Finishing the Semester Strong: Staying Healthy and Motivated
Nov 30, 2018
Hey Everyone!
It’s that time of year again. Fall break has come to an end, finals are just around the corner, and you feel as though there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. If you’re wondering how you’re going to make it through these last crucial weeks before finals I am here to help. I have come up with a list of 6 ways to help you stay healthy and motivated during this busy time.
Get Enough Sleep! I know you probably hear this over and over again but I cannot stress enough how important it is. Pulling an all-nighter may sound like a good idea to get an assignment done but it can actually impair mental efficiency, which is the last thing needed during finals time. When you don’t get enough sleep your memory is negatively affected for up to 4 days afterward. So try to make sure you are getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night.
Don't overdo it Don’t try to cram everything all into one day. Instead, create a schedule for yourself on what to work on each day and stick to it. Setting a schedule each day and following it can help to keep your assignments in order, making sure that they don’t pile up or get forgotten.
Meal Prep If you’re like me then the last thing on your mind when busy with homework is making lunch and dinner every day. This results in eating food that isn’t that healthy and probably isn’t helping your brain perform at its best. That is why I recommend taking a couple of hours every Sunday to prepare a week’s worth of meals so that you don’t have to think about cooking every day but you’re still able to eat healthy food.
Take Time to Relax Set aside time for some "me time" to prevent and control stress. Take this time to do whatever helps you relax, whether that be hanging out with friends, watching Netflix, or taking a nice long bath.
Don’t Skip the Gym When busy with assignments that are piling up the first thing that students usually take out of their schedule to get homework done is going to the gym. This is actually counterproductive as it’s proven that 20 minutes of cardio a day can actually improve your memory.
Come up with a reward Come up with something that you can give to yourself once you have finished the semester. This can be giving yourself an entire day of relaxation or maybe buying yourself a gift. Whenever you are thinking of giving up just think of the reward that will come once you finish.
Hopefully, these tips help you to finish this semester strong before you head off to that much-deserved winter break.
