The Power of Daily Habits: Megan Drummond Of Megan Drummond Psychotherapy On How Small Health Changes Can Lead to Big Results
An interview with Dr. Bharat Sangani
Practicing Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Emotional intelligence is one of the most important predictors of success because it shapes how we navigate all aspects of our lives, from negotiating relationships to making decisions and managing challenges.
When it comes to health and wellness, small, consistent changes often have the most profound impact. Daily habits, whether in nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, or sleep, can accumulate to create lasting transformations. In this series, we aim to explore the power of small, intentional actions and how they can lead to big health results over time. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Megan Drummond of Megan Drummond Psychotherapy.
Megan Drummond is a highly regarded psychotherapist specializing in integrative, neuroscience-informed client-centered care. She combines a diverse professional background with advanced education to offer transformative and tailored mental health support to individuals, couples and organisations. Her extensive experience spans Human Resources and mental health consultancy for Film and Television, giving her unparalleled insights into workplace dynamics and creative industries.
Megan holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, a Graduate Diploma in Psychological Studies, and a Master’s in Counselling and Psychotherapy and has furthered her expertise through advanced studies in Neuroscience, Positive Psychology, and International Women’s Health & Human Rights.
A practising member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and an Ambassador for The Australian Ethics Centre, Megan is committed to delivering care that meets the highest ethical standards.
Known for her evidence-based, empathetic approach, she empowers clients through her private practice and is a trusted resource for individuals seeking meaningful, lasting change in their mental health journey.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
My path to becoming a psychotherapist was driven by a lifelong fascination with human behavior and a desire to uncover why we act as we do. I’ve always been someone who questions and seeks to understand the why. Initially, I pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration and worked in Human Resources, where I discovered that leveraging psychology provided deeper insights into employees and their relationships with organizations. This experience inspired me to pursue graduate studies in psychology, where I realized my passion lay in the emotional and relational aspects of human experience. Psychotherapy emerged as the ideal path to deepen my understanding of human connections, facilitate meaningful change, and support individuals in navigating their emotional and relational challenges.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person that you are grateful for, who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
Absolutely. Becoming a therapist can be a taxing process. It’s a long academic and emotional journey involving gaining clarity about one’s issues before helping others resolve theirs. One particular lecturer from my graduate studies stands out to me. Beyond being one of the most brilliant and insightful individuals I’ve ever encountered, his teaching approach was remarkably generous. He recognized the potential in novice therapists, challenging us to fully embrace our strengths and emphasizing that lived experience is not a barrier but a bridge. This perspective transformed my understanding, reframing life experiences from obstacles to be overcome into tools for fostering understanding, connection, and empathy.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Successful leadership isn’t just about strategy or vision but about how we guide ourselves and others in ways that align with how we function best.
- Curiosity drives me to continually learn and adapt in an ever-changing industry. For example, while psychotherapy is one of medicine’s most effective therapeutic approaches, mental health treatment still faces significant ambivalence. This curiosity led me to explore the integration of neuroscience into my practice. In doing so, I discovered that familiarizing clients with the neurobiological and physiological foundations of their mental health challenges was transformative. Understanding how their brain and nervous systems work, clients gained psychological distance from their symptoms, developed self-awareness, and profoundly reduced self-blame. This approach not only enhanced client outcomes but also reinforced my belief in the power of curiosity to drive meaningful, innovative leadership.
- Resilience is central to my practice as both a psychotherapist and a business owner. Inside the counselling space, resilience enables me to create a safe, supportive environment where clients can process their emotions and experiences. It allows me to remain grounded and present, even when faced with the challenges of hearing and holding space for traumatic or emotional stories. This ability helps me stay calm, empathetic, and supportive without becoming overwhelmed or reactive. While outside the therapy room, resilience fosters a growth mindset essential for business success. It empowers me to rebound from setbacks, manage stress, learn from mistakes, and build strong, meaningful relationships.
- Empathy is not just central to my work with clients; it’s fundamental to effective leadership. As a leader, empathy is the ability to understand and respond to the needs of others, fostering connection and trust. Studies consistently show that empathy drives innovation, engagement, belonging, retention, and our capacity to manage work-life balance effectively. In a world where we experience multiple levels of stress, burnout and mental health, more than ever, empathy is a superpower that drives trust, engagement and sustainable success, ensuring that leaders don’t just manage but empower.
Ok, fantastic. Let’s now turn to the crux of our interview. Can you share a small health habit you adopted that had an unexpectedly large impact on your physical or mental well-being? What inspired you to make that change?
