For this post I am going to be writing about what I do in my free time and what I do for some self-care. With my busy schedule, between work and school I don’t get time for much. I do however have a few weekly commitments I attend in my community at least three times a week. While I am doing these commitments I am around people in my support group, family and friends. I spend time helping others and taking care of myself. I spend time with friends when I can having coffee, watching movies and just catching up in general when we can.
Tough adjustments
I have had to step back from a few commitments because of being busy. I’ve had to really check my priorities. The reason I am saying that is because my homework and studying will not do itself. I quickly learned in the first few months that is I do not make sacrifices for the duration of this program I will definetely burn out early.
It has been a tough adjustment to make. Before I started school I had commitments every night of the week. I was so used to my routine that it was a small shock to make a new routine. I do not know if it is a good thing but I have actually started getting used to the lack of sleep and the constant going all the time. This is when self-care comes in and is extremely helpful. I cannot stress that enough, it will save your butt.
Making better choices
To start off we absolutely need a few things to function. Proper sleep, lots of fluids and eating properly. Our body needs all of those things to function and for us to be able to think clearly. When I say drink proper fluids I mean WATER, not coffee, pop or sugary drinks. Eating is a huge thing as well.
When I first started school I was only eating once or twice a day. I was eating things like bagels, fast food burgers. I gained weight in the first month like crazy. I started to feel very uncomfortable with the way I was feeling about my body so I asked one of my class mates about how to eat healthy so that I would feel better.
I really cleaned up my diet for a few months and lost some weight, started to feel less tired and just feel better. I was able to focus better in class and work harder on my projects because I wasn’t starving and sluggish all the time. I’ve not been able to continue to eat as healthy as I was. I am rarely home to make food, but I have started making better choices when it comes to getting food. I get salads and things with less carbs. More vegetables and protein. I carry snacks like almonds and other nuts. And I try to drink at least 2 litres of water a day.
Slow Down
I am still working on the sleep part. I do my best to sleep when I can and not skip sleep to go hang with friends or do things that will not benefit me later on. It can be draining and make you a little crazy, especially when I have 30 hour days because of work. I have been told I need to slow down by people but I know if I give up now I won’t get where I want to be in life. As long as I continue to be honest with myself and I constantly keep an eye on my mental health I think I can do the rest of the 7 or so months I have left.
Learning about myself
The information we are learning in this course can also be very intense and has had me learning so much more about myself, it can be a lot to take in so I make sure I have a support group I can vent to and I recently picked up journaling again so I have a place to let out all the thoughts that become over whelming to me. I write out my hopes, my fears, I keep tabs on when I have done well and when I have not and I am constantly work on bettering who I am and learning as much as I can. We are only human, we cannot be all things for all people.
Take time for yourself, have fun and most importantly be gentle with yourself. It is not the end of the world if you get a bad mark. It just means you may need to work harder or get extra help on that area. No one can take care of you, for you. It is up to you to take care of all your needs and keep yourself mentally and physically fit. That doesn’t mean other wont and can’t help, but there are things that you are responsible for so don’t forget to love yourself and take care of them. Thanks to all of you who support me and read my blog. I hope it is helping and feel free to give me feedback or ask questions in the comment box.
