2021 is already well on its way and not slowing down. This is an important time to make sure that you are creating good habits that make you the best version of yourself this year. These five small habits will make the biggest difference in the long run by keeping you organized and your mindset in the right place. Implementing these small habits into your daily routine may seem like a small change, but they will create very noticeable changes in the long run.
- Write in your planner
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I only started doing this a few weeks ago, but it has made the biggest difference. Every Sunday night, I will go through Laulima and check every class for assignments, readings, quizzes, and other due dates. I write everything down in my planner so that way I don’t have to worry about forgetting something important as I go throughout my week. It also helps me to write down my work schedule and upcoming appointments in my planner every week so know how to manage my time.
- Schedule time to relax
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Mid-terms are approaching at a terrifying speed, which means our schedules will get busier and our workloads will get heavier. But no matter how busy you get, it is absolutely critical that you schedule time for yourself to relax. This time can be as small as five minutes in the morning to journal or stretch, to taking an hour before bed to do some yoga. No matter what relaxation looks like to you, it is so important to let your body and mind relax for a while everyday so you don’t overwork and exhaust yourself.
- Stop pressing the snooze button
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Pressing the snooze button always starts as a harmless act to squeeze in a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning, but more often than not it ends in rushing to get ready, skipping breakfast, scrambling to class/work, and sometimes even forgetting about important things you have to get done beforehand. It may be difficult at first, but soon you’ll get used to getting out of bed on the first alarm. This way you will have enough time to get ready, eat breakfast, and start your day at a relaxing pace instead of in an anxious rush.
- Make sure you’re drinking enough water
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We’ve all heard the rule of thumb: drink eight glasses of water a day to stay healthy. This seemingly simple act is sometimes very hard to accomplish when you’re caught up with school, homework, work, and all the other tasks you have to fulfill throughout your day. But despite how difficult drinking enough water can be, it is 110% worth the hassle. When you drink enough water, you are more awake and have more energy, your muscles are more hydrated, your regular body function improves, and of course there are beauty benefits such as clearer skin and smaller pores.
- Get fresh air every day
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Because of COVID, the world has turned to the internet to function. From classes to shopping to many jobs-gone-virtual, we can do almost everything online. This makes it so easy to never leave the house and sit at home all day on the computer. This is not to mention all the other distractions that come with the internet, such as Netflix and social media. When we go for a day or two without getting fresh air, we forget about the wonders that it can do for us. Personally, the moment I step outside my mood improves, I feel more energized, and any stress or anxiety is alleviated. While COVID has made our lives go virtual, it has also made it easier than ever to spend time outside. We often forget that laptops are portable and we can take our work outside rather than spending all this of time inside.