Micro-Habits That Make a Big Difference in Your Mental Health

Hi there! Welcome back to The ABC of Mental Health, your weekly dose of reflection, support, and small steps toward well-being.

Have you ever found yourself procrastinating something important, strugging with consistency, or being unable to stick to any schedule? It’s extremely common—and this week, we’re diving into how we can build micro-habits, and why they help improve our mental health.

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One relevant recommendation:

Small is Big: A Video
In this talk, the speaker explores how small, consistent actions can lead to sustainable changes in our lives. Using elaborate examples, he cites how change doesn’t always require big leaps; instead, it's the tiny, repeated steps that shape who we become. This talk is a gentle nudge to anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start. Sometimes, the smallest shift can open the door to the biggest changes.

Two Quotes on Self-sabotage:

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, on habit formation:

"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."

Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry, says about micro-rest:

"Rest is a form of resistance. Even a moment of stillness disrupts grind culture."

Three TherapyShorts from TST

1. Goal setting: Goal setting is a critical component of forming sustainable habits because of the direction and motivation it provides. Making your goals SMARTER: Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Relevant; Time-bound; Evaluated regularly, and Readjusted as needed – can help provide greater clarity to aid in the formation of micro-habits. These goals can also be written and rewritten on a regular basis to help provide a concrete and trackable progress of the work done. The visual cues keep motivation high and reinforce momentum.
   

2. Start small: Starting small is one of the most powerful and sustainable strategies for building habits. It helps you bypass resistance, avoid being overwhelmed, and build consistency, which are key components to long-term change. You can define the desired habit and break it down into parts and focus on its tiniest component, which is simple and easy to do. If that is a struggle, then think about how the task can be further simplified. Often, we end up blaming ourselves for not being able to complete a task which is actually complex and takes up more of our resources than we have to spare.

3. Habit-stacking: Habit stacking is a method where you attach a new habit to an existing one, using the old habit as a trigger. It makes habit formation easier by anchoring the new behavior to something you already do consistently. The anchor habit has to be stable and needs to already be incorporated into your daily routine. This routine should be one that is followed regardless of time and location. Remember to reward yourself for a job completed! Once one stack is solid and well incorporated into your daily routine, another one can be added to it and so on. 

A QUESTION?

What feels most doable right now? 

Vote here!

Last week, we asked you what does your self-sabotage look like, and the responses were… (drumroll please)…

Love and light,

The Social Therapist

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