By Megan Libby — Coordinator for Counseling and Student Services Brockton Hospital School of Nursing
With schools back in session, we are seeing a rise in the need for self-care. For most people, “self-care” brings up images of spa nights, face masks, and indulgent decadence. What self-care means is so much simpler than that: to care for yourself.
As the school season begins and quickly turns to fall holidays and colder weather, we lose daylight, and we begin to feel pressed for that elusive resource: time. Students, teachers, school staff, and parents, all can benefit from the back-to-school, self-care tips below to stay healthy and happy this season.
Eating Well
Plan: Making a menu for the week with a shopping list by ingredient will save you time and money at the store. It also eliminates the last-minute scramble for food when you are so hungry you will eat anything in sight. Plan for healthier, quicker options to ease your mind while keeping your body fueled.
Pick Up/Deliver: Ever since the early pandemic shutdown, ordering groceries online to be picked up or delivered is easier than ever. Almost every store has an app where you can order ahead. This will save you time and money while keeping those plans you made.
Prep: Plenty of people meal prep, and if it works for you, great! Others aren’t interested in eating prepped meals but could do ingredient prep! Cutting your vegetables and fruits ahead of time, separating them into containers, organizing your groceries into days of the week, etc. is a great way to minimize cooking time while sticking to your plan.
Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Meal Kits: Not sure what to plan, order, and prep? The internet is chock full of videos of meal planning, prepping, and inspiration to keep you on track. There are also a ton of meal prep kits, some that send ingredients and others with premade meals, for every dietary need!
Sleep Hygiene
Routine: Not everyone needs eight hours of sleep a night. Some need more, some less. Find your sweet spot and then stick to a routine to get you relaxed and sleeping better than ever. Perhaps a cup of tea, a book, and a cold bedroom will get you the best Zzzs or maybe you need aromatherapy, a pillow spray, and an eye mask to sleep well. Whatever your routine, stick to it so your body knows when it is time for sleeping.
Caffeine Free: Caffeine gets many of us through mornings, afternoon slumps, and long study (or work) sessions. Perhaps try switching to decaf or caffeine-free options after noon to see if it improves your sleep quality.
Screen Time: Limiting screen time before bed can result in better sleep quality. If you need to scroll before bed, try switching to dark mode or night mode to reduce the blue light effect that can disrupt healthy sleep.
Stress Reduction
Breathing/Stretching/Meditation: This will seem the most obvious advice for stress reduction but there’s a reason for that! As stressful and frustrating as it can seem to try to find time to breathe or meditate or stretch, it really will make you feel better! See some techniques below to help lower your heart rate and cortisol levels, leaving you more relaxed. These can be done in as little as one minute, just enough to reset when you are feeling extra stressed.
Hobby: Making time for your hobbies is important when you are warding off stress and burnout. It may seem daunting or like a waste of time when you are keeping track of a million other commitments, but it is important to remind yourself of who you are and what you love to do. Hobbies are not always introverted activities if those don’t interest you. Nor do hobbies need to be expensive or time-consuming. Hobbies might include:
- Coloring
- Crocheting
- Sports
- Video games
- Reading
- Cooking
- Gardening
Workout: When we hear the term “workout,” we might picture HIIT or running or sports. Those are great options for some, but not all. Getting in a 20-minute walk after dinner, doing yoga in your living room with your cat climbing all over you, or even using a video game to get some movement in (like Ring Fit, Just Dance, or Nintendo Switch Sports) counts too! Find what movement works for you. Pair activity with a hobby if need be, such as walking while chatting on the phone or doing yoga while listening to a podcast
Other Resources
Community Voices for Health 