As students, we often don’t have a great deal of money—or time—at our disposal. But this is not the only barrier to self-care for many students. When we’re busy focusing on our studies, attending lectures and tutorials and cramming to complete assessments and assignments, caring for ourselves can fall by the wayside. But this is exactly when we need to focus on our well-being. For busy students, failing to look after themselves can ultimately result in burning out completely.
If you’re keen to implement self-care strategies while studying, stay with us for our time-saving and budget-friendly, self care for students tips to help you feel your best.
Stay Sane While Studying – Simple, Self- Care Tips for Students
Yes, being a student is stressful. But there are certain ways you can minimise, regulate and overcome your stress before it turns into burnout. The best news? Stress-busting strategies don’t need to cost an arm or a leg or even take up too much of your day.
Consider, for instance, the benefits of gratitude journaling. A quick moment of quiet reflection to start your day can be enough to set the tone for the hours ahead and actively cultivate a positive, relaxed state of mind.
Prefer more active stress relief? Perhaps partake in a YouTube tutorial-guided yoga session in the comfort of your own home. As well as being a free activity, this type of low-impact exercise can do wonders for both the brain and the body. Indeed, if you ask a qualified mental health nurse, they’ll tell you that the advantages of exercise in terms of enhancing our mental state are vast.
Healthy, Easy and Cheap Meal Planning
When it comes to performing at our best while studying for a university degree, looking after our health is paramount.
The best way to stay healthy? In addition to exercising regularly, we also need to focus on our diet. By preparing nutrient-rich, wholesome, home-cooked meals, we can ensure our food intake is both balanced and nourishing. Learning to cook at home is one of the greatest life hacks you can ever implement – both for your health and wallet. But as a time-poor student, committing to consistently preparing nutritious meals for yourself every day can be difficult.
Who has time to go to the supermarket daily, and worse, cook up a new dish for dinner every night? Enter meal prepping. Meal prepping is a game changer – especially for busy students who want to save themselves both time and money.
So, how exactly do you meal prep? Our tip: Look up healthy, cost-effective recipes in advance and use these as a base to plan out your roster of weekly meals. Then, buy your ingredients in bulk and make generous amounts of each dish in advance—enough to last you for several meals. Box up the products of your meal-prepping sessions into pre-portioned lunches and dinners. This makes it simple to grab the ideal serving to heat up in the microwave whenever you’re feeling peckish.
Productivity Hacks to Help Better Manage Your Time
If, like many students, you have a seemingly endless array of assessments and assignments coming out of your ears, you may feel you don’t have enough time to complete all of your study requirements. But, by employing productivity and time management hacks, you can better manage the hours you have at your disposal. Some examples of these hacks include:
Habit stacking
Don’t have time to sit down to your university readings? Try listening to an educational podcast or audiobook while you’re driving or taking public transport instead.
Time blocking
Overwhelmed by your study workload and finding it hard to focus on one task at a time? Consider blocking out sections of time to focus solely on completing specific tasks. Using notification blockers or turning off your phone can also help you concentrate while time blocking.
Planning ahead
Finally, don’t forget to plan ahead. Use a diary or calendar for visual cues and reminders of when your assignment submission dates are due. This will enable you to stay on top of your study workload, minimise stress, and help you make the best use of your time.