Wake up. Coffee. Class. Gym. Library. More Coffee. Club meeting. Work. Another cup of coffee. Library again. See friends. Pass out.
In a constantly moving world full of highly motivated Type A people, it can feel there is rarely time to take break. Especially in college, when you are constantly surrounded by your peers who always seem to be running to and from various activities. After a constant struggle to keep up with others’ schedules or meet extraordinary self-imposed limits, the grind is going to wear you down. They say “work hard, play hard,” but I honestly think someone forgot “nap hard.” Taking a break and having a night in can often be viewed as weakness or laziness. Truthfully, it is a sign of self-love and personal wellness should always be a priority; no one else is going to look out for yourself but you. Personal wellness goes beyond diet and exercise, but is equally composed of mental health and making sure you take a break long enough to recharge your mind and body. It’s okay to take a night to yourself and veg out and not interact with anyone, because you will feel all the more prepared to take on the next few days.
Being able to recognize when you need a break is an art. Your body and mind are constantly on overdrive trying to process your social life, squeeze in time to create your 6-pack abs (a work in progress), and pulling an all-nighter to cram for an exam. Don’t feel guilty when you decide to stay in one night while everyone else goes out because you think a nap and finishing an entire pizza alone are much more enticing. Recognize that you’ve had a hard week and allow yourself to take a nice warm bath, shamelessly snapchatting your bath bomb, and sipping on champagne, ignoring that you have a paper due next week. Your well-being is like a rubber-band, and with each responsibility it is stretched, inching closer to the breaking point. Taking a mental health day in order to come back refreshed is something that should be respected, not looked down upon, when the alternative is full on nervous breakdown, or becoming a zombie who runs on fumes on Dunkin iced coffee. I always feel much more productive after a few hours of allowing myself to clear my mind and put together the pieces of a hard week then trying to jump into a project.
Treating yourself doesn’t have to involve a full-fledged spa day or downing a dozen cupcakes (but you do you, girlfriend), but below are some of my favorite, fast ways to feel like a whole person again.
- Meditation: Forget gurus sitting on mats whispering “om.” Meditating can be as simple and easy as listening to a 10 minute podcast or just sitting and focusing on your breath for a few moments. One of my favorites is the free app “Headspace,” which gives daily 10 minute meditation guides with custom foci. Added bonus: meditation and breathing exercises have been proven to improve attention and cognitive skills.
- Take a walk: Even on my relatively small campus, I can still find places to escape to and new spots to discover. There’s something magical about wandering aimlessly that can make you feel like a new person.
- Watch an episode of a Netflix show: nothing can bring up your mood like 20-45 minutes of a good show.
- Call your best friend: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, talking to your best friend can always seem erase your worries and get your mind on something else. Five minutes of venting or an hour long heart-to-heart can feel like a mini-vacation from the stresses of everyday life.
- Bake something new. Not only is this a treat in that it ends in a delicious snack, but you can also take a break while still feeling productive and accomplished.
Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, schedule some time in for purely selfish pleasure and make yourself whole again. It may make you nervous to basically do nothing for a little while, but you’ll be thankful in the long run.
