Do you ever feel stressed, over-stimulated or just exhausted by life? As a college student, I feel this way constantly. Burnout is real! In the past, I have just tried to push these feelings aside and keep going, but this only made matters worse. I have realized that I can’t just push through these feelings and I need to find a way to cope with them and recenter myself.
Here are five self-care strategies that I have developed over the years to combat burnout.
Take a Walk
Sometimes I find myself spending too much time indoors sitting at a desk and tapping away endlessly on my computer keyboard either writing notes or completing assignments to finish my never ending to-do list. I realized that when I would do this for days, I would crave going outside and taking a five minute walk around campus. Breathing in the fresh air and soaking up the sun makes me feel alive again. It gets my blood pumping, and I end up feeling more motivated and productive.
Spending some time in nature every day, whether it’s five or ten minutes or hours, can do wonders for your mind and body. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), sunshine may directly stimulate the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that controls your mood and is responsible for mediating satisfaction, happiness and optimism.
Get away from your computer screen and take some time to appreciate the nature around you and breathe in that fresh air!
Read a Book
After a stressful day I often find myself wanting to break away from school and dive into a different world altogether by doing something that isn’t related to academics at all and I enjoy doing. For me, this is reading. While I am forced to read a lot for my college classes, choosing to read a book that I personally picked and am interested in helps me unwind at the end of a long day. I head to my own tiny little personal library, grab a book, cozy up on my couch or in my bed to escape.
According to The University of Minnesota, reading can reduce stress and relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles. A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%. Next time you are feeling stressed, try cracking open a book and enjoying the literary journey of your choosing.
Declutter Your Space
It can be easy to let your room get messy. But this can seriously impact one’s productivity. When I come back to a messy or cluttered space, I tend to feel lazy, not productive. However, Ihave found that when I come back to a clean room, I am more motivated to complete any tasks I have. A clean space is a clean mind and allows me to feel.
The next time you find yourself overwhelmed or overstimulated because your room is a little messy, put on some music or your favorite show and declutter your space. According to Newport Healthcare, the act of cleaning requires us to slow down, which can offer a calming effect during overwhelming situations and help us explore and manage our emotions.
Fold those clothes laying in the corner of your room or throw out that piled up trash and see how much better you feel after!
Find a Way You Can Unwind Daily
Taking time to unwind at the end of the day is crucial. My favorite way to do this is by watching a show or a movie while I am eating dinner. This helps me unwind and relax, as well as recharge by taking time for myself with something I love doing. After taking this time to myself I am usually ready to finish up my to-do list for the day.
Find something that you really love to do to unwind that you can do everyday to help you decompress at the end of each day. Whether that be watching TV, going for a run, talking to your family or journaling, there is something out there that will help you feel better after a long day.
Take a Shower or Bath
I love to take showers at night because they help me unwind and wash the day away, literally and figuratively. Taking a nice hot shower or long bath can help you relax at the end of each day. The act of showering or bathing allows me to feel clean, fresh and ready to take on the day or tasks ahead of me. Plus, this is a great excuse to try out any new bath or shower products! You’ll get out feeling and smelling wonderful.
According to NIH, a warm bath or shower an hour or two before bedtime can help you unwind and fall asleep faster. The next time you feel like you need to unwind after a long day try taking a night hot shower before bed.
These are five self-care tips that I use to unwind and prevent myself from burning out. It is really important to practice self-care and take time for yourself. The more you put in the more you get out of it! Ever since I have started practicing self-care I feel more productive and mentally and physically better than before!.Try these selfcare tips to relax, unwind and fall in love with taking care of yourself.