It’s been said that you can’t pour from an empty cup, which is why self-care is so important for everyone. If you want to reach your dreams and goals, be physically and mentally fit, and be there for yourself and others, you must practice self-care.
Practicing good self-care is especially important for students. Prioritizing yourself and your wellness, caring for your physical health, and taking care of your mental health is vital to providing yourself with good self-care.
Prioritize yourself and your wellness
Making yourself and your wellness a priority is critical for students practicing good self-care. One way to do this is by setting healthy boundaries and having good time management. To start, decide exactly what you do and don’t have time for, and then hold yourself accountable for your decision. This helps stop you from overcommitting yourself and then getting stressed out and overwhelmed when there isn’t enough time to get everything done.
Another excellent way to prioritize yourself is to communicate your needs to other people. For example, to study for school, you may require quiet time at home, and to turn on, do not disturb your phone for a few hours. Whatever your needs may be, be sure to communicate them to your friends, family, and teachers so that they can support you in your learning.
It’s important to schedule time for yourself to unwind and recharge by doing something you love or something that helps you relax. Reading a book, taking a long bath, or listening to music are all great ideas. You may not think you have time to take a break because you have so much to do, but it’s very beneficial to do this because you don’t function as well when you’re overwhelmed or stressed out.
One great way to stay on track is to create self-care and wellness goals. For example, you could spend 5 minutes per day doing meditation that focuses on breathing exercises. Or maybe each day around lunchtime, you take a 10-minute walk. Whatever you choose, be sure to stay consistent and do it regularly.
Take care of your physical health
Another important part of self-care is taking care of your physical health. Eating healthy and nutritious foods is a great way to do this. Your body needs specific minerals and vitamins to function properly, and if you’re lacking in some of them, your health is negatively affected. An easy way to do this is to eat more vegetables and fruits and fewer highly processed foods.
Getting adequate sleep is essential for good self-care and doing your best every day. Sleeping for at least 7 to 8 hours each night has many benefits. According to health.gov, getting enough sleep can help you think more clearly, get sick less often, make better decisions, and reduce stress.
Staying active regularly is another awesome way to improve your physical health. Exercise helps keep you in shape and can even reduce stress. One easy way to stay active and get more exercise is to spend more time outdoors.
Doing yoga regularly is also great for self-care. The focus that yoga gives to breathing and stretching helps you relax, reduce stress, and be and a calmer state of mind. You can do this at home with YouTube videos like Yoga with Adriene or find a buddy and go to a yoga class.
Take care of your mental health
When practicing good self-care, it’s essential to prioritize your mental health. When you have poor mental health, many parts of your life can be affected, such as your relationships, career, physical health, and everything else. Luckily there are many ways to improve your mental health.
In today’s world, we are exposed to information all day long. If you don’t control the type of information you consume on a regular basis, it can quickly become stressful and overwhelming. Take time to consider what you read, what you watch, and what you listen to. Is the information you consume helping you relax or causing you to be more stressed out? Is it uplifting you or creating fear? Try to deliberately choose the types of information you want to consume.
Many people find themselves overwhelmed by social media and taking a break can be very helpful. Trying to keep up with social media all the time can be stressful because it’s always on. Turning off notifications for nonessential apps on your phone and scheduling social media breaks can do wonders for helping you ease the stress that is caused by social media.
Surrounding ourselves with positive people who care can be great for your mental health. It can be easy to feel alone when you are stressed out, so being able to reach out to your support system is important. Friends, family, or a therapist are all people you could include in your own personal support system.
Mindfulness and meditation are great at helping you relax and prioritize your mental health. Meditation can help you sleep better, reduce stress, and have increased focus. Try a meditation video on YouTube or use an app like Headspace or Calm.
Choose a college that supports you
At East Ohio College, we empower and encourage each and every one of our students as they prepare for a new career and earn their degree. Our caring and supportive faculty and staff are with you every step of the way.
Learn more about our accelerated degree programs in Nursing, LPN to RN Bridge, Medical Assisting, Medical Billing/Administration, Dental Assisting, Business Administration, Online Medical Assisting, and Online Medical Billing/Administration. Request information now to train for your new career at a college that truly cares about you!