Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Self-Care: A Luxury or a Lifestyle?

Feeling your shoulders hurting more? Not eating as well as you could be? Not getting enough sleep or simply feeling unmotivated? With finals coming up in just a few short weeks, stress levels are high. As students, we are not taking time to take care of ourselves. It’s time to do some self-care because your body depends on it.

Too many times, we find that there's little time to do anything  but study, homework, work, or go to class. Instead of sleeping the recommended 7 to 8 hours, we fit in naps when and where we can. Catching these unhealthy habits now, while you have 4 weeks to prepare for finals, is essential! Taking 15 minutes to put down the pencil and have a little bit of “me time” each day, will do your body and mind wonders. Having a self-care lifestyle is much better than having it as a luxury. Try incorporating self-care habits into your day and see the differences!

Symptoms of Feeling Overworked
  • Less sleep
  • No appetite
  • Headaches
  • Sadness
  • Backaches
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Lack of concentration
  • Lack of interest
  • Conflict in relationships and friendships
  • Negative attitude about most things
Practicing Self-Care
All of the aforementioned symptoms can cause impact on a person’s physical and mental health. Not to mention, it has a direct impact on the people around you. Below are some ways to fit a moment of self-care into your everyday life.
  1. Write down things to be happy about right now.
  2. Try Yoga
  3. Sweat in some way
  4. Read for pleasure
  5. Sleep in
  6. Stretch
  7. Clean out a junk drawer
  8. Meditate
  9. Listen to your favorite album with no interruptions.
  10. Go cell phone free for a day
  11. Drink 8 glasses of water
  12. Set aside some time for creativity.
  13. Write a thank you note
  14. Call a friend
  15. Take a walk without your phone
  16. Take a nap
  17. Practice deep breathing
  18. Smile at a stranger
  19. Fix a healthy Pinterest recipe
  20. Dance
  21. Be selfish for a moment
  22. Treat yourself
  23. Smile
So, do yourself, the people around you, and your grades a favor by taking some time to yourself each day.  Make self-care a lifestyle, not a luxury. You deserve it!
Questions?
If you have questions about implementing a self-care lifestyle and/or coping with stress, contact Courtney Carver, Mental Health Promotion Coordinator, at herc-mentalhealth@eiu.edu or (217) 581-7786.
 

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