As September winds downs, it seems as though Boston College and busy are synonymous. I have yet to meet a BC student who isn’t incredibly stressed and/or busy and as midterm draws near, self care is even more important. Self-care has become a buzzword in many ways but in reality the more connected we become through social media, the more important it is to consciously take time out of our days or out of the week for ourselves. My favorite way to practice self-care is to use one day of the week to rejuvenate myself. Here are 5 tips for having a successful rejuvenation Sunday (or whatever day of the week you’re free) so that you take care of your body, mind, and soul.
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1. Exercise! Yeah I know you probably just rolled your eyes but exercise is a great way to practice self-care. By moving your body and getting your blood pumping, you’re getting your body to release endorphins which will lift your mood and energy.
2. Meditate: Yeah I know you probably just rolled your eyes again but meditating is another great way to practice self-care. Taking ten minutes out of every day to control your breathing and center yourself, allows you to clear out all of the clutter from your brain and be mindful the rest of the day. If you’ve never meditated before, I definitely recommend looking up Karma Bliss on Youtube by Devi Brown or just searching for meditation podcasts online or on your phone.
3. Use a face mask: I love wearing a face masks on Sundays. Adding a weekly face mask to your skincare routine has many benefits including hydrating your skin and refining your pores.
4. Do something that isn’t related to your homework. It can be incredibly difficult as students to find time during our busy homework schedules to read for fun but even if it’s just watching a Ted Talk or listening to a short podcast, find ways to exercise a different part of your brain so that you have space to process what you’re learning can be really helpful.
5. Check in with yourself: At some point during your self care day, take inventory on how you truly feel, what you experienced during the past week, and what you look forward to in the next week. Sometimes it becomes easy to go on autopilot throughout the week, so in addition to meditating it’s important to check in with yourself in an authentic way whether that’s through journaling or just pausing to hear your own thoughts. Nobody knows you better than you.
So this upcoming weekend after you finish tailgating at the mods or going out with you friends, make sure you take time out of your day to practice a little self love.
Sources:
Gif 1: https://media.giphy.com/media/aaTnOdR3Qqo3m/giphy.gif
Image 2: https://i0.wp.com/reeselafrances.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/black-woman-meditating.jpg?w=506
Image 3: http://www.ebony.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/faceshit_caro_original_39672.jpg
Image 4:http://www.ebony.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/faceshit_caro_original_39672.jpg