Disclaimer: This is just my personal tips. Everybody else’s method could be different, and that is okay, as long as it works for you.
With classes to take and assignments to finish, it is also crucial to take care of one’s physical and mental health. However, as deadlines approach and certain positions require students to attend or fulfill, there have been reports of individuals who reportedly get less sleep and have to rely on caffeine to stay awake during the day. With that, it’s hard to focus on your own health while busy, and as someone who has had a pile of homework, exams to study for, and research and teaching assistance to do, I have gone through that myself. Nevertheless, it makes logical sense that health comes first because, without health, it’s harder to finish homework in time. While I had struggled to take care of myself while busy, I decided to make some lifestyle changes that allowed me to develop ideas on how to balance self-care with meeting deadlines. With that said, here are some tips on how to take care of yourself even when you’re busy.
- GET A PLANNER
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What else can you do to meet deadlines besides planning ahead? When you have so much to do that you forgot about another assignment to finish, or you end up finishing something at the last minute, that is when you realize that you should plan ahead of time. Having a planner not only allows people to keep track of deadlines, but it can also serve as a “mind journal” for people since it is technically an opportunity for people to jot down a few words.
- HAVE A SIMPLE SKINCARE ROUTINE
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As someone who enjoys watching beauty-related videos, I probably enjoy watching those 5-minute, 10-minute, or any last-minute skincare/makeup routines that people can implement in their lives, in cases when they’re running late. But watching these made me realize that I shouldn’t just watch; I also need to know how to act quickly in case I accidentally sleep late. Of course, as college students, we probably can’t afford to have a luxurious skincare routine, but having the most elegant night routine isn’t important for your health. Even a routine with just a cleanser and moisturizer can be good for your skin, so having a quick daily skincare routine before heading out can be a great way to take good care of your skin. For me, my daily skincare routine includes a cleanser, toner, treatment, and moisturizer, and everybody else might have it differently.
- STRETCH BEFORE BED
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It is getting more common for college and high school students to sleep in late, especially when they are finishing a long assignment before bed. Obviously, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to scroll through your phone when it is that late (I’m talking about late like 3 am), so instead of scrolling through social media pages or playing games before bed, it would be better to give your body a mindful workout, and stretching before bed not only relieves your body from pain, it can also help relax it, making it great to practice a bit of mindfulness before bed.
- REMEMBER, HEALTH COMES FIRST
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As much as passing your courses is important for your GPA, it is important to be mindful of health and safety or else it would be harder to do so. Studies have shown that if a person doesn’t eat breakfast before a morning class, they may get distracted by their hunger during lecture, so if you want to have the capacity to pass your courses, you should focus on having a healthy lifestyle.