Do you often feel that you’re struggling to cope with the demands of your routine? Do you feel that you are unable to find time to prioritise your well-being?
If yes then scroll ahead, this blog is the right place for you!
By regularly taking time to care for ourselves, we can develop healthy coping strategies that support our physical and emotional well-being. Such practices can include practicing mindfulness, exercising, spending time in nature, socialising with loved ones, getting enough sleep, and eating nutritious food among others. When we prioritise self-care, we equip ourselves with resources that we need to manage stress and navigate change. A research study conducted in 2021 by Martinez et. al. shows that there is an inverse relationship between self-care and stress levels among students. This highlights the importance of promoting people’s active role in their own care to improve psychological well-being if stress management and social determinants of health are jointly addressed first.
It's also important to note that self-care is not just about taking care of ourselves during times of crisis. Rather, it's an ongoing practice that helps individuals maintain their well-being. Making self-care a priority can help us prevent burnout and achieve a sense of balance and fulfilment in our daily lives.
It is a shared perception that self-care is time-consuming and expensive. While it is true that self-care can mean engagement in expensive and exclusive activities like shopping or going to a spa, it can also mean everyday activities like meditating or limiting your daily phone usage. These activities may not seem like they have a big impact, but over time they prove to be effective and help promote well-being.
Did you know?
Research has demonstrated that incorporating evidence-based self-care practices, such as meditation and journaling, can lead to reduced stress levels and improved performance among students. Moreover, once these practices become a part of their personal lives, students can also apply them to their professional lives.
Some tips for you!
To help you maintain your overall well-being during your college years and beyond, here are some self-care practices that you can try. Remember that these strategies are recommendations only and do not substitute for professional care when needed.
Keep a structured routine: By establishing a routine, students can reduce the amount of new information that they have to process on an everyday basis. This can help conserve mental energy, reduce stress, and free up time for more important decisions. One can plan their routine by writing down their class schedules, study schedules, and any other commitments they might have, such as work or extracurricular activities and use reminders or alarms to stay on track.
Set goals and priorities: Setting goals can help one stay focused on what is important. They help you prioritise your time and energy and avoid distractions that can get in the way of your studies. Decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say “no” to new and avoidable tasks that may make you feel overwhelmed. Try to be mindful of what you have accomplished at the end of the day, not what you have been unable to do.
Make sleep a priority: Due to heavy workloads, most college students don’t get enough sleep which drastically affects their physical and mental health. Low energy, low mood and constant exhaustion are some consequences of not getting adequate sleep. Sleep deprivation can significantly contribute to more serious mental health concerns like depression and anxiety. Therefore, making sleep a priority is an essential form of self-care. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This can help regulate your body clock and improve the quality of your sleep. Additionally, the blue light emitted by electronic devices can interfere with your body's natural sleep-wake cycle so try to avoid using electronic devices, such as phones or laptops, for at least an hour before bedtime.
Exercise: Even if it's for 30 minutes each day, it can be a good stimulation for your brain and your body, as it can improve physical health, reduce stress and anxiety, boost cognitive function, enhance mood, and increase energy levels. Exercise can be easily incorporated into our daily routine. For example, choosing to walk over driving or taking an auto is a great way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Similarly, choosing to climb the stairs over using the lift is another great way of incorporating exercise into our daily routine.
By establishing a routine, staying connected with loved ones, prioritising sleep, exercising regularly, engaging in hobbies, and eating a balanced diet, students can promote overall well-being and manage stress.
Let’s see an example of how to start.
Self-care is easy to incorporate into one’s life and this section guides how to start! Begin by choosing one practice of self-care to focus on over the next 90 days. Make a list of specific things you can do daily or weekly that will help you make your own self-care a priority and then commit to it. Keep a tracker of the habits you want to incorporate into your lifestyle. In a world where only academic success is considered the measure of a good student, try to learn new hobbies that make you feel good about yourself.
Take baby steps if you need to and remember this,
“Self-care is not about self-indulgence, it is about self-preservation.”
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References
Burke, A., Lam, C. N., Stussman, B., Yang, H., & Preyde, M. (2010). Effective self-care strategies for mental health students: A systematic literature review. Journal of Mental Health, 19(6), 543-552.
Luis, E. O., Bermejo-Martins, E., Martinez, M., Sarrionandia, A., Cortes, C. L., Oliveros, E. Y., Garcés, M. F., Oron, J. V., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2021). Relationship between self-care activities, stress and well-being during COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-cultural mediation model. BMJ Open, 11(12), e048469. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048469
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