As a student in college with many responsibilities, self-care may be low on your list of priorities. Knowing how much self-care can affect your academic performance could make you revise the list. Exercising, eating balanced meals, getting enough sleep, resting and socializing will make you healthier in body and mind. This translates into a more focused approach to academics.
Pay attention to your physical health
When your immune system is low, you will pick up more illnesses and have fewer days where you can devote all your energy to studying and learning. One importance of self care is that paying attention to your physical health makes you fitter and stronger. Eating a healthy, nutritious diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables will boost your immune system.
Exercising regularly has many benefits for your physical health, such as improving your heart and lung health. Your muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints will all be stronger, so you will be less prone to injuries. You will have more energy for every activity, including academic tasks.
Prioritize your mental health
Students are well-known for experiencing anxiety and stress. It can be hard for you to manage your time when you must attend classes, study, write assignments and consider self care important. Stress can have a negative effect on your academic performance, and doing the following can help:
- Learn how to say no to events or activities that drain your energy.
- Take time to express your gratitude every day in a journal. This can help you to develop a more positive mindset.
- Regularly do deep breathing exercises to center yourself and relieve stress.
- Know when to unplug from social media before it starts making you feel anxious or fearful.
- Don’t turn to alcohol or drugs to self-medicate because this can worsen your mental problems. Rather ask a mental health professional for healthy coping strategies and a treatment plan.
- If you listen to music, it can help to lower your anxiety levels and enhance your mood. Make a playlist of songs you can listen to that will lower your stress levels.
- Give yourself permission to cry and feel your emotions. It helps you to relieve your pain and be hopeful again.
Find useful tools that free up time for self care
Nowadays, there are many tools that can make students’ lives easier when getting an education, so they have more time for self care. A plagiarism checker is one of these tools. Plagiarism is when you present other people’s ideas or thoughts as your own. You can find an accurate plagiarism checker online from Fixgerald. If you use this tool, you can quickly pick up any plagiarism issues and fix them before you submit your work.
Form a strong social network
If you don’t know how to self care, socializing may be low down on your list of priorities. You may think it interferes with your studies. It will if you spend all your time socializing. On the other hand, taking the time to develop a strong social network has many benefits.
If you have friends who understand you, it can help you to feel less isolated or alone. You can turn to them when you’re struggling and even get academic help from them. Your support system will be there for you when you feel down, offer guidance when you need it, and celebrate your successes with you.
Make real friends and develop real connections – that are out of social media. Do not look for friends on online platforms. You must look for them in your classroom, campus, neighborhood, hobby classes, etc.
Make sure you get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is a vital part of making sure you stay physically and mentally healthy. If you don’t get enough sleep, you will be irritable, less able to focus, prone to overreact, and more likely to get ill. A lack of sleep can have a very negative impact on your academic performance because of its effect on your cognitive abilities. You need at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night to recharge your body and your brain.
Conclusion
The importance of self care should never be underestimated. As a student, it’s essential that you feel your best. The practice of self care can lift your mood, help you manage your anxiety and improve your relationship with yourself and with others. Taking care of yourself can have a significant impact on many different areas of your life. When you feel less anxious and have more of a sense of well-being, you are in a good place to function your best academically and achieve your goals.
Author’s Bio
Emma Rundle writes on topics for the betterment of foreign students in the US and Canada. She is known for her hold-no-bar writing in addressing racism, bullying, violence, gender discrimination and other issues in schools and colleges that impact the students’ lives. Her academic essays and blogs are an absolute delight to read and reference.
