Growing up in the modern word with developments in technology and introduction of social media, mental health is more relevant than ever. As a student, it can often be difficult to find the balance between self-care and indulging in your own procrastination. Me being a student myself I majorly understand that you should put yourself first as you want to grow into the best version of yourself. However, putting yourself first does not always mean allowing your studies take a back seat.
I think it’s important to recognise the times when you are not feeling yourself, be it you’ve had a bad day or you’re really feeling the impact of your mental health problems (depression, anxiety etc.). When you recognise you’re feeling this way, set some time aside for yourself. Below is a list of things that help me (hopefully they’ll help someone out!):
• Spending time with family e.g. watch a film with them
• Spend time with a pet!
• Clean your room
• Light candles (Scented candles are great!)
• Video call a friend
Whilst doing these things will not (unfortunately) magically rid you of any mental health problems you face, it will however help you cope with things. Establishing a self-care routine is essential and can allow you time to put yourself first. Setting a time allocated to yourself allow you to relax and then when you take the time to revise/complete any homework you will then be in the right mindset.
It is the balancing between self-care and your studies which can be difficult to control. I often find when I am depressed, and I end up not doing what I am meant to, the large amounts of self-care ultimately making me feel worse as I begin to do badly within school. This is because for me studying to some extent is self-care. Overworking yourself is not healthy, however not working at all will make me feel worse. It is possible to maintain a good mentality whilst not abandoning your responsibilities and what you know you need to do.
If your mental health problems are badly interfering with school no matter your attempts to help yourself, it’s important to see a local GP as they can offer advice/counselling or even medication to help you cope with what you go through. If your find your problems are too much to handle, you can ask for extensions for work. Also, you can talk to a teacher, maybe even get a tutor for additional support.
As students we face a lot of stress and there is no shame in asking for help, which can not only better you but improve your studies along the way.
