We are currently living in a time of great uncertainty, which can be quite unsettling for many students. That’s why we asked our student support team to share their tips for maintaining mental, physical and emotional wellbeing while studying.
Stay connected
Connecting with others will support and enrich your life in general and help improve your general well-being whilst studying.
Make contact with other students in your course as well as family, friends and colleagues. Jump on Facebook, the student discussion boards or other social platforms to reach out to the students around you, and if they live nearby why not suggest a study session in person.
Get active
Caring for your body helps your mind to work better so make sure you move your body regularly. It doesn’t have to be rigorous exercise, just take a break from assessments and try an at-home workout to clear your head. Play with your kids, tend to your garden or even dance to get your body moving. Find an activity that you enjoy, that suits your level of mobility and fitness and motivates you to get productive.
Notice your thinking
How you think about things is important in maintaining optimum mental and emotional health. Our thoughts, feelings and behaviours are linked. Avoid catastrophic or black and white thinking, like: “if I fail this assessment, I will fail the whole unit.” Instead try to think: “if I fail this assessment, I can use this as a learning opportunity to improve on my next one and make up the marks then.”
Also, avoid comparing yourself with others. Everyone is unique and we are on our own journey, so focus on yourself and where you are heading and not on how the people around you perform on their assessments.
Stay motivated
We all lose our motivation to study from time to time. A great way to help yourself get re-motivated is to focus on the bigger picture. What is your long term goal for study? Remind yourself of why you are here and what you hoped for when you started your course.
Another great way to improve your motivation is to visualize success. Imagine walking across that graduation stage, completing your last assessment, or going out to celebrate. Find an image, object or quote that demonstrates your success and place it somewhere you can easily refer to when you feel you are losing motivation.
Don’t forget to balance study with fun, family, social activities. By creating a balance between study and fun you can maintain your mental and emotional health without fear of burning out.
Visit our blog for more online study tips on staying both motivated and productive.
