Taking time to protect our physical and mental well-being
Starting a new school year can feel overwhelming (it does for me at least!), so let’s think about some easy things that we can do to build and maintain a balanced lifestyle throughout the school year.
Finding balance is so important for your mental and physical well-being. Some benefits include lowered stress levels, increased motivation and focus, as well as burnout prevention!
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. Remember, it is not cool to be burnt out. It is not a reflection of all the hard work you are doing. It is a result of not taking care of yourself!
We want to take simple preventative steps to avoid reaching burnout. This involves making time for both rest and activity. As students, our schedules are super busy, so this can sound a bit daunting, but it doesn’t need to be!
Daily activity can be as simple as taking a walk around Waterfowl before class, biking to Silver Lake on the weekend (you can rent bikes for FREE from the MASU), stretching or doing yoga before bed, or playing a game of intramural soccer. It just needs to be something that gets you moving! I encourage you to pick a couple of activities that you know you ENJOY doing and schedule them in.
That being said, as students, we are often on the go, so making time to rest and recharge is also important. Self-care can help us do this! Self-care is taking action to protect your overall well-being. This means engaging in activities that bring you joy, both mentally and physically. Self-care is often the first thing we push aside when we feel overwhelmed, but this is when we need it most! Some ideas for self-care include cooking a yummy meal, practicing gratitude, hanging out with friends, getting enough sleep, or just spending time alone with yourself. It can really be anything that helps you rest and recharge. Try to fit some self-care into your schedule right now and don’t be afraid to say no to something or someone when you need a break.
Reaching a balance is a learning process, and it is OKAY to fall off balance. Be gentle with yourself as you navigate the school year and use rest and activity as tools to stay physically and mentally well. Taking time for yourself is not selfish, and your wellbeing is SO worth it! You’ve got this!
