There are many unknowns about what the new school year might offer you. To prepare yourself mentally and physically for the highs and lows, it’s important to secure healthy habits and routines that work for you!
Set goals. Goal setting is an important skill for students because it helps them be motivated and focused. It is the process of discovering what you want to achieve, figuring out the exact steps you need to take to achieve it, and taking action to meet those objectives. Studies from Walden University indicate that setting goals improves your focus, creates incentive in academic work, and assists in developing new and more positive behaviors.
Stress management. Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by your academics that it made you feel burnt out to do anything? Too much stress is never a good thing for your mind and body. Consider incorporating stress management techniques into your daily life to help limit the amount of stress in your life. A few examples of successful stress management techniques include keeping a journal, getting a healthy amount of exercise, getting a sufficient amount of sleep, or making time to do fun activities.
Consistent routines. As we reach our teen years we see physical, emotional, and social changes in ourselves. When so much of our life is unpredictable, the consistency of every day routines is grounding. There are some things in our lives that we cannot control. The everyday parts of our life can be controlled. A study from the University of Georgia found that teens with structured bedtimes, mealtimes, and after-school activities have less reported alcohol usage, better self-control and emotional well-being, higher rates of college enrollment, and lower levels of stress hormones.
Spend less time on your phone. Do you ever check your screen time and feel shocked at the data? Based on a study done by pew research, 38% of teenagers in the US say they spend too much time on their smartphones. That’s about 4 in 10 teenagers. In a world now reliant on technology, overuse of these resources is common. Not to worry, there are ways in which we can fix this problem. For instance, you can set screen time limits directly on your smartphone. This way you can hold yourself accountable. It’s important to acknowledge when we spend too much time on our smartphones and effectively do something to change that.
When you don’t do good things for yourself you are stopping yourself from doing and feeling your best. If you don’t take care of your basic needs, You will lack energy and focus while increasing your stress levels. Stress can be good. But too much stress, or stress that is unmanageable, is unhealthy for your mind and body. Patterns in unhealthy habits and routines can lead to health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression.
Consistently keeping up with healthy habits is no walk in the park, that is why so many people struggle with it. Despite the difficulty, it is absolutely in your best interest to take care of yourself.
