When life feels like it’s constantly moving with no breaks in between to rest, sometimes I forget to take care of myself. I find myself eating out all the time or relying on frozen meals, I lose motivation to go to the gym because I feel to preoccupied with school, or I just want to rot in my bed all day.
The truth is these things are totally valid. It’s okay to feel that way at times. However, it’s important to not lose sight of caring for yourself, because at the end of the day – if you’re not feeling like a thousand bucks, everything you are doing won’t be at your 100% effort.
Something I always tell myself is that if it is important, you can find time for it. So, here’s some things you can maybe incorporate into your day to really function to the best of your ability. Â
- Start your day with a simple routine.
Whether it’s showering in the morning, or putting on a full face of makeup, you should slowly start waking up a little earlier than you usually do to get your day started. Personally, my favorite way to really wake up is to do my morning skin care routine to feel a little more put together. I also love to put a pot of tea on the stove while I’m getting ready, so that once I am ready to head out the door it’s perfectly steeped and ready to pour into my thermos for the day.
- Workout Classes
I personally find it SO hard to commit to a gym schedule and be able to lift consistently. The thing I love about Virginia Tech are the group exercise classes, which I can fit in between classes whenever I want. There are so many different classes different classes offered throughout the day, it’s perfect for having some motivation to get a quick workout in while i’m on campus. The classes range from mat Pilates and cycle to cardio dance and F45 – it’s the perfect way to expose yourself to new workouts and keep your body moving! The best part is, I feel motivated to workout to my 100% ability when I’m surrounded by so many other students taking that class.
- Hot Girl Walk
20 minutes. You just need 20 minutes to go on a walk outside or walk on the treadmill during the day and you will feel more productive – I can almost gurantee that. My favorite motivation to go on a hot girl walk is because those are the times I allow myself to listen to my favorite podcast: The Psychology of your 20s. This podcase just let’s me be away from my own thoughts and the rest of the world for some time and be able to just focus on moving my body. I also just love listening to advice and a new perspective on things when I am in a slump.
- Make Some Food!
If there is one thing I can tell you I have learned as a Neuroscience major, it’s how important your diet is for all bodily function. The exact food you put into your body can correlate directly to how your feeling or how you’re functioning on a certain day. It’s important to make sure that you eat clean and healthy food majority of the time and the best way to do this is just taking 15-20 minutes out of your day to make a meal! There are so many easy and delicious meals you can make, and it’s so fulfilling to be able to make something that tastes good, knowing you’re taking care of your body simultaneously.
- Night-time routine
What’s better than to finish the night feeling productive? If you’re not drowning in homework studying for an exam, you should try and journal or read a book for sometime before you go to bed. It keeps your brain at ease at you’re mentally reseting for a brand new day. I personally love to take 15 minutes to just read a book on my kindle or call my family, knowing I feel at ease before I call it a night.
I am not saying you should try and hit all of these in one day, but if you can just include 1-2 of these things everyday, it will really help with any anxious thoughts or overwhelming feelings. I totally understand how insane college can feel at times balancing school, clubs, and a social life, so it’s definitely important to take care of yourself through it all!