As a full-time college student who balances homework, club priorities, and a job, I can completely admit to you all right now that I am extremely skilled at neglecting to take a break that involves taking a minute just to be still and breathe. I am one of those people who stresses out about every little detail and wants to be a part of every opportunity that comes my way, but the world unfortunately doesn't work that way-- nor does the human body. We as human beings can only do so much before we completely exhaust ourselves both mentally and physically. This is where self care plays a beyond important role. We as a society need to learn how to take a step back from the never-ending stress and constant hustle and bustle within our lives. We need to remember to put our well being first.

Here are some suggestions that could help you if you also struggle with neglecting self care tactics:

From my own personal experience, taking a moment to take care of yourself will actually help you to get more done and to complete tasks more efficiently. Even just a 30 minute break could make a vast difference for your mental state.

Get up and dance! Take a break from sitting down, hunched over, with less than perfect posture that your mother would scold you for and loosen up! Put on your favorite song, turn up the music and let loose! This is a judgement free zone! The distraction will help you to relax and may also help to improve your overall mood. I always find a good dance session to be helpful and it can also be a great way to break a sweat!

Getting enough sleep is also very helpful toward improving both your energy levels and your mental state. This is a task that I struggle the most with when it comes to self care. I am terrible at laying down and leaving things as they are for a night. I constantly find myself staying awake until the late hours of the night, trying to get a head start on things. While many may see this as a admirable trait, it is also very harmful. For me, this working late into the night is often sparked by my own anxiety over not doing enough before I attempt to go to sleep at night. I am currently trying to increase my sleep intake and it is something that has been an adventure for me so far.

Taking a long drive or a walk are also beneficial ways to find relaxation; So is finding your favorite book to read that will sweep you away from all of your stress and into a world that is different than your own. Sounds like a decent distraction, to me.

Overall, choose something that is enjoyable to you and take a break. You deserve it. I can promise you that it will be beneficial in the long run, even if it seems to be a trivial idea at the moment.