Keeping your Mental and Physical Wellbeing at Peak in High School with 5 Easy Steps
School can be like riding a unicycle on a tightrope while juggling blindfolded: vigorous and strenuous. Doing well in school while balancing sports, clubs, leadership roles, plays, etc. can be physically and mentally taxing.
I can understand how difficult school can be and the feeling of being scattered and unsure how to help yourself. Many times when students fall into the pit of being unsure how to help themselves they come to face the idea of a burnout fairly quickly. That is why I have written a blog on 5 key tips to keep your mental and physical well being at peak during the school year.
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5 tips to maintain your mental and physical wellbeing during the school year
EAT HEALTHY AND HYDRATE
A key tip I have learned as a student athlete is to feed your body and stay hydrated. The food we digest can severely impact our mood and energy levels.
A high sugar and refined carb diet leads to quick crashes in energy and food. Additionally, unhealthy fats, caffeine, and candy severely affect your mood. This can cause a series of mood swings that may affect your ability to focus or feel motivated. Instead, try to have a greater intake of Omega-3 fatty acids to improve your mood and stay hydrated to help boost productivity and keep you focused during the day.
MOVE
Understandably, the last thing a student really wants to do when crammed with homework or extracurricular activities is to take time out of their day to move. However, exercising for 30 minutes or in 10 minute bursts of activity can severely improve your mood which helps in the prevention of a burnout. This can include running, swimming, dancing, yoga, or even stretching. This relieves tension and stress from the body and allows the mind to recenter and feel grounded.
JOURNALING
Students are consistently on a rigid paced schedule and rarely have the time to process what is running through their mind and consciously comprehending how they feel. Journaling allows students to prioritize their life and discover triggers that may prevent emotional torment. Journaling helps students visualize their goals, track growth, and reduce anxiety.
KNOW WHEN TO STOP
Every so often I hear friends coming into school with a 24 oz red-bull complaining about how tired they are because they stayed up all night working on an assignment due the next day and in all honesty, I am guilty of this as well. However, it is essential to understand when your body, mentally and physically, has had enough. Taking time for yourself and enjoying quality time with your friends and family help increase your motivation and productivity. Having a limit and knowing when to stop does not make you unproductive or undisciplined. Instead, in the long run it will make you consistent in your work.
STAY ORGANIZED.
I understand the phrase stay organized is a very broad idea but this includes finding a daily routine for yourself, writing everything down, having a to-do list, using a planner, taking nicely organized notes, labeling, color coding, and breaking down large tasks into smaller tasks. Staying organized allows students to be efficient in their use of time therefore making the student successful. Having good organizational skill gives the students opportunities to prioritize activities, set reachable goals, and reduce anxiety of failure.
