I know I’m not the only one who got swept into a slump during last semester. Caught in the rush of trying to navigate our new online learning environment, I found myself struggling to put myself first. Since campus buildings were closed and the pandemic continued to be a major concern, my house immediately became my place of work, rest and play. After a long day of online labs, lectures and writing assignments, I wanted nothing more than to watch Netflix or Hulu with my roommates. It was so easy to never leave my house. My only breaks of fresh air were Tuesday morning walks to get coffee, or a walk down the road to Trader Joe’s. My second year at college was a full 180 from the vibrant, social butterfly who bounced around Madison this time last year.
I could feel myself slipping farther away from who I wanted to be. I felt so disconnected from my classes, and it became so easy to put coursework on the back burner. I didn’t have half the amount of energy, which translated to wanting to nap through the day instead of getting ahead in course work or going for a walk. These habits snowballed into a cycle of falling behind in courses, and then pulling all-nighter after all-nighter to catch up in my courses. It was exhausting. I knew changes had to be made in my life so I wasn’t stuck in this routine I’d lost myself in.
- Waking up earlier
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Over winter break, I typically woke up between 10am and noon. Even after nine or more hours of sleep, I was always feeling bone tired and my days all blurred together without me having a chance to catch my footing and get anything done. Since the semester started, I’ve committed to waking up at 6:30am every morning. From the perspective of the average college student, I know I sound insane. However, my days have become so much longer, and I finally have the time to accomplish everything that needs to be done.
- Establishing a morning routine
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This is nothing elaborate, I promise you. But my morning routine has become my favorite part of my day. Taking the time to make my bed, wash my face and flow through a few yoga sequences all before my classes start has changed my daily productivity. Since I’m waking up earlier, I also have plenty of time to truly enjoy my mornings, and not feel in a rush to get everything done. Last semester, I would either drink a cup of coffee for breakfast during my first class or have nothing at all and I felt sluggish all day. Now, I finally have time to enjoy my morning coffee and breakfast, and reflect on what I want to accomplish during that day. Mornings have become my time to reflect on what I’m grateful for and focus on completing tasks that will guide me towards a better day.
- Skipping the afternoon coffee
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One of the traits I acquired from my mother was her love of coffee. However, I found myself getting up from work all the time to pour myself another cup of coffee. I also noticed that my beloved coffee was making me more tired throughout the day instead of waking me up. I was also never drinking water, because I love the taste of coffee so much more. I’ve never been someone who enjoys drinking water. My body has become so accustomed to my lack of water intake, that when I finally started incorporating it into my daily routine, I immediately started seeing the benefits. Not only did I find myself feeling more energized than my afternoon coffees ever made me feel, I was having less headaches, my skin was clearer and I found myself instinctively reaching for my water bottle throughout the day (which has never happened to me before). Although I haven’t stopped drinking coffee entirely (I don’t think I ever will), reducing the amounts of coffee I do consume has allowed me to appreciate my morning coffee. It’s become an integral part of ending my morning routine, and serves as a little treat before I start my internship or school work.
- Workout classes
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I’ve always been active, however I felt as though I’d lost that part of myself last semester. As the Wisconsin winter started to kick in, I worried that I’d fall back into my lethargic homebody state. Instead, I’ve made a conscious effort to break old habits. For UW – Madison students, the Spring semester workout pass is $30, and I’ve found that it pays for itself after only two or three classes of any kind. I’ve convinced my roommates to go to cycling classes with me two or three times a week. Not only does it get us all out of the house, but the release of endorphins during class makes me feel more motivated to go about the rest of my day. However, if you’re not willing to trek across campus during the frigid winter months, there’s also virtual yoga, barre, zumba, and more. Yoga has quickly become my personal favorite. Starting the day with yoga has helped me feel more awake and strong. I no longer trudge through my days waiting until I can curl up on the couch. Instead, I feel more inspired to tackle all the things I thought I didn’t have time to accomplish. Even if it’s just a 15 minute yoga session by myself, getting my mind and body moving has changed the way I go about my days.
- Family dinners with my roommates
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One of the biggest things I took away from 2020 was how important family is to me. My whole life, I wanted nothing more than to move away from home to somewhere no one knew me. Growing up in a small town where I’d been with the same people since kindergarten, I constantly felt stuck in who I was. But now that I have moved 1,000 miles away from home and have learned so much more about who I am and who I want to become, I’ve realized that I’ve been constantly scooped up by the lure of the future. I never took the time to slow down and appreciate what I had in front of me. Dreaming of the endless possibilities the future poses has always held me back from living in the present moment. This semester, my roommates and I have started having dinner together almost every night. By giving myself a deadline for when I need to put away my classwork to go cook dinner with my friends, I feel inclined to be more productive during the day. Our group dinners have become a way for us all to unwind after a long day and come together to cook meals that we otherwise would have been too lazy to make for ourselves. For me, it’s a time to remind myself of how lucky I am to get to live with some of my best friends and know that I’m where I’m supposed to be right now.
Despite the fact that the world is still not as it was a year ago, I’ve realized that I have a choice on how I respond to everything happening around me. Instead of letting the reality of our world today take me down with it, I’ve found ways that work for me to stay afloat. Making conscious efforts to put my mental and physical health as the priority has given me the ability to make all my days more productive. While you don’t have to implement all these ideas into your daily habits, I would recommend you reflect on what you think is the ideal version of yourself. How does that person start their days? What do they do to feel successful and happy? Then, you can start incorporating these habits into your own daily routines to start to become the best version of yourself you can be right now.