Stop These Bad Habits and Improve Your Overall Well-Being
By Dorothy Watson
College students across the globe wear Superman suits every day. However, unlike the Man of Steel, our weaknesses come from within. Overextending ourselves, going to extremes to stay awake for all-night study sessions, and trying to be just as good as our classmates can leave us worn out both physically and mentally. Today on UQMind, we will touch base on a few bad habits that should make their way out of your routine.
Living in a cluttered space.
When your dorm room or apartment is cluttered and disorganised, it sets off little red flags inside your psyche. An unkempt living space can cause you stress and anxiety, even if you don’t realize it. Take steps now to declutter. This might be to clear out the closets or kitchen cabinets or find a small empty space to set up for meditation.
Keeping up with everyone else.
It’s easy to get caught up into thinking we have to be just as good, efficient, or attentive in class as everyone else. But, the truth is a bit more complex. While a bit of competition never hurts, when you’re doing something as important as working on your own future, you must go at your own pace and quit trying to follow someone else’s path.
All-night study sessions.
Many are all guilty of cramming for a test while clutching a fistful of pizza at 10 PM the night before. But, this is a terrible habit that might actually be causing you more stress and anxiety than necessary. Instead, study a little bit here and there for at least three days in advance, which is the tip Oxford Learning suggests will help you move information from your short-term to your long-term memory.
Focusing on the negatives.
You’ve heard people tell you to look on the bright side probably more times than you can count. It’s usually meant as a quick pep talk, but there is a lot of good to be done yourself by maintaining your optimism. When you focus on the good instead of the bad, your health improves, your relationships get better, and you may even find that you are more self-confident and creative.
Not exercising.
No one needs to explain to you why it’s important to keep your body in motion. But, as a busy student, you probably put exercise off more than you should. Try to schedule intentional physical activity each day, but also give your body time to recover between exercise and other activities.
Setting vague goals.
You’ve already set and accomplished one important goal: go to medical school. But, beyond that, you can’t just leave your goals open-ended. Write down your aspirations, and be specific. Give yourself milestones that you can be proud of, and you’ll be more motivated to achieve the things you want throughout your lifetime.
Each day, you have the option to make good choices or bad choices. Choose to skip the bad habits, and you’ll be happier, healthier, and in a better position to maintain positivity throughout your life. From living in a disorganized room to leaving your goals open-ended, there are certain things that are just better left in high school.
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