~ Workshop ~ The Big 5: Small Actions - Big Change
Tracks
Ballroom 1 - In-Person & Virtual via OnAIR
Ballroom 2 - In-Person Only
Springbrook Room - In-Person Only
Binna Burra Room - In-Person Only
| Wednesday, June 24, 2026 |
| 8:45 AM - 10:00 AM |
Overview
Prof Nickolai Titov AM, Mindspot | School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University
Presenter
Prof Nick Titov
Executive Director
MindSpot, Macquarie University
~ Workshop ~ The Big 5: Small Actions – Big Change
Presentation Overview
CONTEXT AND AIMS
Most of us know what we can do to stay physically healthy — eat well, move often, get enough sleep. But when it comes to mental health, the everyday actions that help aren’t always clear. Our research set out to answer two simple but important questions:
1. What daily actions make the biggest difference to our mental health?
2. How often should we be doing them?
BACKGROUND
The Big 5 Framework is based on research involving over 25,000 adults, which will be summarised in this Workshop. The scientific summary will describe how large-scale surveys identified five key actions that were strongly linked to lower symptoms of depression and anxiety, and higher life satisfaction. These actions (The Big 5), include: 1) Meaningful activities; 2) Healthy thinking; 3) Goals and plans; 4) Healthy routines, and; 5) Social connections.
This Workshop will describe experimental studies that showed that gentle nudges, like SMS reminders, helped people do the Big 5 actions more often — and that doing so led to real improvements in wellbeing. Studies will also be described which showed that when people stopped doing these actions, their mental health declined quickly, and in some cases, dramatically.
INTERACTIVE LEARNING
This Workshop will then explore each of the Big 5, and attendees will be invited to anonymously share examples from their lived experience about each of the Big 5. This process will help attendees understand each of the Big 5 and how they can be applied in our personal lives, or in the lives of the people we care for. Tips for applying the Big 5 will be provided. Finally, attendees will be invited to post questions and comments.
THREE KEY LEARNINGS:
1. Some groups of actions are particularly important for our mental health.
2. Not doing these actions can trigger poor mental health.
3. Like our physical health, we all need to work on our mental health, each day.
Most of us know what we can do to stay physically healthy — eat well, move often, get enough sleep. But when it comes to mental health, the everyday actions that help aren’t always clear. Our research set out to answer two simple but important questions:
1. What daily actions make the biggest difference to our mental health?
2. How often should we be doing them?
BACKGROUND
The Big 5 Framework is based on research involving over 25,000 adults, which will be summarised in this Workshop. The scientific summary will describe how large-scale surveys identified five key actions that were strongly linked to lower symptoms of depression and anxiety, and higher life satisfaction. These actions (The Big 5), include: 1) Meaningful activities; 2) Healthy thinking; 3) Goals and plans; 4) Healthy routines, and; 5) Social connections.
This Workshop will describe experimental studies that showed that gentle nudges, like SMS reminders, helped people do the Big 5 actions more often — and that doing so led to real improvements in wellbeing. Studies will also be described which showed that when people stopped doing these actions, their mental health declined quickly, and in some cases, dramatically.
INTERACTIVE LEARNING
This Workshop will then explore each of the Big 5, and attendees will be invited to anonymously share examples from their lived experience about each of the Big 5. This process will help attendees understand each of the Big 5 and how they can be applied in our personal lives, or in the lives of the people we care for. Tips for applying the Big 5 will be provided. Finally, attendees will be invited to post questions and comments.
THREE KEY LEARNINGS:
1. Some groups of actions are particularly important for our mental health.
2. Not doing these actions can trigger poor mental health.
3. Like our physical health, we all need to work on our mental health, each day.
Biography
Nick Titov is a Professor of Psychology at Macquarie University, a Clinical Psychologist and Executive Director of the Australian MindSpot Clinic. MindSpot is a digital psychology clinic, funded by the Australian Government, and delivers psychological services to more than 30,000 adults each year. Nick has published more than 300 peer-reviewed papers and his current research focuses on the role of everyday behaviour on mental health. Nick serves on multiple advisory groups to national and international organisations. Nick was awarded an Order of Australia in 2025.
