Introduction
Antonia Derramas Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate Tips.
Life can get overwhelming from time to time — work-life balance, relationships, and personal goals. But your mental health doesn’t need to take a backseat. Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate Antonia Derramas empowers her clientele with pragmatic and compassionate tools they can use to cope with stress, attend to their mental health and cultivate resilience. So here are some tips based on her approach to promoting emotional well-being
The last thing you want to do is practice the stress that creates negative mindsets.
Stress is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to take over. Antonia recommends using mindfulness techniques as a self-soothing technique during stressful times. Even simple practices like taking deep breaths, grounding exercises, or just sitting in meditation for five minutes can help. Another good strategy is to identify what triggers you. Are you short on deadlines at work? Is your schedule overbooked? Once you identify what’s stressful, you can work on setting boundaries and prioritising tasks. Remember that while stress may be inevitable, your response is not.
Self-Care Is Non-Negotiable
Antonia tells clients that self-care is not selfish; it’s essential. Self-care takes many forms, and the answer is simply prioritising things that help you feel grounded and happy. For others, self-care may mean refiling their books, visiting the local park or taking a bubble bath. For others, it’s a matter of maintaining good habits—eating nutritious foods, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly.
Spending 15 minutes daily doing stuff you love is an easier way to start. Even the most minor self-care steps can help recharge your mental health and prepare you to face life’s challenges.
You can also build resilience through reflection.
You don’t develop resilience through avoidance; you create it by figuring out how to bounce back after something difficult occurs. Antonia says one of the best ways to build resilience is by reflecting on your experiences. When something difficult happens, ask yourself, “What can I learn? How do I become better because of it?” A strong support system also nourishes resilience. Be around people who encourage and lift you. Although independence is prized in many cultures, relying on trusted loved ones during difficult moments is a sympathetic strength, not a weakness.
Allow for the Presence of Your Feelings
One of the key lessons that Antonia is passionate about sharing is the need to validate your emotions. It’s easy to want to stave off feelings of sadness, anger, and fear because they feel “bad.” But trying to deny your emotions only makes them stronger. Instead, allow yourself to feel free without judgment. Recognise what you’re feeling as part of being human.
If you tend to push your feelings aside instead of confronting them, try journaling them out, Griffith said. Focus on what set off the feeling, how it manifests physically in your body, and what you can do about it. And remember, emotion is a signal—not a problem to solve.
Know When to Ask for Help
Antonia’s best tip is knowing when it’s time to get professional help. Many people are reluctant to contact a counsellor or therapist, thinking, “I should be able to deal with this myself.” However, seeking help is a proactive and brave step toward improving mental health.
Therapy is not reserved for times of crisis. Seeing a counsellor for various issues, such as chronic stress, trouble processing emotions or feeling “stuck” in life, is something Antonia recommends. Therapists create a safe, nonjudgmental space for you to examine your thoughts and find solutions together.
Do you need support? If your struggles are getting in the way of your going about your life—sleeping poorly, avoiding trick-or-treating with your kids or constantly feeling overwhelmed—these are all good signs that it’s time to make an appointment.
Celebrate Small Wins
Antonia frequently reminds people that progress doesn’t happen overnight. It’s about appreciating the little victories during the journey. Or you found time to go outside for fresh air, or you had the awkward talk you were avoiding. It may be as simple as these actions, but it’s about progress and should be applauded.
At the end of each day, just pause and reflect on what you have accomplished, no matter how small it seems. Recognising these moments builds positivity and offers you the boost to continue.
Chaotic and out-of-control days leave anyone feeling stressed and unproductive. But with a small amount of structure, you can reclaim your time and energy. That is where daily routines come in. They’re also far more than a trendy productivity hack; they’re essential to developing habits, managing your time, and obtaining balance in life. Here’s an in-depth look at why routines matter, how they change lives and how you can develop one that suits you.
Understanding Habits And Productivity: The Science Behind It
We human beings are creatures of habit. Patterns free up our brains for other things — and our brains love patterns because they eliminate decision fatigue. Each time you follow a routine, your brain forms neural pathways that allow you to do those tasks with minimal thought as time goes on. That leaves more mental energy for more significant decisions and creative thought.
Routines are also essential in lowering stress levels. Anticipating what lies ahead soothes the mind and offers mastery. The stress hormone cortisol surges amid unpredictability, but adhering to a schedule can help keep those levels stable. This means building an environment where focus and efficiency can thrive for productivity.
Breaking Free from Chaos
You’re not alone if you’re having a tough time on ordinary days. Without a routine, the ceaseless demands of life can stack up and make finding time for our priorities difficult. Having a rhythm to your day cuts down that noise. A routine allows you to know what’s coming next so that you’re able to accomplish your goals without getting burned out.
Know Thyself: Step One Of A Personalized Routine
The optimal daily routine suits you. And a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work, either, because everyone’s preferences, responsibilities and energy levels are different. Before you start drafting a blueprint, you’ve got to know yourself first.
