It has already been two months into the new academic year, meaning that for most of us, our days are packed with assignments, meetings, and other study and work-related tasks. Due to Covid-19, the start of this academic year was not like any other and the rest of the year is likely to look different as well. These changes bring a lot of uncertainties and frustrations and this can unconsciously have quite an impact on our mental health. To stimulate happy vibes, this post was created in hope of inspiring you to get the best out of every day with the help of some nice habits and a helpful routine!
Wake up early
Early mornings are the best time for peaceful moments. At least, that’s what I’ve experienced. Before the rest of the world wakes up, you have the opportunity to get some fresh air, check your emails, and prepare yourself for the rest of your day. Waking up early makes you feel proud and since you’ve started the day without any rush, you’re likely to hold this positive vibe much longer. When you’re working from home, it is extra important to stick to some sort of morning routine so that you remain productive during the rest of the day and not become tempted to crawl back into bed with your favourite Netflix series.
Exercise daily
By exercising, you’re not only giving your body but also your mind a positive boost. My personal goal is to get at least 30 minutes of movement each day, regardless of how busy I am. Some days I go for a walk and other days I plan a full-body workout in between or after my appointments. When you spend most of your time working from home, it becomes hard to schedule a fitness appointment. Therefore, when it comes to staying fit, I recommend becoming part of an online fitness community. There are lots of fitness influencers on Instagram and YouTube who share sports programs, meal prep ideas, and who can give you just that little bit of extra motivation to get started. Two of my personal favourites are Pamela Reif and Chloe Ting, but there are many more of course. So go search and find a community that suits your personal interests the best.
Get control over your thoughts
By living more consciously and enjoying the things that take place in the present, you prevent your thoughts from wandering to the past or the future. This may sound difficult, but small steps can already make a big difference. For me, it turned out that writing out my thoughts and feelings in a bullet journal was the best way to focus on the present and raise my happiness-level. What I like about journaling is that it is easy and can be done quickly. You only need 5 minutes of your day to set your intentions, to become more motivated to keep going and to keep following your dreams. Becoming aware of your mindset is especially needed in busy and uncertain times, because you teach yourself how to shift your mindset from fear and negativity to gratitude.
I hope that these tips will help in becoming more happy, healthy, and productive. If there is anything you should take away from this post is that it is important to do some self-reflection and to plan enough moments in which you only focus on yourself.
The moment you start believing in yourself, anything will become possible.
Author: Itske van den Braak
Editor: Gwendolyne Cheung
Illustrator: Hanh Tran