Sure, I’ve stepped away from multitasking and began focusing on one task at a time. We’ve all heard ourselves say, “I’ve got so much to do I can’t even think”, right? Well, there’s a good reason for it. Despite traditional thinking, multitasking tends to overload the prefrontal cortex, depleting our cognitive resources and impairing our ability to focus, make decisions, and process information effectively. As a result of this simple change, my productivity increased, my feelings of overwhelm decreased, and I felt less mentally drained at the end of the day. For me, singletasking ultimately prevents fatigue and allows me to function more efficiently.
What advice would you give to someone who struggles with consistency? How can they build daily habits without becoming overwhelmed?
Even the most disciplined individuals struggle with consistency because building habits is just plain difficult, particularly if you’ve previously tried and faced setbacks. My advice is don’t overthink it. Start small, and by small, I mean incremental because when it comes to building new habits, starting with achievable, minimal actions reduces cognitive resistance. For example, instead of committing to 30 minutes of daily exercise, begin with a single exercise session that lasts only 3 minutes. Get some wins under your belt to trigger your brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine that boosts both behavior and motivation. Starting with easy wins also helps break the self-hate cycle that often accompanies struggles with starting new habits.
How do you identify which habits are worth focusing on, and which might not provide meaningful results? Do you use any specific frameworks or tracking methods?
New habits can take up to 10 weeks to establish. To determine which habits to focus on, numerous frameworks in the psychological and coaching space can help; however, my favorite is exploring each habit’s Return on Investment (ROI) because it’s a quick and easy way to assess whether a particular habit is actually worth my time and effort. For example, I prioritize being habitually well-prepared in my practice over ensuring dinner is on the table every night at 6 p.m. In my case, the return on investment from consistently preparing for every client far outweighs the benefits of adhering to a rigid dinner schedule. When creating a new habit, I first ask myself whether the change in behavior will significantly improve my life. If not, I move on. Habit formation is challenging, so focusing on something that truly adds value is essential.
Can you explain how compounding benefits work when it comes to daily health habits? Have you experienced any surprising long-term transformations from seemingly small changes?
The concept of compounding benefits in daily health habits echoes the principle of compound interest in our financial lives. Think of your savings account and how your account balance increases exponentially when you regularly invest even a minimal amount. The same principle applies when it comes to forming habits for our health. Compounding benefits work because neural pathways in the brain strengthen with repetition. When we do something repeatedly, we reinforce these pathways, making the behavior more manageable and reflexive, which, over time, means less effort. For example, I’ve experienced this with a simple commitment to do the hard thing first, which reduces the tendency to procrastinate and enables me to free up my mental space for the rest of the day.
What are “5 Health Habits That Lead to Great Results ”?
Practicing Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Emotional intelligence is one of the most important predictors of success because it shapes how we navigate all aspects of our lives, from negotiating relationships to making decisions and managing challenges.
In 1983, the concept of multiple intelligences was first proposed, suggesting there was more than one way to be smart. Following, the suggestion of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) was introduced, eventually becoming popularized and expanded into five key factors: self-awareness, self-regulation, internal motivation, empathy, and social skills.
While EQ is typically seen as a set of skills rather than a habit, consistent practice makes it an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. In fact, a 2018 report found that North Americans with high EQ are eight times more likely to enjoy a high quality of life than those with lower scores. Furthermore, EQ impacts lifelong physical and mental health more significantly than academic ability and predicts workplace success more reliably than IQ.
When these factors are practiced regularly, they cultivate habits that promote emotional and physical health, making Emotional Intelligence a powerful component of a holistic health routine.
Get some sleep: Thanks to contemporary advancements in neuroscience and technology, there is growing recognition of sleep’s integral role in our productivity and well-being. As a result, we are consistently learning about its benefits for our physical selves and overall functioning. Imagine Lucy, a marketing director managing multiple clients and teams, who sacrifices her sleep to meet deadlines. Soon enough, important details are forgotten, creativity hits a wall, productivity starts to slip, and she feels herself struggling to cope with the pressure. After a particularly exhausting week, Lucy prioritizes sleep by consistently getting 7–8 hours per night and avoiding emails before bed. In just a few weeks, she noticed her performance improving: she’s composed in stressful meetings, and her creativity has returned. What’s changed? Lucy’s brain finally has the downtime to consolidate the information from the day, regulate her emotions, and clear out waste, providing clarity in her thinking and emotional balance. This transformation highlights the impact of prioritizing sleep, reminding us that rest is not a luxury but fundamental to productivity, creativity, and emotional resilience.
Be social: All humans need connection to thrive; we only need to look at how human connection affects growth, brain development, bonding, and emotional development in infants to recognize its importance. Social connectedness builds resilience, fosters meaningful relationships, and helps us navigate challenges with emotional balance and support. When we encounter positive interactions with others, oxytocin is released, reducing stress and strengthening emotional bonds, which makes us feel more secure and less overwhelmed. Being connected also boosts motivation and our ability to problem-solve. Just think about how teams work: collaboration and motivation improve when team members are connected, openly share ideas, support each other’s contributions, and recognize achievements.