Assess Your Natural Rhythms
Do you feel best in the mornings or work best in the evenings? Knowing your body’s natural rhythm (chronotype) can help tell you when to put your most essential tasks on the calendar. Morning people might do best with a full slate of morning and early afternoon activities, while night owls may do best with things that happen after dark.
Identify Your Priorities
Contemplate what matters most to you each day. Is it work, family, exercise, personal development — or a combination? Knowing these priorities helps you concentrate your time and energy on what matters to keeping your time high from distractions.
Time Audit Magic
Time audits reveal a variety of ways in which you’re spending your days. Record everything you do for one or two days, from when you wake up to when you go to bed. This will underscore which activities soak up your time for no reason and where you’re missing an opportunity to fill it with more deliberate habits.
An actionable routine: What to do when
Once you know your natural rhythms and priorities, it’s time to build a routine that works for you. Here’s how to eat your day in bite-size pieces.
Morning Power-Ups
Focus on doing things that energise you and are aligned with your goals. Morning rituals might include stretching, journaling, reading or cooking a healthy breakfast. Even five minutes of intentional focus beats the alternative of scrolling through social media first thing in the morning. Choose activities that ground you and empower you.
Midday Momentum
The middle of the day can be tricky, mainly if you have already used up your first wind. You can do better by scheduling tasks to match your peak productivity levels during midday. Midday is great for deep-focus work for some; for others, quick errands or light tasks are a boon. And don’t forget to refuel with a healthy lunch or a quick walk so as not to crash later.
Evening Wind-Down
Your evenings need to allow you to decompress.” A soothing evening routine tells your brain it’s time to sleep. Dim the lights, stub out screen time, and undertake soothing activities, whether light reading or meditation. That lays the groundwork for improved sleep, which helps drive overall health.
Creating Breaks, Flex Time, and Buffer Zones
Life rarely goes as planned, so build breaks and flexible time into your routine. Buffer zones between tasks provide time to deal with potential delays or surprises without stress. Allowing breaks is equally essential , as they are critical to sustaining productivity and mental acuity. The Pomodoro Technique of working for 25 minutes and then taking a 5-minute break is a tried-and-true method.
Make It Stick: How to Create a Habit Out of Your Routine
It may sound daunting initially, but once you are committed and following the proper techniques, having a routine will come naturally to you. Here’s how.
Habit Stacking
One of the most innovative ways to establish habits is to attach new ones to existing ones. Personally, after I brush my teeth, I might resolve to write down three things I’m grateful for. These things make it easier to remember and reinforce new habits.
The 21-Day Myth
You may have heard it takes 21 days to create a habit, but research shows this can differ wildly between individuals. Sure, but it takes around 8 weeks of doing things for them to lead to habits. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t become automatic immediately — patience is the secret.
Tracking Progress
Incredibly motivating, visual cues like checking off boxes on a to-do list or maintaining a streak calendar are essential. They offer concrete evidence of your progress toward your aims, making it more difficult to “break the chain” of your routine.
Reward Yourself
Good habits are reinforced by positive feedback. Reward little victories, like completing a whole week of your routine, with something significant, like a special dessert or extra time curled up with a bestseller.
Overcoming Routine Roadblocks
Regardless of how well-organized your timetable might be, issues will come up. Here’s how to respond to common disruptions.
Dealing with Disruptions
Life happens. Unexpected meetings or sick days can throw you off. The key is flexibility. Recognise the detour, recalibrate where it makes sense, and resume your routine to the extent you can at some point.
Beating Boredom
Every day looks the same at a point in time. If you’re reading in a library, go to another branch, and so on. For example, doing a different type of workout, trying new healthy recipes, or getting into other hobbies.
Avoiding Perfectionism
We are not striving for perfection. Did you miss a workout? Did you have a rushed breakfast? It’s okay. It’s a critical element of establishing a sustainable, lasting routine. Be your best self once in a while.
Evolving with Time
Your routine needs to ebb and flow with you. Life is not stagnant, and your needs and priorities will change. Here’s how to adapt.
Seasonal Shifts
Changes may be in order based on winter’s shorter days or summer’s longer daylight hours. For instance, you could shift outdoor activities earlier in the day in colder months to take advantage of sunlight.
Major Life Changes
However, significant changes, such as starting a new job or becoming a parent, can hijack even the most careful plans. Embrace that transitional times may call for a complete overhaul of your routine. Be patient and try things until you discover a new normal.
The Mind and Body are speakers.
How you feel is the most important cue for refreshing your routine. A structure that feels like a chore in its current form is due for a shake-up. Do regular check-ins and recalibrate as necessary.
Conclusion
Your mental health is as vital as your physical health and should become an integral part of your day-to-day routine. Antonia Derramas, with her empathy and action-oriented approach, demonstrates that simple actions—drawing lines in the sand, prioritising yourself, and identifying when you need assistance—can yield real change. Mental health isn’t a one-size-fits-all, so experiment with what works for you and give yourself the grace to develop at your speed.
I’m not saying caring for your mind is a one-time action, but you don’t have to do it alone. So start practising these tips daily, and remember that support is always there when needed. Whether self-care or professional help, each step brings you closer to a healthier, happier version of yourself.
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