As a university student with an anxiety disorder and depression, it can be difficult to keep up with all the responsibilities and not feel overwhelmed. Here are some tricks that help me stay relaxed during a busy, high anxiety-level week.
#1 Nap if you’re tired
If you have to pull an all-nighter to finish a paper at the last minute, or have been up all day going to classes and doing homework, take a nap. Just 20-30 minutes to re-energize you before you continue about your day. It helps your focus when you wake up so you aren’t trying to type a paper in a half-daze anymore.
#2 Snack
Carrying a baggie with baby carrots has helped my focus in classes when I’ve been buzzing around campus all day. If you feel drained from mundane tasks like walking between buildings and chatting with acquaintances, then light snacks throughout the day will give you just the push you need.
#3 Take a night in
Sometimes I spend 4 or 5 nights with a large friend group and then desperately start trying to keep up with all of the events they invite me to, but I have too much on my plate to work all day AND socialize all night. Take a night in if you need one! Having a night to yourself to take a relaxing bath and treating yourself to a facemask can make all the difference in the world.
#4 Call your friend for a study break
Contrary to #3, there are also times where the opposite is the issue. If you isolate yourself too much to get work done and be productive, you could start noticing your mood dropping and your motivation disappearing. A quick coffee break with a good friend is an excellent cure. Having a short laugh and exchanging stories of your day with a cool friend will never fail to bring up your morale.
#5 Give yourself a lazy day if you need one
There are weeks where there’s simply too much to do in too little time. Prioritize your to-do list and only get done what truly matters, the rest can wait till later. If you need time to breathe and a day to yourself where you only do one thing and that’s all you can manage, that’s okay. Next week will be better, and you can take one day off without the world bursting into flames.
I hope some of these tips will help you, and feel free to comment below any tips you’ve found that help you during a busy week. Good luck and have a mentally healthy week!
