The Importance of Practising Self-Care as a Student: Nurturing Wellbeing for Success

Being a student can be overwhelming with the demands of assignments, exams, extracurricular activities, and social expectations. Yet, amid the busy lifestyle, it's crucial not to overlook self-care. In this article, we'll delve into the significance of practising self-care for students and explore practical examples of self-care activities that can easily fit in around your back-to-back schedule. 

Prioritising Mental Health

As a student, your mental health should be a top priority. The stress, anxiety, and pressure that comes with taking exams and social life can all take a toll on your overall well-being. Therefore, it's important to practise self-care strategies to effectively manage these challenges. What self-practises should I be doing you are? Here are some examples of self-care practises you can fit into your weekly schedule. 

Establish a routine: Set a consistent sleep schedule, practise time management, and establish dedicated study breaks to recharge your mind. 

Get support: Reach out to friends, family, or professionals if you're feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, consider utilising campus resources such as counselling services.

Mediate: Incorporate activities like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga into your daily routine to reduce stress. Even if it's just five minutes a day, you will find the techniques you learn, will come to mind when you need them.

Physical Self-Care

A healthy mind and body go hand in hand. Ignoring physical self-care can lead to burnout and hinder your academic performance. Here are a few examples of good self-care practises for maintaining physical well-being as a student:

Move more: Engage in physical activities such as jogging, cycling, or joining a sports club to increase endorphin levels and boost mental clarity. It's also a fun way to meet new people you might have not necessarily met otherwise. 

Eat well: Fuel your body with balanced meals, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Avoid excessive caffeine and eat mindfully, focusing on intuitive eating principles. If you're at University, there are often fruit & veg traders that come to campus once a week. These are great places to big up fresh produce and a good price. 

R&R: Ensure you get enough sleep each night and take short power naps during the day to rejuvenate your body and mind. If you're an early bird, get up and head to the library after your morning exercise, then take a good break at lunch and have a 20 minutes nap so you're ready for the rest of your day. Our Lavender Filled Sleep Masks or Self Heating Eye Masks are the perfect afternoon nap companion. 

Balancing Social Life

Building and maintaining meaningful connections is essential for students. However, it's equally important to practise self-care in social settings to avoid exhaustion and burnout. Consider these self-care strategies for achieving a healthy social life:

Set boundaries: Learn to say no to social activities that may interfere with your academic responsibilities or personal well-being. Turning down an opportunity for a night out can feel boring or like you're missing out, but you will thank yourself later. Prioritise and allocate quality time for close friends and family. 

Make time for what you love: Get involved in activities that bring you joy and help you relax, such as painting, playing an instrument, hiking, or joining student clubs. 

Inner circle: Surround yourself with positive influences by cultivating friendships that are supportive and uplifting, nurturing your well-being and encouraging personal growth. If you find yourself lacking these supportive friends, embrace hobbies that leave you feeling elevated and consider joining a club in your spare time to meet more likeminded people.

Embracing Emotional Wellness 

Being a student entails experiencing a roller coaster of emotions. Nurturing emotional wellness is essential to ensure success at school or uni and overall happiness. Here are some self-care practises to help you maintain emotional balance:

Journaling: Express and process your emotions through writing. Reflecting on your experiences can promote self-awareness and provide a healthy emotional outlet. Looking back at the pages of your journal can provide a lot of clarity and show patterns in your thoughts and behaviours you might not be aware of. 

Do more of what brings you joy: Get involved in activities that make you happy, such as listening to music, watching films, or spending time in nature.

Practise self-compassion: Be kind to yourself and practise positive self-talk. Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small, and forgive yourself for mistakes. The first step is becoming aware of how you speak to yourself and changing that thought pattern. Think of how you would speak to a close friend if she failed an exam she'd worked hard for. Now consider how you'd talk to yourself in this situation. If there is a difference, ask yourself why? 

In the pursuit of doing well in your studies, you can often neglect your own well-being. Understanding the importance of practising self-care as a student is crucial for achieving sustainable success and happiness in all areas of life. 

By implementing self-care practises such as prioritising mental health, embracing physical well-being, balancing social life, and nurturing emotional wellness, you can create a foundation for a fulfilling and exciting life whilst you're a student.

Remember, self-care is not selfish; it's a necessity. Start incorporating these self-care habits into your routine and witness the positive impact they can have on your student journey.

Explore our Wellness Bundle Collection here they are the perfect self-care gift to yourself or to give to a friend that could use a boost. The Sleep bundle is ideal for those busy periods and The Energy bundle is your go to during exam season.