfortable with. Personally, I’ve been trying yoga lately since I can do it from the confines of my own home. It also seems to have some positive effects upon my mental acuity and physical well-being. Puyat and colleagues (2020) concluded that exercise, in general, can help distract us from stressful situations and that, more specifically, the practice of yoga integrates many of the body’s systems leading to a perceived increase in positive well-being. So yeah, I believe I shall carry on with the yoga.

Given my current circumstances, I think I can allocate some extra time to learn more about the intricacies of electronic music production and creating electronic music. I might also start to familiarize myself with computer coding. I feel like taking a virtual cooking and/or baking class with my wife would be cool. Organizing Zoom game nights with our friends or family seems like a fun idea too. Haven’t tried that one yet. The standard, low-tech walk around the neighborhood is also pleasant since that’s a family affair. We’ll keep that up. Also, I’m going to try to prioritize hiking whenever the weather allows. I like the little extra boost being out in nature provides and the vitamin D isn’t too shabby neither!

Like my gram-pappy used to say, “We don’t do nothin’ for no reason.” So do things that you enjoy. Incentivize yourself. Stay organized. Set SMART goals. Make a to-do list. Keep it simple and straightforward. Avoid overwhelming yourself with too much. Start small if you have to. Set yourself up for success and reap the rewards of your successes. Have a schedule. Stick to it. Use prompts. Tap your resources. Ask for help. It’s fine to make adjustments as you go. Maybe, after you give it a proper try, it turns out CrossFit is not your thing or that you’re just not cut out for skiing. No worries. This isn’t a perfect science. Few of us have been here before, but if you’re reading this, then you’re here now. That’s what matters. Make the most of it. And try to take some comfort in the fact that upon the horizon cometh the dawn.

References

Bentlage, E., Ammar, A., How, D., Ahmed, M., Trabelsi, K., Chtourou, H., and Brach, M. (2020). Practical recommendations for maintaining active lifestyle during COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17, 1-22. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176265

Gravina, N., Nastasi, J. A., Sleiman, A. A., Matey, N., and Simmons, D. E. (2020). Behavioral strategies for reducing disease transmission in the workplace. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53, 1935-1954. DOI: 10.1002/jaba.779.

Puyat, J. H., Ahmad, H., Avina-Galindo, A. M., Kazanjian, A., Gupta, A., Ellis, E., Ashe, M. C…, De Bono, C. E. (2020). A rapid review of home-based activities that can promote mental wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLOS One, 1-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243125.

How to be physically active while social distancing. (2020). CDC. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/how-to-be-physically-active-while-social-distancing.html.

Participate in indoor and outdoor activities. (2021). CDC. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/participate-in-activities.html.

Getting ready for your COVID-19 vaccine. (2021). CDC. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html.

 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Statistics. Google News. Retrieved from: https://news.google.com/covid19/map?hl=en-US&mid=%2Fm%2F09c7w0&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen.

Safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/safe-activities-during-covid19/art-20489385.

Tarlton, A. (2020, July). Study: the 15 most popular hobbies to start during the coronavirus pandemic. Reviewed. Retrieved from: https://www.reviewed.com/lifestyle/features/study-15-most-popular-hobbies-to-start-during-coronavirus-pandemic.

Coronavirus disease advice for the public. (2021). WHO. Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public.