Truthfully, the chances that your sleep schedule aren’t the best are quite high. Adolescents in high school and college, despite needing a sufficient amount of sleep, do not get the recommended 8ish hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. There are tons of reasons for this: technology, caffeine, and just being too busy are just a few factors, to name a few.
Negativity bias is a natural human experience. It’s why we are severely affected by what can end up being the slightest of inconveniences, even if really good things happen to us too. For example, you may have gotten an A on a really important exam, but forgetting to submit a homework assignment that same day and losing points for it is more likely to affect you.
Being a student in the midst of a global pandemic has thrown the unexpected directly at us. It has repeatedly heightened the worry and fear of “am I on the right path?” “is this all worth it?” and of course, “am I good enough?”
We all have things that we turn to when we need to improve our mood. Many also have things to turn to when depressive and anxiety symptoms start to surface.
While I have never been a huge on New Year resolutions, I do try to come up with new ways to start the year off in a way that helps me to become a better version of myself. For example, last year I set the small goal of flossing my teeth every night, which has now turned into a habit. Trying to focus on what I can control throughout the year has been a challenge through 2020, but it has also helped to remind me of all of the little things I can control.
Sometimes, we need a physical, tangible option to help us accomplish our goals and put the things that we want to work on into words instead of having them just floating around our heads. One way to visually organize our minds is through checklists. You may associate checklists with to-do lists and things that you want to accomplish, but they can also be used as a tool to see your progress about something or help you understand how you’re feeling.
Let’s admit it. It’s so easy to get sucked into our devices and the social media apps inside of them. Even if you feel like you’re not directly interacting with anyone and just refreshing, there’s something about these apps that can make three hours feel like three minutes, despite doing nothing.
One of my biggest coping skills is practicing one of my endless hobbies. Whenever I feel like my feelings are going to swallow me whole, I try to use a hobby to channel that energy. This is where it helps to have multiple hobbies.
You don’t need me to tell you that this year has been a very stressful time. With the year coming to a close, I want to take the opportunity to find some techniques that will help me take a step back and work on relaxing and be more mindful. If you ever feel like you are getting stressed or overwhelmed, try one of these activities and see how it can help!
With the start of a new year, there is mounting pressure to create a better version of yourself. There’s talk of resolutions and all the things that we have to accomplish in 2021 in order to be successful. The radio, social media, and your family will all be talking about their grand goals for the new year.
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