With exams beginning and midterms closing in, this semester has officially become a busy time for everyone. Whether it’s homework, clubs, or life keeping you busy, it’s always important to make time to relax and care for yourself. These are five ways to do just that while still staying free from electronics and online distractions!
1. Make Time For Hobbies
While homework is important, so are your hobbies! Allotting a slot of time in each day is the perfect way to recharge before going back to hitting the books. This doesn’t have to be a long dedication of time, it could even just be 30 minutes. Spending this time knitting, reading, or drawing allows your mind to take a break from academic stressors and rest while also adding additional fulfillment to your day!
2. Reward Yourself
Homework and studying can be very straining. This way of thinking can often lead to procrastination and rushed work on assignments you know you can do better on. One way to stay positive while working is by giving yourself something to work towards. Whether it’s a smoothie, coffee, a sweet treat from downtown, or even a fun night out with your friends, having these things to earn can often be more motivational than you realize. And remember, you’re paying to be here! It’s important to make the most of both your time and your work, and sometimes having something to work for can be the motivation you need to keep up the grind. Plus, you deserve a treat for all of the hard work that you do!
3. Journaling
Life and academics can be really straining on the mind, and sometimes it can be hard to let out those emotions. One thing that may help is writing or journaling. Putting a pen to paper and writing in a stream-of-conscious style can help you relieve stress and let go of the feelings that you keep pent up, allowing you to go through your days far more easily. If journaling isn’t for you, try writing stories or poetry to turn those feelings into art rather than just words. It may even make you feel more productive as you focus on your self-care!
Pro Tip: Don’t try to force yourself to write every day or every night! It’s far better for yourself to simply write when you feel that you need to get something off your chest. This way it feels less like an obligation and more like the calming self-care routine that it should be!
4. Listen To Your Body
Sometimes the best form of self-care is actually to listen to what your body needs. Maybe you’ve been sitting down for too long over the course of the week and you can really feel it in yourself. Give yourself time to hit the gym or maybe do some yoga stretches to get your body back in the groove of things. If you’re feeling burnt out, make yourself a warm cup of tea or cocoa and take some time for yourself to sit and just relax.
Also, an exhausted body is not a productive one! A nap may feel like it’s taking away from study and work time, when really it’s allowing your body to recharge and refuel before you get back to work.
5. Give Yourself Grace
Remember that you can’t do a million things at one time. In fact, it is scientifically proven that people have a very difficult time taking care of multiple things at once. Because of this, being aware of how much work you are putting into your academics and school activities can be very stressful on the mind. This is why it is very important to give yourself grace. For example, I am an acting major, and that means a lot of energy goes into my day-to-day classes. One of the things that one of my instructors told me on my first day is that it is important to always bring our full selves, and sometimes that isn’t 100 percent. Some days maybe you’re at 50 percent. But no matter what percentage you’re at, bring all of it because that’s all you have for the day. This is a lesson I remember not just for my classes throughout the week, but also my study sessions and other work after my classes. Allowing yourself to not be at 100 percent all of the time promotes you to be kind to yourself and not be pushed to be or do what you physically or mentally cannot.Â
Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.
Cecilia Tran
Closing Thoughts
The Fall semester is a hectic time, and that’s why it’s important to take care of yourself during harsh academic days. Sometimes, this can be a challenge, but a worn out and exhausted mind and body can’t work nearly as hard as a recharged and refreshed one. Now, go ace those exams this semester and take care of yourself!