Keep reading to find our top tips for looking after your wellbeing while studying online.
Create a schedule
Having a schedule and routine can help us to keep on top of workload and reduce stress. Try:
- Having set meal times.
- Having a nighttime routine.
- Having a consistent waking up time.
- Creating a routine for daily physical activities.
- Creating a study schedule.
Practice staying grounded
Practising staying grounded is useful in times of uncertainty and change. This is because it can leave us feeling emotionally and physically “up in the air”. Because of this, tools and techniques that help bring us back into our body (back down to the ground) can help us cope. Examples of these might include:
- Holding onto a calming physical object.
- Practising breathing.
- Spending a few moments paying attention to the feeling of your feet firmly pressed into the floor.
- Cocooning yourself in a blanket.
Create a study space
Space can be difficult to find, depending on where you live. However, it can be helpful to try and find a space, even a little one, that is specifically for studying.
- Decorating a part of your room in a different theme/colour to indicate your study space.
- Moving your desk to the end of your bed to create a partition.
- Create a space away from distractions like the TV.
If you already have a working space, you might want to try freshening up your current working space by:
- Changing the placement of your working space each month to give the illusion of newness.
- Reorganising your working space every so often to give it a refresh.
Get out in nature
Nature can have a positive effect on our mental wellbeing. Take time to observe the changes in the nature around you as the seasons change. You might want to try activities like:
- Rock painting
- Bird watching
- Cloud watching
- Star gazing
Practice mindfulness
You have probably heard this one a lot, but it really can help (although it can sometimes take a bit of practice).
You can be mindful physically, by practising activities such as yoga. You also might want to think about being mindful of your social media usage too.
Stay connected
There are lots of ways to stay connected, both physically and virtually. Staying connected is imperative to our survival as human beings, and fuels the production of our happiness hormone (serotonin). You can stay connected through:
- Attending virtual classes.
- Attending in-person classes and seminars.
- Joining a club or society.
- Connecting with peers through social media.
Technology is rapidly changing, and with that, our access to it and the different ways we use it are increasing at lightning speed. In today's world, our online activity is often fairly unconscious. We do it without thinking. This can leave us open to stress, danger, and another negative effects on our mental wellbeing. What’s more, the internet, as we know, is a very unforgiving place, and we would like to give you our top tips in keeping yourself safe online.
Screen time
Did you know that on average we spend around 11 hours a day staring at one screen or another? Excessive screen time can lead to problems with your health later down the line. For example: headaches, issues with sleep, eye strain, and neck, back and shoulder pain. To mitigate against the negative of being sat in front of a screen for prolonged periods, try to:
- Pay attention to your posture. You could try practising desk yoga.
- Avoid eating meals in front of a screen.
- Drink lots of water.
- Avoid screen time half an hour to an hour before bed.