Be Well

Taking care of yourself is a hard task to begin with and taking care of yourself during a time of stress is even harder. When we’ve got a million things on our plates, its easy to forget about the most important one: you. Make yourself a priority before you start falling down the slippery slacking slope. Here’s some ways I like to take time for myself. Whether you chose to do the same or something different, do it. Be happy, stay happy.

1. Eat well

When i’ve got a week full of work, papers, exams and presentations I tend to torture my body with coffee, soda, Twizzlers and anything bad I can get my hands on. Hooking yourself up to a coffee IV during stressful times might seem like the best way to assure you’ll stay awake to finish your paper but is horrible for your overall health. Drink water, eat plenty of fruits and veggies and keep your energy levels up in a more natural way. Eating a well balanced breakfast is an awesome way to set yourself up for healthy eating the rest of the day! Stocking your backpack with healthy snacks will keep you away from the vending machine and keep your glucose levels from spiking up and down- which can make you feel very tired!

2. Sleep Well
Regardless of how good at planning and prioritizing I am, sleep seems to be the first thing forgotten on my to-do list when i’ve got a busy week ahead. It may sound really corny but set yourself a bed time! Turn off the TV, put down the reading assignment and hit the sack. A tired brain is just about as good as a calculator with dead batteries- no good at all. Wake up a little earlier and finish what you couldn’t get done the night before. You’ll feel more refreshed and get tons more done!

3. Think Well
Don’t cloud your head with bad thoughts. Whether you’re feeling, anxious, sad, upset or frustrated having negative thoughts is quickest way to ruin your whole day. Stop the negativity in its tracks by taking a moment to remove yourself from whatever situation is making you feel that way. Sometimes I find it helpful to read a book or turn on my favorite Pandora station and just get away from whatever is bothering me. Replace negativity with the lyrics to your favorite upbeat song or quote. Know that dwelling on any bad situation, big or small isn’t going to make it any better. 

4. Speak Well
Words have a power that is almost indescribable. Harsh words can tear someone down while inspiring ones can quickly turn a frown upside down. Chose wisely. Throwing around offensive words can be more hurtful than you may know and you never know who could be eavesdropping. Once you say something, it’s nearly impossible to take it back so make sure you think before you speak and be aware of what you are saying before something offensive comes out of your mouth. Being sensitive to the people around you is something that is so easily forgotten especially in a world that is so digital. Read over your facebook status before you post it. Do you really want your grandma seeing you curse all over her news feed? I didn’t think so.