Let’s keep it simple and get back to some wellness basics!
In a world where we’re inundated with constant new wellness advice about the best diet and most effective workout, and buzzwords that engrain themselves into every part of our ‘for-you’ page, I find it’s easy to lose sight of the basics. If you’re a student, like me, you’ve also got the added factor of a consistently changing routine.
Exams are here, Summer is coming, the warm weather is starting to hit; I find myself both longing to fling away my books and get outside and stuck at my desk trying to wrap up final projects and prepare for exams. The overwhelm is threatening to creep in, and the spark is being dulled. I was thus inspired to do an ‘audit’ of my health and wellness: a factory reset, if you will.
May I introduce you to the May ‘Basics’ Challenge? This is my personal challenge to return to some of the daily routine things I’ve been neglecting. You know, the little things that are so easy to forget when life gets busy, but make a day infinitely better. To avoid overwhelming myself, I’ve kept the goals simple and few.
Here are the ‘back to basics’ wellness goals I’m committing to for the month of May.
1. Delete Instagram 📴
Honestly, if all you took from this list was to delete the Instagram app from your phone, I think you’d be doing pretty well. My screentime isn’t astronomical, but lately I’ve noticed that the more tired I am, the longer I’ll scroll on Instagram. It was becoming my default unwind, and I hated it. So, I deleted the app and now am strictly using browser mode, unless I need to post something (then it’s a quick download and a quick delete). Rather than trying to go ‘cold turkey’ right off the bat, you’d be surprised at how much the lack of a user-friendly interface on browsers deters you from using Instagram. It’s awful, which is perfect for my goal! Now I reach for a book, an audiobook, or text a friend to ask about their week. You might be surprised at what time it frees up!
2. More Water! 💧
Lately, I’ve not even realized how dehydrated I am until it’s bedtime and I’m grasping for my water bottle as if I’ve just come out of the Sahara Desert. I’m keeping it simple: one water bottle a day. I know that sounds shameful. One water bottle is nothing, but I also know that if I set a reminder to just drink one, I’ll end up drinking way more than that.
3. Starting and Ending the Day with Gratitude 📚
A few days ago, I was listening to a podcast, and the host talked about how bad it is to start your day off with a scroll. Most of us already know this. I know it. But I’d still gotten into a habit lately of checking notifications first thing. Now, I’ve put my phone aside and out of reach. Instead of my screen being the first thing I see, I am starting my day with some gratitude. This swap usually leads me to getting ready for my morning– doing skincare and makeup, packing my bag, making breakfast– all before checking my phone. And it’s been SO refreshing. My mind isn’t instantly sucked into a hundred other lives on Instagram or text channels before I’ve even considered my own. Same thing at bedtime. The phone is away, and I take a few minutes to actually think about how my day went.
4. In Bed by 10:30 pm 💤
Perhaps the simplest, but hardest thing to do on the list! I’m a night owl and a morning person at the same time… which is not a great combo. Going to bed early feels like a waste of time to me. However, there are enough studies that have convinced me of its benefits, so I’m committing to being in bed, phone off and away, by 10:30 pm. Even if I can’t fall asleep, just lying in bed with my own thoughts has been enlightening. The life of a student can be so “go-go-go”; we see so many people in a day and travel around to multiple locations. My thoughts are always racing. This goal helps me slow down and be more present with myself. If you also have trouble, here are some helpful tips for setting and keeping a new bedtime!
5. Strength Training 3x a Week 💪
I get it; weight training isn’t everyone’s thing, and that’s totally fine. But movement of any kind balances mood, generates endorphins, and improves circulation (especially after long hours sitting in the library). Strength training does that for me in a special way. Lately, with the sun out, I’ve gotten back into running but have then fallen off my gym schedule. Both are good things, but I know that strength training, in particular, is a habit I want to keep up.
Now, it’s your turn!
The best thing about all these goals or habits is the way each one affects the others: the more I do one, the more the rest fall into place. When I go to bed by 10:30 pm, I’m able to get up early without feeling like a frail Victorian child. When I get off Instagram, I have more time to reflect and be more present in my day. I can focus now on my ‘airdrop’ thoughts: the ones which come to us only in the quiet. Now, I feel more motivated to reach out to a friend for coffee, call my dad, or even just do my laundry.
I’ve even got a few friends on board, and we’ll be doing weekly check-ins to encourage and hold each other accountable. If you want a bit of a challenge, why not make up your own? Write the goals out on a pretty piece of paper and pin it up beside your bed so you remember them.
Pick five goals and write them down on paper. The simpler, the better! There is no such thing as a stupid goal. Once you’ve crushed them, level up! Add on something more. Even just writing something down on paper is going to get you motivated. And after that first night of good sleep (should you pick a bedtime goal), you’re going to feel on top of the world ;) Good luck and see you on the other side!