Getting back into the swing of things in school can be challenging, and often times our health gets put on the back burner. While it may not seem like it in the moment, we have nothing without our health. Here are a few ways to incorporate prioritizing your health into day-to-day life:
Get outside
I know its easy to get caught up in classes, homework and just about everything, but making time everyday to get outside can really benefit your mood and overall health. Starting off with the sun: it’s not the enemy that most think it is. You need vitamin D on a basic level of immunity and bone health, but it can also help to regulate your mood. While it’s not good to burn, getting out in the sun for just 20 minutes a day will do the trick. Another way to get outside is to walk around campus. Go with friends, pop in some headphones and listen to music or a podcast, or simply enjoy the scenery and the sound of birds chirping. Just being out in nature has been found to lower anxiety which can be especially helpful during exams.
Put the phone down
Whether we want to admit it or not, our phones can act as a primary source of stress, anxiety and comparison. Instead of saying you need to delete all of your socials and cut it out cold turkey, it’s more about what you’re actually consuming within those apps. Start off by going through your following on apps like Instagram and Tiktok, and cut out any accounts that lead you to comparison or that post negative things. The idea is that the content you consume should be adding to your life, not making it harder. The next step to take is to turn off all notifications for social media apps. This way you will have to intentionally click on the app, rather than getting sucked in through a random notification.
Decide on a routine
From my experience, the hardest part about keeping up good habits is actually keeping them. It may be hard at first, but the best way to form a habit is to work it into your schedule. Make sure to start small too, if you add an hour long walk to your schedule then it may be too big to tackle at first. For example, start by working in a 20 minute walk every day, and see how doable it is. You likely won’t want to always go for the walk (or any other habit you’re trying to enforce), but this is where discipline comes in. Just remember that while you may not feel like it now, you’ll be so glad later that you kept the promise you made to yourself.
Just as important as it is to stay on top of classes, its even more important to take care of yourself. I hope some of this is found to be useful, and while we all have priorities, I hope you make yourself one of them. :)