Hello hello, friends! It’s so easy to get caught up in all the things you might have going on during your super busy week [or month?]. Burnout is so so real. So stop for a minute, which you obviously have(?), and give yourself a pat on the back for killing the game. Now, take a couple minutes to get some new ideas to treat yourself for being a #girlboss. I have a pretty bad habit of burning myself out by being ~go go go~ for way too long and not winding down or relaxing which is 100% necessary for maintaining motivation and increasing productivity during off times.
As a college student, I also don’t have a ton of money to spend on professional facials or mani/pedis every time I turn around, so here is a list of some ways to pamper yourself physically and mentally without breaking the bank. If you’re interested in avoiding burn out and increasing productivity, then keep reading.
1. Add a 10 minute planning session into your night routine.
So here’s what you need to do: light your favorite candle {or melt
I typically stop doing homework around 2 hours before my bedtime and I’ll spend the night getting ready for bed, planning, and watching an episode of any of my guilty pleasures. {Mondays you can find me obsessing over the Bachelor{ette} series, sorry it’s the truth.} If you would want a more in depth break down of my night routine, let me know in the comments down below! I also find this to be a great time to pack my lunch or prepare snacks for the next day.
2. Host an at home spa night for yourself {or even with friends}.
Tell me a better way to treat yourself than hanging with your besties and watching a good rom com while getting your nails in to a presentable situation. This is a great way to relax after a long week of stressful exams and papers, while also being social [some of us struggle doing this when a nap sounds like heaven]. It’s also really nice that you can easily accomplish this without breaking the bank {and really I mean without going over $10}.
I love to pick up super cheap facial masks and scrubs from Target and potentially even spoiling my skin with a bath bomb from Lush. You can paint your nails and enjoy some healthy, fresh veggies and fruit {mostly because it’s cheaper than pizza}.
3. Come up with an organizational routine or method that will work for you.
I did my planner post weeks ago where I went on and on about the system that helps me stay organized, for the most part, and helps minimize the amount of stress that I have to deal with during the week. Whenever I would get stressed out and feel like just sleeping all day instead of getting work done, 9 out of 10 times it was because I either had a terrible system or I didn’t have a system at all.
My multiple planners match my varying situations perfectly now. I have a smaller one for on the go and to keep track of all my school assignments. I seriously have this thing with me all the time. My larger one has more of my life goals and more personal week to week goals. This helps me stay aware of where I am in the progression of hitting goals I set for the year and month. When you have a plan that works for you, it works out 100x better in the long run and I know that I accomplish way more than I did beforehand.
4. Plan a study date somewhere other than your usual study spot.
It’s always nice to switch up your normal study space every once and awhile. If you spent the entire semester in a specific library, maybe trade in your second home for a newer pad. You’ll always have that familiar face to return to, but I bet that it will be nice to not have to return to the place where you had a bunch of all nighters and mental breakdowns, right?
I like to try out places that aren’t libraries on the weekend as well! Starbucks and Panera make it onto the short list because I can buy a cheap cup of tea/coffee and sit there all day if need be. I also like to start super early in the morning when my brain is more productive. Ask around in your friend groups and ask where people like to study and if you can tag along. It truly does help to have that change of scenery.
5. Take a yoga or meditation class.
I’m not even sure that meditation classes are a real thing, but that’s nothing a quick Youtube search can’t fix. I used to do yoga every Saturday morning at 8am when I was in high school. Mostly to stretch out my muscles from volleyball on the weekdays, but it was also a great time to take a seriously needed break from the real world. You listen to the most calming music and really work on your breathing which is so nice when you are usually zipping and zooming across campus.
UNC offers free exercise classes, so be sure to check out all the classes that are available to you on campus. They also have plenty of Youtube videos and tutorials on the internet that can teach you a couple of easy poses to try out, especially if you just want a quick meditation and relaxing session. I could do corpse pose for a good 20 minutes and be 100% better. So, you could take a nap, G? LOL.
Don’t be afraid to pause. You’re brain, body, and soul need a break.
It can be extremely easy to fall into the trap of “I’m so tired, maybe I just need a nap or to binge watch a couple of episodes and then I’ll get back to work.” We all know how this ends up working out and it leads to a serious loss in productivity. I reach this point when I get overwhelmed and there are easy ways to stop this before it gets to the point of burning out and wanting to put a pause on getting work done.
One last piece of advice? Drop the caffeine addiction that I know you have. Also when I eat better, I find it less and less necessary to consume excessive amounts of coffee and tea. This contributes heavily to the stress and anxiety that will drive you closer to burn out! Now go and kill it!
xo,
