Reflect and Nourish

As many of us head back into the new school year, it can be easy to get bogged down in all of the daily tasks we need or want to do. 

In the past, I struggled to maintain simplicity and balance in my life when school was in session because I was often booked with classes and extracurricular activities. 

I am nowhere near perfect at this balancing act, but these are some lessons I’ve learned after several years of striving to reduce stress and maintain an ideal school-life balance:

1. Simplify your daily routine. 

College is hard enough as it is. With classes, homework, jobs, and/or extracurriculars, it’s difficult to pile on a bunch of other tasks on top.

So, simplify your routine by getting organized and giving yourself plenty of time.

Here are some hacks I’ve implemented into my routine that make my day go by smoothly: 

• Prepare your outfit, pack your belongings, and charge your devices the night beforehand. This will save you a lot of time in the morning.

• Allow yourself plenty of time to get to class, especially if you commute to school. If you do commute, I would suggest leaving 15-30 minutes earlier than you think you need to.

• Make your morning routine calm and easy — take time to make your bed, have some designated “me” time (quiet alone time), and eat a filling breakfast. 

2. Solidify your sleep schedule. 

I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I’ve nailed this. However, I’m working on improving the quality and consistency of my sleep because proper sleep is essential to one’s health. 

According to Healthline, proper sleep is just as important as proper nutrition and exercise. Getting enough sleep on a regular basis provides numerous health benefits, while chronic sleep deprivation can be detrimental to one’s health and safety. 

To develop a consistent sleep routine, make sure you wake up and go to bed at the same times every single day (even on the weekends), and turn off your electronics well before bedtime. 

Also, give yourself plenty of time to wind down before bed. Journaling, reading a light story, and/or listening to calming music are just a few great ways to put your mind and body at ease. Find what works for you.

For more sleep tips, the CDC has a wealth of information about sleep hygiene.

3. Set realistic goals in both your academic and personal life.

If you’re anything like me, the fresh start of a new semester gives you the urge to run a marathon, write an epic novel, and learn 10 languages — all before the semester ends. 

But unless you’re a superhuman hyper-productive wizard, you can’t accomplish everything at once.   

I’ve repeatedly made the mistake of setting many high goals for the new school year and then failing to achieve them because I didn’t have the time and/or energy for them.

So, aim high, but be realistic about how much you think you can achieve this semester. For example, if you want to start reading more this semester, start small and set a goal to read 10-20 minutes a day. 

Or, if you’re taking a class that you know will be very challenging for you, aim for a ‘B’ grade rather than an ‘A’ grade. Of course, try your very best in that class, but don’t set an expectation you don’t think you can meet. 

4. Ask for any kind of support you need. 

Whether you need help in your academic, professional, or personal life, don’t be too embarrassed or proud to ask for the support you need. 

This is a lesson I learned the hard way in high school. One time, there was a math class that I struggled with, but I didn’t ask for help at first because I was afraid of what my teacher and peers would think of me. As a result, my grade continued to decline, and I only asked for help when I really needed to boost my grade.

If you sense that something is wrong in any area of your life, ask for help earlier rather than later — your future self will thank you. 

I hope that these tips will help you ease your transition into a new school year. Although it’s never possible to create a perfect lifestyle, we can always adjust our routines to better suit our needs and wants. If you make your well-being a top priority, everything else will fall into place.