As a fourth-year university student, balancing schoolwork, job searching, extracurriculars and my social life can become incredibly hectic. With all the busyness, I am always looking for ways to keep myself motivated and productive. From me to you, here are four healthy habits that I have developed over time, which have greatly benefited my every day!
1. Making my bed every morning.
This habit may seem mundane but trust me when I say that starting your day by making your bed is to your advantage. Having a made bed is a small, yet satisfying accomplishment that boosts my mood and sets the tone for a positive, productive day.
2. Making my coffee at home.
If you are anything like me, coffee is an essential part of your day. For a long time, however, my coffee cravings have resulted in spending money almost daily on getting my fix, which has racked up quite a tab over time. In making an effort to make my coffees at home, I have realized that I often enjoy them just as much as the ones I purchase! And if nothing else, this habit is definitely healthy for my bank account. Disclaimer: this doesn’t mean I don’t treat myself to the occasional takeaway coffee!
3. Meal scheduling.
Planning the meals I want to cook and enjoy for dinner throughout my week is a healthy habit that saves me time and money. Not only does it save me from buying a bunch of groceries that I may or may not use, but already knowing what I am going to make after a long day allows me to avoid just opting for takeout.
4. No doing school after midnight.
I know that life can get unexpectedly busy, causing this rule of thumb to occasionally have to be bent — it happens! I am also aware that for the night owls that may be reading this, your peak productivity comes during the hours that follow midnight — that’s completely okay! In my experience, however, I find that my mind becomes foggy and tired at night, so I am unable to complete schoolwork to the best of my ability. Planning to complete schoolwork during the day when my mind is fresh not only leads to better quality work but frees my evenings to do something for myself, such as watch my favourite television show, read a good book or spend time with friends. For me, making a habit of not doing school after midnight leads to an effective work-life balance.
As you continue to get settled into the new year, there can be a lot of pressure to completely revamp your entire life in hopes of making it picture-perfect, aligning with the seemingly hyper-organized, hyper-productive, super healthy ‘clean girl’ aesthetic that has become popularized on social media. This is a gentle reminder that building and integrating healthy habits is not one size fits all! While these healthy habits have worked for me, it is completely okay if they do not work for you. I only hope my list serves as some inspiration to discover simple, yet effective habits that can benefit your everyday.