When getting caught up in the constant buzz of college life, ranging from classes, sports, and friends, it can be exceptionally difficult to make time for yourself. Doing small things for yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually everyday will allow you to give yourself the mental love and care you need for a healthy lifestyle.

Mental:

TED Talk

TED talks can be helpful to people struggling with mental health issues because the talks are given by real people who also struggle with similar issues. Sometimes hearing that someone else, especially someone of importance, is also struggling can be comforting in a sense. Here are just a few encouraging TED talks that you can watch about dealing with mental illnesses.

On Being Just Crazy Enough: Joshua Walters is a young bipolar comedian who speaks on his views of mental illnesses. He talks about how they can be used to help build the mind in a way he calls "mental skillness."

Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid: In this TED talk Guy Winch emphasizes that mental health is just as important as physical health, though physical health is addressed more often. He gives seven ways you can care for yourself emotionally in a way that gives your mind the same amount of attention and care as your physical body.

A Tale of Mental Illness - From the Inside: Elyn Saks is a legal scholar who tells her story of schizophrenia and talks about her past. In this TED Talk she questions how people with mental illnesses are treated by society and asks people to see others with mental illnesses in a different light. Instead of focusing just on the person with the mental illness, Saks also focuses on how you can treat others with mental illnesses compassionately as well.

Journal

Self reflection in journaling can be a perfect way help to start the day relaxed or help relieve stress at the end of the day. It can be hard to explain how you're feeling so sometimes it is better and easier to write down. Journal also provides an opportunity to create a plan or a goal for yourself. When put on paper, plans become more official and you are able to see them rather than just having them in your head where you can easily forget. Here are a couple of prompts that will help you think about where you are in your life and plans you may have for your future.

Make a list of everything that inspires you: This list can include books, people, artwork, and anything that lifts your spirits when something has upset you.

What are two negative thoughts you don't want anymore? What can you do to let go?: Verbalizing feelings can help to make sadness, anger, or any other negative emotion less intense. It allows you to heal better and more efficiently, rather than just appearing to be fine on the outside.

Body:

Yoga

Yoga is a great way to get your blood flowing. It also focuses on breathing, balance, and being aware and present. Doing in the morning can help to start the day relaxed. If you're not a morning person you can also do it at the end of the day to help relieve the stress that has built up throughout the day.

Drink Water

Drinking water is beneficial to the entire body. Skin is made up of cells containing water which means that if you don't drink enough water then it will cause your skin to be dry. Dry skin can cause many problems with acne on your face, and no one wants acne all over their face. Water doesn't necessarily have the best taste, or really a taste at all, but it helps your body to become more healthy on the inside and outside.

Laugh

Laughing is vital to the body. It helps to soothe tension and relieve stress. Exerting your energy into school, sports, and friends can leave very little for yourself, so take some time and read comics, watch fail videos, even look up some memes. Sometimes being goofy is the perfect release you need after a busy and stressful day.

Spirit:

Helping Others

Even the smallest actions of kindness toward another person can brighten their day, which in turn can help you feel a little better about what you're doing in the world. There are a lot of people in the world that need help and you can make a difference in someone's life. Even if it's just one person you help, that's perfect because they may go and help someone else and the cycle keeps going. You can do this be simply holding the door for someone or picking up something for someone else. If you want to help on a bigger scale, then volunteer in your community. There are animal shelters, food pantries, and women and children centers in many places throughout several cities and it is very easy to get involved.

Communicate with a New Person

It can be very hard to step out of your comfort zone, especially when you have mental disorders that may cause you to feel uncomfortable in certain situations. Doing something as little as smiling at someone as you pass the on the sidewalk can be something that can make another person's day. Not everyone has good days when you do, so when you're in a good mood on your way to class smile at them. If you want to take an extra step, wave and actually speak to that person you don't know but see everyday.

Treat Yourself

Treating yourself to something that is normally special is a great way to lift your spirits. Whether it's eating that bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream you told yourself that you didn't need or buying that shirt you saw in the store last weekend, that special item can help with valuing yourself.

Being busy makes it hard to take care of yourself. All of these options can be done in thirty minutes or less, making it easy to take care yourself with a busy schedule. Personal care is more important than caring for others because you can't give others what you don't have. Take the time out of your day to make sure your mind, spirit, and body are getting the attention and care they need.