Make time for yourself

Making time for yourself is important because it helps reduce stress and clears your mind. Between juggling school and 2 jobs there never seems to be enough time in the day. It seemed that the five to six hours of sleep I was getting every night was the only time I had to myself. After a couple months stress and frustration got the best of me. From that point on it was essential for me to set time aside to sit back and enjoy life. It doesn’t matter how driven or motivated you are, sooner or later everybody has to do something for themselves.

Reasons why you should take time for yourself

• Recharges your mental battery
• Helps clear your mind
• Time with friends and family is priceless
• Helps relieve anxiety
• Reset your priorities and stay focused

Those were just a few great examples of what can happen when you make time for yourself. Life is too short to sit back and watch it pass by. Once it’s gone there’s no way to go back in time to live life to the fullest. Doing small things like grabbing dinner with friends, bowling, or going to the movies are great examples of making time for yourself. Personally, I establish one day out of the week to do something fun. These days can vary depending on what classwork needs to be complete. I’ve found that it’s beneficial to get the major work completed earlier in the week and tends to reduce the mental burden. 

Making time for yourself doesn’t mean you have to go out and spend money. Living on a college budget is tedious, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself. Find a hobby that you enjoy and use that activity to recharge your mental battery. Don’t be afraid to try new things and open your life to new opportunities.

Utilizing Available Resources

One of the best tools in life is the resources that are available to help guide you through certain aspects of your life. Guidance is essential to help keep your goals and efforts in alignment with life’s journey. At the beginning of my academic career I felt that it wasn’t necessary to utilize the available resources. Fortunately, I was able to finally understand that my lackluster attitude towards these resources was hurting my overall performance as a student.

Resources Available

With the internet age upon us it’s much more efficient to sign up for classes online rather than in person with a counselor. What I found out was that the counselors helped align my long term goals with my short term goals. It may be confusing when trying to plan your semester for your academic career. Don’t fret; utilize the counseling services that are intentionally put are your disposal. These highly skilled individuals have the ability to simplify the scheduling process and help create a plan that best suits your specific needs.

In addition, it’s imperative to utilize the tutoring centers if you find yourself struggling. Every person retains information in different ways. The majority of the tutors are either students finishing up there Master’s Degree or professionals in their respective fields. Just remember, a little help can not only give you a deeper understanding of the material but your overall grade in the class. Asking for help sooner rather than later is extremely important. Sometimes classes are crowded with students and you aren’t able to get the one on one attention you deserve. By utilizing the tutoring centers you will be able to receive the one on one attention.

In the end, don’t be afraid to search and ask for help. Universities have established support systems to help guide the young minds of the future. By utilizing these tools, your ability for success will not only increase but the unneeded stress and confusion can be averted.

Establishing Short/Long Term Goals

In life it’s essential to establish both short and longer term goals. Being a procrastinator at heart; once I started college I soon came to realize that my earlier mentality wasn’t going to cut it. Having the feeling of total control won’t always be there. In the meantime, goals will help keep you on track and motivated to take that next step. Motivation and setting goals go hand in hand on the road to achieving success.

Short Term Goals

The reason you want to set short term goals is due to the fact that it keeps the ball rolling. You could compare it to a stepping stone on a long journey. In order to stay on the right track you must set stepping stones to advance on that journey. These goals could consist of studying enough to get an A on that next test or making sure you finish all of your reading material prior to next week’s exam. Short-term goals lead up to the bigger picture “Long-Term goals”!

Long Term Goals

When setting long term goals you want them to be attainable but difficult at the same time. An example of a longer term goal could be graduating college or find a career you enjoy. Don’t compare your goals to others because they’re most likely different. Long term goals can span anywhere from a year to 60 years there’s really no timetable. It’s imperative that when you’re working towards these goals that you believe in yourself and what you can accomplish.

A great way to remember the goals you set is by writing them on post-it notes and placing them around your room, apartment, or house. Having a constant reminder of what you’re working towards will help guide you along your journey. Like always, believing in yourself will allow you to achieve greatness!