Routines are incredibly important in building mental health skills. We talked to Mary Tate, LCSW from Tate Psychotherapy to learn how to develop and maintain routines. In this article, we’ll go over everything related to routines and how to get out of bad cycles. We’ll answer the following questions:
- What is a mental health routine?
- How do I get out of a cycle that doesn’t serve me?
- How do I create a routine that I can stick to?
- How do I create a realistic routine?
- What is a mental health routine?
What is a Mental Health Routine?
A mental health routine is a routine that helps cultivate total wellness, especially in areas that particularly affect mental health. It can also include taking time daily to acknowledge emotions, work through the day, or set yourself up for success in one way or another. Mental health routines are helpful because they can create a thing to fall back one during times of high stress or if you are experiencing a mental health issue. These routines can include coping skills, things that help you plan, and comforting things.
How do I get out of a cycle that doesn’t serve me?
Cycles that perpetuate either patterns that you would like to change or mental health issues can be very difficult to break. Oftentimes, this is because the routines strip you of energy or deliver immediate gratification. In order to break these cycles, there are three main things you can do.
Notice the pattern. Observe what the pattern is and where it originates.
Notice what happens in the mind and how the pattern affects the mind after it has occurred.
Ask for help in breaking the pattern. This can be in the form of writing out a plan
(like the one attached here),
asking for help from a professional or trusted person, or doing research to break the pattern.
Once you’ve noticed the pattern, understand that it is vital to treat yourself with compassion while trying to break the pattern. You may fall back into old patterns sometimes, and it’s okay. You’re human. The important thing is to work to continue breaking the pattern and re-instituting a new pattern.
How do I create a realistic routine?
After you’ve broken the pattern, creating a new pattern is important. While trying to create a routine, it’s important to think about a couple different factors. One, keeping your routine appealing and attainable will motivate you to stick with it. It will also prevent yourself from setting yourself up for failure. If you create a routine that you don’t want to do or is overwhelming, you will not want to do the routine. So, your routine should be attainable, appealing, and create a feeling of satisfaction to encourage you to complete your routine.
How do I create a routine I can stick to?
Keep track of a couple things while creating your routine in addition to the factors we’ve talked about before. Understand that a routine must align with the time you have and should not call on energy you don’t have when you would do your routine. For example, if you come home from a multi-hour practice for your sports team, expecting yourself to start a workout routine might not be the most realistic thing. If you only have 30 minutes of time in the evening, you shouldn’t expect yourself to complete a routine that takes 40 minutes. The template at the bottom of this page can be helpful in creating a positive routine. Finally, understand that it will take time to build your routine. They don’t happen overnight, they continually take practice. You may make mistakes in your routine, but it’s important to understand this and keep going.
Final Thoughts:
Mental health routines are routines that include coping skills, comforting aspects, and preparation aspects to help cultivate relaxation and total wellness. To break a routine, observe the pattern and response in the brain, and then ask for help to break the pattern. To create a realistic routine, make it appealing, attainable, and satisfactory. In order to stick to a routine, ensure that your routines are aligned with your time and energy. In addition, give yourself space to figure out your routine and occasionally slip up. Routines can be difficult to set up, but in the end are very rewarding. Good luck building your routine!