Self-Care Strategies for Graduate School

Staying on top of your physical and mental well-being is crucial to your success during grad school. Between finding time for schoolwork, family, career, and other obligations, sometimes our personal needs take a back seat. The fact is that prioritizing your self-care is essential. After all, you can’t give what you don’t have, and if you are running on empty, you can’t do your best or be your best.

While self-care and remaining active come easy to some, getting started can be a bit more difficult for others. If you’re having trouble figuring out ways to stay mentally and physically fit, we’ve compiled a list of suggestions to help you remain on top of your game throughout your graduate program.

Drink More Water

Did you know that staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind? Keep in mind that soda, energy drinks, juices, and vitamin waters loaded with sugar are not the best options to keep yourself hydrated. The magic elixir is water – good old-fashioned H₂0.

Drinking water and staying well-hydrated have been shown to improve your energy levels and brain function. Which we all know is critical to doing well in school.

The CDC also recommends other low- or no-calorie beverages to stay hydrated, including:

Seltzers
Sparkling waters
Plain coffee
Unsweetened teas

Keep in mind there are also other ways to ensure your body stays properly hydrated such as eating fruits and vegetables with high water content.

Move Your Body

This one may seem obvious, but so many people don’t get enough exercise. We all know that exercise helps improve your physical health, but did you know it can also help improve your mental health? Finding time to exercise, even just going for a quick walk during the day, can help boost your energy and clear your head. Exercise is linked to a number of benefits, including improving memory and thinking skills which will serve you well as you continue your studies. Getting proper exercise can also improve your sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your ability to focus and concentrate, among a slew of other benefits.

Eat More Brain Food

No one says you have to eat spinach and kale at every meal, but incorporating dark leafy greens and other natural, immune system-boosting foods can do wonders for your mental and physical health.

There’s still a time and place for wing night, but think about how much better you’d feel if you regularly ate some of these delicious and nutritious brain-boosting foods:

Green Veggies
Fatty Fish
Berries
Tea & Coffee
Walnuts

Eating a well-balanced, healthy diet can boost your energy, mood, and productivity, among many other benefits.

Try a Massage

Getting a massage might feel like something you do to pamper yourself on special occasions. But many experts agree that massage therapy can help with stress relief on both the physical and psychological levels. In fact, a massage can improve brain health and have positive effects on focus and clarity.

Or perhaps aromatherapy is your thing. Think about choosing a nice spot to study and applying an essential oil to your skin to see what it can do for your stress and anxiety. Try combing the two for additional relaxation benefits.

Meditate

The benefits of meditation cannot be over-emphasized; it can be a serious game-changer! We know what you are thinking, “I can’t meditate! I have too much on my mind. My brain won’t quiet down.” Surely you have at least half a dozen reasons in your back pocket why you can’t meditate or how it doesn’t work for you. The reality is–Yes, you can! Like anything else, meditation takes practice, but just a few minutes a day is all it takes! It’s something anyone can learn to do.

There are dozens of benefits to regular meditation, such as helping to:
Reduce stress
Control anxiety
Promote emotional health
Lengthen attention span
Improve sleep

Quite frankly, what student couldn’t benefit from better sleep and attention span? Give meditation a try–your grades might thank you later.

Enhance Your Social Life

It might seem counterintuitive to get away from your studies when you’re stressing about them but making time for socialization is not only a good idea, it is essential for your well-being. Maintaining a healthy social life is key to achieving a sustainable balance between school, work, and your personal life. Socializing is not only good for your body, but it’s also good for your mind. Research has shown that social interaction can help sharpen memory and cognitive skills, improve recall, and make us more resilient to stress. Whether scheduling a happy hour or a lunch date, socialization enables you to decompress, lightens your mood, and adds to overall happiness.

Plan Ahead

Getting in the habit of planning your week out can save you a lot of stress and sleepless nights in the long run. With the addition of schoolwork into your routine, understanding your schedule and deadlines will be critical to your educational success. Planning ahead will help you stay productive and focused on the essential things you need to get done. Whether it’s blocking out time for schoolwork, catching up on emails, or enjoying a night out with friends, knowing when you will get it all done will help you feel in control and reduce your stress levels.

Prioritize Sleep

With homework and research paper deadlines, it’s easy to put sleep on the back burner. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sleep deprivation negatively affects student performance and can affect learning and memory. Tips for getting enough good quality sleep will include:

Limit naps
Go to bed early
Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening
Take time to wind down before bed
Dim the lights as it gets closer to bedtime

Take Breaks

There’s only so much time in the day, and taking a break might feel impossible, but slowing things down to allow yourself some mental and physical rest can boost performance! Whether relaxing, chatting with friends, or going for a walk, taking a mental or physical break has been shown to improve productivity. Although we often want to power through, taking breaks refreshes your brain, helps restore motivation and helps you stay focused. Who couldn’t use more motivation and focus when writing a paper?

Other positive outcomes from taking breaks include:

Reduced stress
Increased levels of energy
Improved mood

Set Boundaries

One of the reasons you are pursuing your graduate degree is to advance yourself personally and professionally. But in our pursuit of career advancement, life continues around us, and we may often get requests to take on additional responsibilities. Setting boundaries helps establish a clear line between schoolwork, personal life, and professional obligations. It might seem unnecessary at times and even a bit excessive, but having a clear separation between these categories can benefit you now and in the future. Setting boundaries will help stop you from getting overtasked and keep you focused on your studies.

Ask for Help

Whether it’s your friends, family, a professor, or an advisor, a whole team is ready to support you whenever you are in need. It’s easy to isolate ourselves and make the journey a solo mission, but if you take a step back, you will realize that many people are cheering you on and ready to help you achieve your goals. If you are struggling, take a moment to identify what exactly you need, who you can ask for help, and what you should ask. Including your friends and family along the way is a great way to build a strong support network to help get you through graduate school.

Attending graduate school is incredibly exciting and rewarding; it takes a lot of energy and focus. Be mindful along the way and dedicate time and space to practice these healthy self-care strategies. Integrating self-care into your weekly routine will pay dividends in supporting the success of your grad school journey and help you lower stress and be happier and healthier. It will make the journey that much more rewarding!