Maintaining a balance in your life can be hectic and difficult to approach! However, this process is a journey where we need to educate and see what works the best for us mentally and in other aspects of our health such as…(eg physical, social, etc). Keep reading to explore what you can do to take care of yourself and incorporate balance in your life!
To start off, we need to define what is ‘balance’ and how we can apply it when it comes to our mental health! Balance is a fundamental part of what we need or want in order for us to engage in certain activities in our lives without the feeling of guilt or worry that we should put our attention to another task. Now let’s go into the specifics and different tips we can use effectively to gain balance and happiness!
1. Breaking down big tasks into manageable tasks.
It is understandable that you want to complete all your tasks by the end of each day. Nonetheless, it can be overwhelming to the point of exhausting yourself each day which can affect your mental health. Instead, try taking a deep breath and regroup your task and allow yourself to be grateful for what you did! By this, you are able to set clear and realistic goals! Try taking big tasks and group them into manageable tasks. Managing yourself by focusing on tasks that have the highest priority for you! The manageable tasks can be broken down by setting reasonable deadlines. For example, you are given a 20-page research paper. What you can do to reduce your stress is by completing certain sections of the paper each week before the due date. As you are working through these smaller tasks try to be consistent to maintain discipline for you to reach your goal.
2. Work towards healthy, strong self-esteem.
This means being able to accept not only your strengths but also your weaknesses. As you identify what your weaknesses are, this can help you focus on ways to improve. For example, let's say you are not that great at taking initiative and asking for help when needed. What you can do to improve on the initiative is by speaking up and sharing your ideas. It could be scary however, it is important for you to share your opinions whether it be in class discussion or group projects. Obviously, at first, it would be difficult to take initiative, however, try setting small goals for you to achieve by the end of each day. This can help you approach any activity with a positive mindset. Furthermore, to assure yourself when in doubt, try building affirmations such as “I am” or “I have” statements. Some examples are, “I am worthy of making myself a priority” or “I am my best self when I take care of myself first” or “I am nourished, full of love and energy, and I have time to replenish.”
3. Include self-care into your daily routine.
Self-care means putting yourself first and when things can be overwhelming it means you should step back to reflect and take care of your health. There are many ways to start your journey with self-care. You can start exercising, taking breaks during long sessions of studying, set a reasonable sleep schedule, and reduce the amount of screentime. There are many ways to study, so as a learner try to experiment with as many methods as you can that work for you. For example, let’s say you are not someone who can sit down for long periods of time then to help you with that try taking little breaks in between. During those little breaks, you can exercise, go for a walk, get a snack or read a book. Any of the following activities can help you take a refresher and just relax. Sometimes it’s okay to take breaks because you deserve it!
Here above can give you an idea of how you can maintain balance in your daily routines and help you out to not feel guilty for not being able to accomplish everything.
References
Cass, Julie. “Key to Happiness: How to Put Yourself First.” Canadian Living, 4 Oct. 2021, https://www.canadianliving.com/health/mind-and-spirit/article/happiness-key-yourself.
Cole, Samantha. “9 Ways to Take More Initiative at Work.” Fast Company, Fast Company, 4 Dec. 2018, https://www.fastcompany.com/3037092/9-ways-to-take-more-initiative-at-work.
Org., CenterStone. “How to Get Your Life Back into Balance.” Centerstone, 21 Feb. 2022, https://centerstone.org/our-resources/health-wellness/life-balance/.
Razzetti, Gustavo. “The Adaptive Mind.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 26 Sept. 2018, https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-adaptive-mind.
Toronto, CMHA. “Balancing Your Life.” CMHA Toronto, 16 Mar. 2017, https://toronto.cmha.ca/documents/balancing-your-life/.
Ujah, Renee. “How to Break Your Goals down into Actionable Steps.” Inspire Spirit, Inspire Spirit, 5 June 2021, https://www.inspirespirit.co.uk/blogs/news/how-to-break-down-your-goals-down-into-actionable-steps.
UK, Young Minds. “Why You Shouldn't Feel Guilty about Putting Yourself First.” YoungMinds, 15 Feb. 2021, https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/blog/why-you-shouldn-t-feel-guilty-about-putting-yourself-first/#:~:text=It's%20okay%20to%20put%20yourself,impact%20on%20your%20mental%20health.