As we get further into the semester and the winter months, it is more and more important to be mindful about taking care of yourself. Schoolwork piles up, the weather goes downhill, motivation lacks, and it is easy to fall into bad habits! I compiled four key components of my daily life that force me to take care of myself, even when I feel lazy and unmotivated.
Something that I like to do every single day to keep myself motivated and on track, even when I do not feel like completing a single task, is to make a daily to-do list. I am not one of those plan-my-day-down-to-the-minute organizers; however, I do find great satisfaction in checking every box on the to-do list. I like to make my lists the night before so that I can set an alarm and plan my day accordingly. Some of the common items on my list are workout, run, complete a specific assignment, write a rough draft, do my laundry, or tidy my room. I like to find tasks that are manageable and not overwhelming so that I actually get everything done. For example, it is not feasible to write an entire essay in one day, so I like to assign myself bite size chunks, like find sources, draft a thesis, or finish the rough draft, so that I am more inclined to complete the task.Â
Along with this, I have certain self-care tasks that I prioritize weekly over others. Exercise is my number one priority, so I make sure to budget enough time to move my body at least once a day. This does not mean an hour and a half lift every day; working out daily can mean just a quick walk or a ten minute workout video. Moving my body once a day is what makes me feel best about myself, so I recommend that you find what makes YOU feel best about yourself. This can be as simple as getting your nails done, going to a coffee shop, or reading a book, just something to take care yourself physically and mentally. Whatever the activity or task is that makes you feel best about yourself, make sure to prioritize and add that task to your to-do list each day. Â
I also ensure to schedule downtime, away from the blue light of my computer, iPad, phone, and to-do list. I have found that for myself, I get more tasks completed if I give myself a break. If I spend the entire week on my computer contemplating about which of my endless academic tasks to work on first, I will get absolutely nothing done. Rather, if I assign myself tasks in bite size chunks, as described above, and allow myself to take a break, then my workload finally seems manageable. My downtime varies day by day, sometimes that means a midday nap, watching a movie at night, making plans with friends, or mindlessly scrolling on my phone. Whatever my relaxation entails, I try to keep academics off the mind.Â
The final tip I have to keep a healthy balance between academics and self-care is to SLEEP! So many college students think that staying up reviewing flashcards into the early hours of the morning will make or break their future. In my (very biased) opinion, that extra four hours of sleep will do so much more for you than four more hours of cramming information into the brain. When you do not sleep enough, you risk catching a cold, hormonal imbalance, lack of focus, mood swings, and being unmotivated. I think that sleeping enough is the key to having a productive day each day, even if that means sacrificing a few hours of studying.Â
To conclude, having a manageable to do list, prioritizing, having downtime, and sleeping enough are all great ways to balance academics and self care, which is so important for a college student.Â