As we progress through life, it becomes easier to form negative habits. These negative habits often cause us to neglect the person who should be number one in our lives: ourselves. With around the clock classes, exams, projects, organizations, and life in general, not taking care of ourselves efficiently has become routine in the lives of various college students. Although it may seem impossible at first, there are many healthy activities and habits that you can incorporate in your life to maintain the best version of yourself.
1. Sleep
Having a deep and full night’s rest is essential to waking up refreshed and seizing the day. Sleep may seem like a rare commodity, but if you manage your time correctly, receiving at least five nights of 7-8 hours of sleep will be possible. While naps can be refreshing and beneficial, nothing compares to the healing that your body receives when you have a good night’s rest. Some may argue that you can sleep when you’re dead, but your body will appreciate you so much more if you sleep in the land of the living too.
2. Waking Up Early
Before you come for me about suggesting that you need to sleep each night, and still wake up early, hear me out. If you’re able to manage your time correctly, you’ll be able to get a full night’s rest and be able to wake up earlier than your body is used to. Instead of hitting that snooze button again and sleeping until you have no other choice than to rush and get dressed for school, try setting your alarm an hour earlier. Use that time to complete homework that you didn’t finish the night before, exercise, read, or utilize that time to get a head start on the day by planning it out. Since I began waking up at 6 am on weekdays, I’ve felt much more productive and prepared to take on the day. Also, there is something so majestic and powerful about waking up before the sun, and before anyone else.
3. Mediating/ Prayer
Meditation and/or prayer are excellent activities to clear your mind, all while improving your concentration. Being alone in purposeful silence can lower your anxiety, organize your thoughts, and give you a great sense of peace. If you’re unsure of how to meditate or pray, seeking out spiritual advisors or even subscribing to YouTubers who specialize in these areas can assist you immensely in your journey.
4. Cleaning your room
After a long hard day of school or work, it can be quite disheartening to return to a filthy room. Taking the time to clean, especially after a while of not doing so, can boost your morale almost immediately. Not saying that you need to maintain a spotless room at all times (because it’s not realistic), but attempt to clean every now and then. Cleaning can consist of mopping the kitchen, folding up the laundry that’s been laying on the foot of the bed for a while, or taking out the trash. To add to the cleanliness of your room, you can add air fresheners and/or plants that suit your individual tastes.
5. Self Care Day
At the end of the day, all of these habits are aimed towards improving your state of life in the long run. Taking a whole day to yourself every now is so beneficial, and is something I hope others will continue to implement into their lives. A lot of the time we tend to focus on everything but ourselves. Therefore, taking a day to do anything that we desire is more than justified. Take the day to sleep in if you’d like, to catch up on some work, visit family and friends, or just lay in bed all day doing absolutely nothing. Self-care days exist to satisfy yourself, your needs, and your desires.