You have just completed the semester. Congratulations! You made it! You overcame life’s uncertainties and pushed through while giving it your best! How did you do it? Well, I would guess that many of you had to implement self-care into your schedule whether you realize it or not. Did you take the time to take a break from your studies and go for a walk? Or maybe you really enjoy art and made time to draw or paint.
There are two times when self-care seems to become most difficult – when we are really busy or when we have a lot of unstructured free time. You have just made it through finals week, and I am sure many of you pushed yourself to your limits, studying late or working double time to finish that big project. Maybe you skipped that reinvigorating walk or told yourself that you did not have time to draw anything that week. It happens to all of us, but how do we overcome this competition for our time? Now summer break is upon us and it can be hard to keep a routine. It’s great to have a break, but how do we use this time for both relaxation and rejuvenation while still utilizing the self-care strategies that work for us even when most of our schedules aren’t booked with studying and classes?
Now is the time to make the most of your self-care routine, whether you are just getting started or are well-versed in your self-care needs. Make a self-care plan and implement it over the summer so that it will become second nature to you when the fall semester starts. We’ve all heard that it takes a while to form a habit, so coming up with a plan now when your academic stress may lower is a good idea. In addition, it is important to train your brain to recognize that sleep, exercise, eating habits, and other self-care activities are just as important as the time you put in studying for your classes. Take a look at this article from Psychology Today on Self-Care: 12 Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself.