Self Care School

School starts back again. The traffic 😪 and busy moms and dads taking their kids back to school, and stress for the new year come like an automated machine or a plague depending on how you look at it. Working full time and have night class fo 3 hours on Tues and Thurs are just as stressful.

How can we prepare for it? 

Here's a checklist to make sure you plan, organize, and sync your life so you can make it through the holidays as smoothly as possible.

[ ] Get a whiteboard. You'll need to write the upcoming important dates, school nights, meetings that everyone can see. You may be running around, making dinner, and with everything else on your mind you don't have to worry  about what's the next thing. Costco has them for 20 bulks for a huge.

[ ] Set an alarm in the evenings. 10pm 11pm where it reminds you to focus on yourself, get ready for bed, and wind down. Read a book, mindful brush your teeth. That moment of solitude will rejuvenate and help you relax for sleep. You need that sleep to continue going for the week.

[ ] Do an active activity. Those short HIIT on you YouTube, a walk a night, yoga, run, dancing for 10 mins, or whatever makes you move around. Most of us in school will be sitting not only for class but also studying and doing homework. Huffington Post article says sitting for 6 hours is like smoking a pack a day.

[ ]Put time in those relationships with family friends. Weekends are precious time to study but also precious time to hang with your loved ones. It keeps the burn out less frequent and your brain thrives on social engagement which increases happiness. Coffee Hangouts, dinners, game nights are a few things I do.

[ ] Sandwich breaks and rewards when studying. Give yourself a treat when you accomplish a goal. "After studying for two hours, I'll get up, walk around, and grab water. Then I'll get to enjoy an episode from Hulu."  It turns out that learning is more effective when you break up mental tasks and reflect on what your learn turning short term memory into long term memory.

[ ] Weekend getaway. Maybe after you had that last exam and you need to reset. Go take a trip to mountains, desert, or beach. Or somewhere away from your study space. The rejuvenation of moving from study mode to break mode is a slight reprieve for your brain.

[ ]Declutter after a few weeks when there are lots of papers, index cards, random notes, post its that either need to be tossed out or placed somewhere out of sight and out of mind. This includes decluttering you computer files you may not need. Organization not only keeps you mentally focused but also lessens anxiety when entering your study space.

[ ] Write goals short term or long term to help remind you why you're in school. ie in one semester I'll apply to graduate school. This summer was like the greatest break I have ever taken but it made me loose sight of my end goal. YouTube became my source of inspiration. Watching a career I dream gave me this motivation just like those major weight loss shows that inspired me to workout. Find boards an at your career so you can find people who may be struggling with school or got through school.

[ ] Find a goal, hobby, or something fun for yourself. It helps balance the studying like yin to yang. I would always say I'm so sick of studying. Then when I found a binge worthy series or got into a good book, I could come back to the study. Just be careful because it often can steer you away from studying when you start to indulge in whatever hobby you have.  Your brain uses a lot of cognitive mental strength that creativity becomes lacking. Find something that gets you enter into creative mode like cooking, baking, art, woodwork, or blogging.

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