As college students, it’s a well-known fact that our lives are a balancing act between coursework, free time and, for many students, part-time jobs.
With such busy lives, it is not unlikely that we may feel the effects of burnout by the time the first exam arrives or during midterms further along in the semester.
Burnout is often caused by stress, which in turn can lead to symptoms such as headaches, an upset stomach and trouble sleeping if left unchecked. Fortunately, we can help manage our stress through regular acts of self-care.
Pinterest has hundreds of lists of ideas for self-care. Here are five easy self-care ideas that you can use to stay stress-free.
1. Listen to your favorite music
There is just something about listening to your favorite music that helps turn a bad day around.
This tip from Pinterest is self-explanatory, but for some extra advice, make a playlist of songs that make you feel happy and save it for those rough days when you need a pick-me-up.
Remember to name it something you will remember later so you will have the perfect music on standby whenever you need it.
2. Create a “worry box”
Staying stress-free is difficult in college, but taking care of yourself should be a priority.
This self-care tip from Pinterest only requires you have a designated container to be your “worry box” and paper to write on.
Whenever you begin to feel worried, write down what you are worried about on a piece of paper and place it into the box. Doing so is a physical way of letting go of that worry and moving on.
3. Unplug from social media for an hour
If we are being honest with ourselves, social media can be a trash fire at times, and there is nothing wrong with walking away for an hour and practicing other methods of self-care, like reading a book or hanging out with friends.
Feel free to take as much time away as you need — social media isn’t going anywhere.
4. Start a gratitude log
Sometimes being mindful of the little things in life can be a way to lift our spirits later.
Starting a gratitude log is as easy as picking a small notebook you can carry around with or have waiting for you at home and noting the good things that happened that day.
Look back at this log whenever you are feeling down to remind yourself of all the good things you have experienced and to remember that you won’t feel bad forever.
5. Schedule “me” time
It’s easy to get caught up in everything that needs to get done and this often leads to stress creeping into our lives.
One of Pinterest’s many self-care ideas only requires you to remember to schedule some time for yourself throughout the week in between your busy schedule.
You can use this time to do whatever you want — watch your favorite movie, read a book, catch up with a podcast or do nothing.
Whatever you do, remember to take care of yourself and give yourself some time to take a break and leave behind any concerns you have for an hour or two.