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Wellness

Small Habits With Big Changes

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Riverside chapter.

Our bodies are something we may tend to overwork or ignore while we’re in school. Oftentimes, I would find myself scrolling on my phone longer than I should when I’m getting ready for bed, pushing myself too hard during working out, or not washing my face. 

 

It’s so easy to get lost in day-to-day activities that we begin to lose sight of what we really need to get done for the day. If we don’t take care of ourselves, then how could we complete all the things we want to?

 

However, once I started doing small things I found myself feeling more refreshed mentally and physically. This helped me with my long-days of school work, family time, and any other things I might need to deal with during a week.

 

1. Make your bed every day

This is probably one of the smallest and easiest things to do! Even if you don’t have time to completely fix your sheets and pillows, just picking the comforter and laying it on the bed properly can help. After long days of being at school, I loved coming home and seeing my bed made. It makes your life seem less messy and less overwhelming.

Yasmine Boheas
Yasmine Boheas / Unsplash

2. Wake up thankful

Simply taking a minute or more to practice gratitude in the morning helped me have a better day. It reminded me even if things are overwhelming, I need to take a moment to remember I’m only human and I have limits. I usually think to myself, “I’m thankful I’m awake today.”

 

Little things like that can go a long way, but you can be grateful for anything during any time of the day.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

3. Water, water, water!

This may sound like a given, but staying hydrated is DEFINITELY key! It may sound a little corny, but having your own water bottle definitely helps out. My roommate even has one where it shows how much water you should be drinking throughout a few hour time period which is super cute! Water literally helps almost everything. You feel good and you’ll look good too!

Vodka soda lime
Ingrid Marinak

4. Try different yoga poses

By doing simple poses like downward dog, the bridge pose, or even laying down with your legs against the wall can help. Personally, I like to do the downward dog after an intense workout because it leaves me feeling fulfilled. Doing the bridge pose can help with blood flow and stress. Overall, yoga can be super relaxing and a nice way to stay consistent in your busy days.

silhouette of woman doing yoga pose
Kike Vega

These are just some of the small things that worked for me, so maybe they can work for you too! Stay healthy!

Mya Benavides

UC Riverside '21

Lover of kindness, music, and creating. Undergrad at UCR pursuing a B.A. in Sociology along with a Minor in English.