Anxiety, Fear and Stress—The three-in-one package that never fails to show up unannounced and live rent-free in our heads, especially during the assignment and exam periods.
On top of that, juggling the weight of our expectations, getting a good GPA and pursuing our dreams can make us feel heavy if no proactive steps are taken.
But, fret not! Here are 7 helpful tips that can help you cultivate healthy habits and manage your mental well-being during stressful times.
1. Set Aside Time for Your Hobbies
Designed by Freepik
Outside of our hectic schedules, it is important to engage in activities and hobbies that spark joy in our lives.
Spending time doing what we love can improve and increase positive moods, and it’s a great way to express ourselves and healthily unwind from our daily routines.
Here are some hobbies that you can pick up and dare to try something new!
- Indoor Gardening/Keeping Plants
- Baking/Cooking
- Hiking
- Embroidery
- Writing
- Reading
- Cycling
Be it learning a new skill, exploring the outdoors, picking up a book or a musical instrument, what matters is that it is something you enjoy and find meaningful.
2. Have a Balanced Diet and Eat Healthy Snacks
Designed by pch.vector on Freepik
Coffee, chips, bubble tea and fast food are just some of the staples of everyday life—the foods that energise us through the day. For others, it helps to destress and unwind after a long day of classes, assignments and studying.
The occasional indulgence in comfort food is one thing, but regularly having greasy and salty foods will not do your health any favours. What brings us comfort does not necessarily mean it’s healthy or good for our bodies. The simple rule is: moderation is key!
Ditch that bag of chips for a healthy snack or fruits, and cook a nutritious meal instead. Most importantly, stay hydrated and carry a bottle or tumbler with you so you won’t forget!
Some healthy snack alternatives to munch on are mixed nuts, greek yoghurt with berries, banana, roasted Seaweed and reduced sugar soy milk. (Source: Active Health)
If you are looking for heavier meals, here are some quick and healthy meals you can whip up when you’re on home-based learning:
3. Get Ample Rest and Take Breaks
Designed by bro-vector on Freepik
With the shift to home-based learning, we may find it difficult to draw the line between our personal lives and work. It’s easy to skip breaks and work through the night to stay in the zone. On the contrary, taking breaks throughout the day and getting enough sleep can help to boost our productivity and recharge us, so we don’t get burnt out.
However, many of us spend our breaks moving from our laptops to our phones - scrolling through Instagram or watching TikTok videos. Instead, we should take breaks away from our screen.
Have a healthy snack, take a walk around your home or do some stretches, and come back refreshed for another 50-minute study session.
Getting enough shut-eye is incredibly important in staying healthy. After a long busy day, we may find it hard to settle down our minds and lay awake in bed for hours. Put away your phones or tablets at least an hour before going to bed, aim to get at least 7 hours of sleep daily and take power naps whenever needed!
4. Let’s Get Active!
Designed by stories on Freepik
Aside from eating healthily and taking breaks to recharge, exercising is an effective way to help calm your nerves, relieve stress and boost your physical and mental energy. I used to think that exercising drains my energy or that I’m always too tired or stressed to exercise.
But what I’ve learnt is that exercising helps me to relax. And the good news is that you can take small steps – starting with a quick 10min workout and simple stretching exercises and going on a walk around your neighbourhood or morning runs.
30 minutes of exercise every day not only improves your physical and mental health but also helps you to focus better.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your mat and some friends to sweat it out together with these beginner-friendly exercises!
- Emi Wong’s 15min Stretch
- Pamela Reif’s 10min Cardio Workout
- Pamela Reif’s 10min Full Body Stretch
- Blogilates’ 10min Cardio Pilates
5. Reach Out to Your Trusted Friends
Designed by pch.vector on Freepik
Anxiety and other stressors can make us feel isolated and can have an extremely negative impact on our mental health. Sometimes, the best way to relieve the pressure is to let off some steam by talking through your fears and feelings with a trusted friend or loved ones.
As someone who tends to bottle up my feelings and thoughts, I learnt the importance of reaching out and asking for support. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness! You don’t have to deal with your mental health issues alone, and there are many out there who genuinely want to help.
If you need a listening ear, someone to talk to or get a better sense of your mental well-being, here are some mental health support groups you can approach!
6. Curate Your Own Spotify Playlists
Designed by stories on Freepik
Whether you prefer listening to music or enjoy total silence while studying, music can have a tranquil effect on our mind and mood by helping to manage stress in our lives.
Here are some genres for you to get started when studying with music or if you need some tunes to relax.
Classical/Instrumental – Helps your brain absorb new information easily or be the perfect background music for sleep.
Nature sounds – Calming sounds such as waves crashing against the shore, soothing birdsong, and the pitter-patter of raindrops can be extremely effective in increasing concentration and masking white noise.
Lo-fi beats – The chill beats paired with calming visuals can help your brain to focus and increase productivity.
There is no one-size-fits-all method. Take the time and discover what genre works for you. Pick your personal favourites and start curating your own playlist, so you’re all set whenever you need it!
Pro tip: Keep your playlist to around 50-60 minutes to remind yourself to get up, and take a short break from your screen or books. It helps you to refocus and have a productive session.
7. Set Realistic Goals and Be Kind to Yourself
Designed by jcomp on Freepik
Stress and anxious thoughts can’t always be avoided, but we can learn to better manage them. Set realistic and achievable goals daily, and tick them off your list when you’ve completed them can help you feel more motivated.
Whether it’s making your bed, studying a few chapters or writing a paragraph of your assignment, all these small wins matter as you are taking a step forward.
Practise Self-Care
Designed by Freepik
While we’re working hard in school and striving for the best, let’s also remember to care for our physical and mental well-being.
The next time you’re feeling blue or stressed out, spend some time to slowly but mindfully destress the old-fashioned way - discover new hobbies, rock out to your favourite music, or sweat it out with a run and HIIT exercises.
I hope these tips can help to kickstart new habits and lifestyle changes for you. Take care of yourself and strengthen your mental and physical health during this period of heightened distress, increased restrictions and isolation.
As Jerina puts it, “Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. You don’t have to deal with your mental health issues alone.” Drop us a text on Instagram or Telegram to reach out to us if you need. We are here for you ❤️
Other hotlines
Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-444
NYP Student Counselling Service: 6550 0123 (Office Hours)
NP Student Crisis Helpline: 6460 6777
RP Help-Counsellor: 9770 4357 (office hours) or [email protected]
SP Counselling: via SP website
TP Counselling: via TP website
