2020 caused many sudden changes and its effects are still present in 2021. The majority of classes have been transferred online and I know, like me, a lot of people are struggling to adjust to the new way of learning.
I have heard from so many of my classmates that this has deeply affected their concentration, their way of studying but also finding some time for themselves, as now our learning environment has been unified with our living space. It has definitely been equally challenging for me, so much that I just completely forget to take some time to myself and unwind in my own time…but continuing like that can only have negative consequences. One of the things that I have found helpful to get me through this busy semester has been self-care!
I admit, it has been challenging! I have stayed up one too many nights to finish an assignment or a book I need to study only to deeply regret it the next day.
Self-care has been a popular subject in the last year and has been associated with doing face masks and sleeping in, and although those are valuable things in doing self-care, there’s so much more to it.
So, what is self-care?
Self-care is mostly regular activities you do in order to take care of yourself, nurture your mental health and learn how to cope with daily stress. Self-care is about checking in with yourself, bringing awareness to what your body and mind needs and working towards that. Self-care is unique and important with multiple benefits. Self-care has been linked to minimizing stress, increasing productivity (for students too!), even improving our immune system!
Self-care is absolutely doable, even with a busy schedule!
You can start with some small things that you can incorporate to your routine. I started just like that, and slowly found what was working for me and what didn’t. I have thought again and again ‘’Do I actually have time to take a walk? Cook?’’ And in the beginning I felt almost guilty to do something else than focus on getting through my semester.
The take away is that there are so many things you can do that range from a morning routine, to having a relaxing evening with your friends, and the majority of them don’t take much of your time.
Here are some tips that can help you :
- Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night .
- Create a consistent morning routine ( snoozing that alarm is irresistible, I know!) See it like this, your morning routine will set the entire day. Some tips for a productive morning routine are : Write down your tasks for the day or your ideas and things you would like to do. Eat a healthy breakfast. You can have something as simple as some yoghurt and honey. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water!
- With that being said….sleeping in once in a while, when you have a quiet day is absolutely recommended.
- Set aside time for you. Schedule it, write it down or make a note mentally. But do it. Check when you have time during the day, and even if it’s 30 minutes, find what you would like to do, what gives you joy, and do it. It could be practising a hobby (something quick too, such as knitting or reading a book), could be cooking, yoga, work out, a relaxing bath (I recommend using essential oils or incense to relax you, such as lavender)
- Meditate
- Journal (A self-care journal is also a great idea!)
- Keep a gratitude journal
- Have a movie night with your friends (or by yourself)
- Read a book for the sole purpose of enjoyment
- Enjoy a warm bubble bath
- Clean (re-organize your place, get rid of clutter, etc)
- Play a board game
- Go for a drive
- Think of a place near that you’ve always wanted to visit and do it
- Eat at your favourite restaurant
- Do a social media detox
- Take a walk in nature
- Move your body for at least 30 minutes a day
- Incorporate acts of kindness in your daily life
- Create a playlist of your favourite songs
I am sure you will find something in this list that you will enjoy doing! Don’t forget that your body and mind is like a beautiful plant, you need to nourish it in order to grow. Happy self-care!