A Self-Care Guide for Busy Students

Check out these tips for how even the busiest of student can find some time for a little self-care.

This article was written by Macey Whiteside, a third year student.

One of the biggest challenges for Western University students can be trying to balance it all — school, sports, clubs, part-time jobs, house chores, and social life. It can feel impossible to stay on top of all your work and adequately take care of yourself simultaneously, especially when living independently for the first time.

Self-care and house chores don’t have a deadline or repercussions if they aren’t done, so we tend to put them off and procrastinate because we feel like we just don't have enough time. I sometimes find myself forgetting that I am a person before I am a university student.

Self-care and mental health are something I have learned to prioritize in the past two years because I know if I don't, my schoolwork, work life, and social life will all be negatively affected. By prioritizing self-care, I can see positive changes in other areas of my life.

Here are some of my self-care tips and habits which I believe can be incorporated into even the busiest of student schedules.

Proper sleep schedule

The most important part of my self-care routine is my sleep schedule, which I prioritize over every other aspect of my routine.

Although it may seem like we don’t have enough time to get a full eight to nine-hour sleep every night, I guarantee you it is possible. Getting enough sleep every night will make you much more productive, meaning even if you are spending fewer hours on schoolwork, those hours will be more effective, enabling you to get more done.

Further, I try to stick to the same routine every night. This doesn’t mean you have to go to bed at 10:00 pm and wake up at 6:00 am if that’s not what works for you. If you tend to do more work at night, go to bed at 1:00 am and wake up at 9:00 or 10:00 am. Most importantly, try to stick to the same hours every night so it becomes a habit.

Have a daily self-care routine

One habit I've added to my routine is a short self-care ritual that I do almost every night, even when I'm at my busiest. Having this daily self-care practice makes me feel much better about myself.

This routine doesn't have to be complex, mine only takes about 45 minutes. It includes a full shower, washing my face, brushing my teeth, applying serums and moisturizers, and brushing and oiling my hair. Doing this every night helps me stay consistent with my hygiene and self-care, making me feel much better when I wake up with clean hair and go to bed feeling refreshed after a shower.

I built this routine using James Clear’s ‘habit stacking’ technique outlined in his book Atomic Habits. Because I have followed this routine of doing all my self-care tasks one after another, I automatically do all of them at once as the whole routine has become a habit.

Following this tactic, I’ll usually follow my self-care with a quick tidying of my room. This helps me to feel more clean and organized. Tidying my room in small amounts every day has proven to be an easier task than a big clean when it gets out of hand.

Get outside

Trying to get outside multiple times a week is something I have only recently incorporated into my routine, but I have already noticed positive changes in my stress levels.

There are many parks and trails around Western and in London, especially along the Thames River. Gibbons Park trails and Ross Park / St. Peters Seminary are my favourite places to get outside. They have well-paved trails and many sightseeing spots along the river.

Getting outside is not only a great way to get easy exercise but is also great for mindfulness and stress reduction. And you don’t need to set an hour aside every day. Starting with 20 minutes three times a week is manageable and still going to yield positive results.

Find what exercise works for you

I know, you've probably heard this a million times. But there's a reason for that. Exercising daily or a few times a week is an excellent self-care habit to add to your routine, and it's easier than you might think.

When people think of exercising, they often picture lifting heavy weights at Western's Rec Centre or going on long runs. However, one of the best pieces of advice I've ever received is to find a type of exercise that works for you. It doesn’t need to take up two hours of your day, nor does it have to be intense. It just needs to be a sustainable way for you to move your body regularly.

Some types of exercise you could add to your routine include group fitness classes at the Rec Centre such as yoga, zumba, pilates, or dance. You could try lane swimming, jogging, weightlifting, calisthenics, walking, playing a sport, intramurals, and so much more.

Do whatever works for you!

Sunday reset

This task is the most time-consuming and hardest to fit into a busy schedule but nonetheless extremely important. A Sunday (or Monday or Tuesday, etc.) reset is a day when you can set aside a few hours and focus on all the household chores you've been putting off or little self-care things that don’t need to be done every day.

A sample to-do list for this reset could be:

• Clean room
• Do all laundry
• Fold and put away laundry
• Clean bedding
• Sweep and Swiffer floors
• In-depth self-care routine
• Use a facemask or hair oil
• Plan your week
• Watch a movie or favorite show

It’s the small things

Overall, these are just a few ideas. In reality, the small things are what will likely make up your self-care routine as a busy student. This can include — lighting a candle, making your bed, visiting friends, eating your favourite foods, listening to good music, tidying your room, having a warm shower, watching your comfort shows, and setting time aside a couple of times a week for your hobbies. Incorporating all of these habits will take time and may not be feasible for everyone. Start by focusing on a few and see what works for you.

Just remember to prioritize your mental health over schoolwork.