Wake Up Early
I am 100% a morning person. I go to bed at 8 p.m., and I am up before 5 a.m. The time change makes this a lot easier for me. The sun sets before I even eat dinner. It feels much later than it is, so I am ready for bed super early. I always aim to get eight hours of sleep. This is optimal for muscle recovery and mental health. Having some classes early in the morning makes this even more important to me. I hate having an obligation, like work or class, be the first thing I do in a day. Waking up three hours before my first class allows me to be productive, work out, or clean and organize before heading to a lecture. Not all college students are early birds, but my morning routine keeps me sane, especially in the colder months ahead.
Eat Well
I love a good takeout meal as much as the next person. This is one of my biggest struggles when “locking in.” Chipotle is my downfall. But I have to remind myself that it’s healthier to cook my own meals and it’s a lot cheaper. I have been on a strict budget for two weeks now, and I haven’t gone out to eat once. As I started eating healthier, I decided to start tracking my macronutrients throughout the day. I worry this is a slippery slope, but once I feel too dependent on the numbers in my food, I’ll know it’s time to stop. So far, it has been very helpful to see how much protein, fat, and carbs I’m getting in a day. I don’t care too much about calories; I care more about what makes my body feel good.
No Procrastinating
I am a D1 procrastinator. No matter what the assignment is, I will push it off until hours before it’s due to even start it. I’ve been trying to break this habit since high school. Sometimes procrastination makes a single assignment feel like a final exam. The more I push it off, the longer I think it’s going to take to complete. But this is far from the truth. This week, I really tried to get stuff done right when it was assigned. Now, I have an empty to-do list! I realized the assignments don’t take that long if I stop thinking about doing them and actually start. Putting my phone away also saves me lots of time.
Less Screen Time
That perfectly transitions into my next goal: lowering my screen time. Some weeks, I spend an absurd amount of time on my phone. TikTok is the main culprit. Other weeks, I barely check it. I have found that the weeks I forget TikTok exists are the best. I can get stuff done without a scroll break every 30 minutes. I can feel a little less like a zombie who consumes media she can’t even remember watching. I have more time for my hobbies, and I always get to bed earlier. Staying off my phone has been a big struggle of mine, honestly, since the pandemic in 2020. I must be mindful about what I watch and be disciplined enough to stop scrolling.
Don’t Let Daylight Saving Time Get You Down
The biggest thing you can do this winter is take care of your mental health. Seasonal depression is a very real thing and affects many people. The darkness outside can feel impossible to get away from. These are the things I do to clear my mind and make me feel good about myself. Find what makes you feel good and do that every day.