A great way to increase connectedness is to implement the habit of “active listening” in daily interactions. Ways to accomplish this include being fully present and free from distractions during conversations, maintaining eye contact and using other nonverbal cues to show engagement, paraphrasing to demonstrate understanding and validate feelings, and asking open-ended questions to express genuine interest in what the other person is saying.
Connectedness ultimately leads to better results. Whether collaborating with others or leaning on a friend for advice, connection is a versatile tool for achieving success.
Keep learning: Henry Ford was right when he said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty” because the practice of continuously gaining new knowledge and skills, promotes both brain health and long-term adaptability.
As a psychotherapist, helping clients understand how a healthy brain supports all elements of success is central to my practice. Rooted in neuroplasticity, our capacity to learn new skills is critical to our ability to grow, tackle challenges, and continuously evolve. Simply engaging in problem-solving activities, learning new skills, or doing something creative helps build a “cognitive reserve,” enabling us to handle challenges optimally because more mental resources are available. This, in turn, allows us to approach tasks more effectively, adapt to change, and innovate solutions.
A simple habit, such as reading material on a topic of interest or something you want to learn for just a small amount of time per day, can significantly impact the brain and your ability to achieve goals by reinforcing neural connections related to the topic, building expertise and confidence. It also fosters consistency, discipline, and cognitive stamina, which are essential for building momentum, maintaining focus, and achieving long-term goals.
Get moving: I have intentionally left the habit of exercise until the end because we already hear so much about its benefits, so it’s easy to dismiss its importance as foundational to great results. Exercise is a superpower; it improves focus and memory, reduces stress and anxiety and enhances mood, cognitive function, and neuroplasticity. Unsurprisingly, researchers have found a direct correlation between fitness and success. For example, individuals who engage in physical exercise experience increased job performance, while organisations implementing exercise programs into their work culture see significant improvement in absenteeism, performance, capacity, and productivity. Successful individuals understand that physical health directly impacts mental and emotional performance. Think of it like this, every time you workout your body, you workout your mind.
What role does mindset play in forming new habits? How do you maintain motivation when the results aren’t immediately visible?
Mindset is at the core of my practice as a psychotherapist. Quite simply, thoughts shape behaviour. Widely regarded as one of the most effective forms of psychotherapy is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) because it reflects the patterns of thinking that influence emotions and behaviors. CBT works to change unhelpful mindsets into more constructive ones, empowering individuals to navigate life’s challenges with greater clarity, resilience, and confidence. It is this mindset shift that is at the heart of the therapy’s effectiveness.
Mindset is everything; it’s foundational to habit creation and staying motivated, especially when long-term goals are at play and results aren’t immediate. A growth mindset promotes resilience and helps you reframe setbacks as opportunities. The process orientation of a growth mindset shifts your focus from outcomes to consistently showing up, even on difficult days, which is an expression of grit reinforcing the habit of persistence. It also allows for self-compassion, reducing the brain’s threat response and enabling you to get back up and keep going after disappointments and setbacks.
Maintaining motivation can be challenging, but a few tips can help. Linking your habits to a deeper purpose activates the brain’s reward system more effectively, as does celebrating the small wins and visualizing long-term gains. These tips all engage the parts of the brain responsible for releasing the feel- good hormone (dopamine) and for planning and making decisions, making it easier to prioritize and adhere to your goals.
Just remember consistent and small actions compound over time.
How can our readers further follow your work?
Your readers can follow my work and stay connected via Instagram at @md.psychotherapy for daily insights, mental health tips, and inspiration.
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
About The Interviewer: Dr. Bharat Sangani is a cardiologist and entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience, practicing in Gulfport, Mississippi, and Dallas, Texas. Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, he specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and hypertension. In 1999, Dr. Sangani founded Encore Enterprises, a national real estate investment firm. Under his leadership, the company has executed transactions exceeding $2 billion, with a portfolio spanning residential, retail, hotel, and office developments. Known for his emphasis on integrity and fairness, Dr. Sangani has built Encore into a major player in the commercial real estate sector. Blending his medical and business expertise, Dr. Sangani created the Life is a Business mentorship program. The initiative offers guidance on achieving balance in health, wealth, and relationships, helping participants align personal and professional goals. Now based in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Sangani continues to practice cardiology while leading Encore Enterprises and mentoring others. His career reflects a unique blend of medical expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to helping others thrive.
The Power of Daily Habits: Megan Drummond Of Megan Drummond Psychotherapy On How Small Health… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.