If you have ever been on a plane at the beginning of a flight, then you know that the flight attendant stands in the front and explains how if in an emergency, if you need to put an oxygen mask on, to put yours on first and then your child’s or the person next to you. Why? If you can’t get the oxygen mask on the other person and you run out of air, both of you will be out of luck in this situation. This is an example of why you need to take care of yourself first.
A lot of you are either back in school, starting school, or beginning a new job. When working on getting into a routine a lot of the time we forget to take care of ourselves. We get so preoccupied with trying to find our classroom and getting our homework in on time that we forget to take care of not only our physical state, but also our mental state.
At freshman orientation a woman stood up in front of the class and showed a mock schedule. The schedule not only listed what time that student had class but what time they planned to workout, nap, do homework, have club meetings, and to just hang out with their friends. Seems a little ridiculous but honestly, sometimes we forget about all the truly important things when we are caught up with the big picture. During syllabus week teachers explain the hours a week or day they expect you to study for their class, and if you’re like me it usually ends up being more. The first week to month of school or a new job is usually when we become most stressed and haven’t found how to deal with it yet.
Mornings are usually our time to sleep in a little and get some breakfast so that we can be prepared for the day. Afternoons tend to be filled with class, studying, and homework. Evenings are congested with clubs, sports, or if you’re lucky, sleep. This is when you need to figure out your physical health and how to handle it in such a busy day. If you are a morning person you might find waking up 30 minutes to an hour earlier and working out will be the best for you. If you find you need a break at some point, maybe working out before or after lunch is your best bet to get that refresher in. If you feel that you need to get everything done before your work out, then an evening cool down in the gym should be your go to.
Now, what are some ways you can take care of yourself mentally? For some people the gym takes care of them both mentally and physically, but for others they need a little more than that. First of all, don’t be afraid to cry. If a good cry is what you need to calm down and unwind from a stressful day, then go for it! Reading or watching TV is also a great way to leave the world for a little while, as well as music and art. If the company of others helps bring joy and ease to your mind, call them up and make daily/weekly plans with that person. Sometimes you just need that person you can laugh with, yell with, run around with, and just be yourself with.
I am not here to tell you what you should do but rather to encourage you to change your habits, if necessary. If you find yourself stressed or exhausted at any point of your day, find that something to make it all better.
