Vanessa's Digital Dialogue

Now amidst my third term at university and about to begin exam period it can be difficult to maintain a good self-care routine. However, by separating study time and down time, you maximise your efficiency when revising. It is the simple things in your day that help you nurture a healthy mindset, feel better about yourself and increase your motivation.

It is very easy to slip into an overwhelmed mindset in which you spend lots of time procrastinating working, worrying about the work you need to do and thus spending excessive amounts of time working. Therefore, I would recommend still doing the things you would normally do in your free time e.g. hanging out with friends, watch tv, as this maintains a sense of normalcy to your busy schedule

Another aspect of your life to maintain is skin care which can often be forgotten when you have been working all day but is so rewarding and a true element of self-care. You could also do a face/eye/lip masks during the week to really care for your skin.

My most important self-care tip for university is to set yourself a routine. I have been implementing a 9-5 work schedule with an hour break for lunch. This has helped me to concentrate when working and when I return back to my room I feel relaxed with my productivity of the day. It also allows for compartmentalisation, in which study spaces in university are for me to get work done and my room is a somewhere for me to unwind.

Before sleeping, I always make sure to drink a cup of tea (specifically the twinings sleep tea). I find that this helps to me get a good nights sleep and feel energised for the mornings. In addition to drinking tea on a night time, I also drink coffee throughout my 9-5 work schedule. This allows me to remain focused on my work and dually acts as a reward for when I have completed a certain amount of work in my to-do list.