Falling Into Routine: 7 Tips to a balanced and Healthy schedule
Written by BUCSC Wellness Commissioner, Grace Gillet
ARE YOU FALLING INTO A BALANCED ROUTINE?
Do you reach for a comforting beverage while setting up your daily study space? Coffee, hot cocoa, tea? Are you the type who likes to curl up in cozy sweats while prepping for tests and midterms? Or, do you prefer to take breaks in your day and move ~ get outside, go for walks, jog or dance? If your study routine is working, that’s great! Many of us may be feeling like robots lately, going through our daily motions, mundane and getting overwhelmed. To remedy these feelings, try incorporating structure and balance into your routine to freshen up and give your mind a break. Follow the tips and tricks below while preparing for midterms and assignments and best of all, help yourself become more productive!
#1. Sleep is key for your brain to perform at its best. Getting a good night’s rest of at least 7-9 hours is important during the midterm season. If you are well rested this will be of aid during a test when asked a critical thinking question. Everyone has different sleep schedules and performs their best at different times of the day, however, it is essential to give your mind and body the adequate rest it deserves. Do you find it hard to wind down and turn your mind off at night? Check out this video on how to sleep better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eLfn7Ewx_s
#2. Move your body! When you move and exercise, your body releases dopamine and endorphin chemicals that make you feel happy. Exercise will diminish anxious and stressful thoughts you may be experiencing and instead enhance your brain processes to help you study, memorize, and focus. Moving your body will increase your alertness and make you feel ready to tackle your work! There are a variety of different ways to exercise that will relieve stress from your body. Go for a walk, run, try yoga, dance, or perhaps go check out the Western Recreation Centre Instagram Page (@western_rec) where they stream live workouts.
#3. Nourish your body with nutrient packed foods that will boost your brain power and maintain your health! Eating nutrient packed foods will help improve your mood, fuel your brain and keep your brain working well. Specific foods such as fatty fish, blueberries, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate are all foods that play a vital role in improving memory and concentration - perhaps you may want to try some of these foods! Coffee also contains both caffeine and antioxidants that enhance alertness, improves one's mood and concentration too!
#4. Take those breaks when scheduling out your day. Planning your day/week is effective in helping you manage your time, accomplish tasks and reach your goals. Be sure to incorporate specific time in your schedule for yourself! Self-care habits like going on walks, catching up with friends, doing your nails or baking cookies will ensure your mind takes a break from schoolwork. Calendars are a great tool to stay on track and motivated. Using a calendar helps you keep track of your academic schedule, important assignments and midterm dates while also ensuring you take time for yourself and self-care habits. A tip to begin would be setting three mains goals for your academic life and three separate goals for your personal self-care. These ambitions will encourage you to take care of your mind and body, will relieve stress and keep you feeling positive, happy and motivated.
#5. Become confident in your study habits and learn which studying techniques work best for you. If you are having difficulty, the UWO Learning Development & Success website offers helpful study tips and techniques (https://www.uwo.ca/sdc/learning/). If you are feeling overwhelmed while writing a paper, need peer reviewed sources, wish to have an extra eye look over your work or simply need some extra help with a course there are resources available for you! Check out the Beryl Ivey Library (https://brescia.uwo.ca/library/index.php) or Brescia’s Writing Centre for extra help (https://brescia.uwo.ca/writing_centre/index.php)! Find a study routine that works for you that positively enhances your focus level, confidence and ultimately relieves worry. Work on you, for you!
#6. Believe in yourself and seek help if needed. At the end of the day your mental health is the top priority during this overwhelming and busy time of the school year. You are capable and can get through this challenging and stressful period. If you are seeking help and assistance for guidance and a trusting individual to talk to, Brescia provides helpful resources that you can take advantage of: Brescia’s Peer Support Team (https://brescia.uwo.ca/student_life/health_and_wellness/peer_support_space.php), and The Hive (https://brescia.uwo.ca/the_hive.php, brescia@uwo.ca or 519-858-5151).
#7. Surround yourself with love, support and positive energy. An ideal component in taking care of your mind and body, while maintaining a healthy and balanced routine, is to make sure you enjoy yourself and have fun! Do something that you like to do while surrounding yourself in a positive and uplifting environment!
It is essential to give your mind and brain a break especially during this new online system of learning. Carving out a healthy routine may take time to get right, so don’t be upset if your schedule does not go as planned every day! Bumps in the road are going to happen, especially as we adjust and adapt to this new normal. Find peace in all things. I hope you take away the importance of building a stress-free routine and find that safe and comforting study space to accomplish your goals. Stay resilient, true to yourself, work hard and be kind to your mind!
This blog article has also been posted on Brescia’s UniBuddy page. You can explore UniBuddy through this link!