6 Healthy Habits Worth Starting at University
In this post, I am sharing 6 habits I believe are worth turning into a habit during your time at university. Not only will they help you be more productive during the course of your studies but you’ll hopefully reap the benefits from integrating them into your lifestyle now further down the line too. I have personally done my best to actively think about doing the following 10 things on a daily basis and can honestly say it has made me feel more on top of things and more motivated and rested as a result!
1. Make your bed in the morning
I think this is crucial to do in the morning for so many reasons! It instantly makes your probably shoe box sized student room feel more organized. It personally prevents me from diving back under the covers after my shower. Instead, it has become a cue for me to start my day.
2. Get enough sleep
On the topic of beds, prioritising sleep has changed my life! There are endless amounts of studies out there proving sleep is crucial for human beings to function the way we want to. So I’ve decided to listen and I no longer care when I get called a grandma for going to bed at 10pm! I am a morning person so will typically be awake again at 6:30-7:00, when other people are still asleep. And that’s ok. Not everybody needs the same amount of hours per night and every one’s internal clocks are different. Experiment with yours to find out what works best for you.
3. Drink enough water
Again, there is plenty of evidence out there highlighting that hydration is important, especially for students like us who ask a lot of our brains on a daily basis. I try to drink half a litre of water within the first half-hour of waking up and then three more throughout the day. I always have a large water bottle on me so it’s easy to fill up and keep track. I would highly recommend doing the same – your skin, digestion and mind will thank you!
4. Balanced diet
Along those same lines, working towards eating a balanced diet is a great thing to start at university. I am absolutely not saying you should eat green salads, superfood loaded smoothies and rice crackers all day every day. However, making an effort to fill your body with all the essential macro ingredients (proteins, carbs, healthy fats and vitamins) is manageable. Do a little bit of research if you aren’t familiar with the various food groups (that’s nothing to be ashamed of btw – it’s an incredibly confusing and conflicting area of science!). Just start by being a little bit more mindful of what you use to fuel yourself, according to what your body needs.
5. Sweat regularly
Of course, exercise can’t be missed off this list. Warwick offers sooooo many opportunities for getting involved in some kind of physical activity, whether it be through a sports club/society, the Warwick Sport activities or even local providers in the area. Actually going though can be a challenge, I know. Time is of the essence as a student and working out isn’t always easy to make time for. So, start small. Aim for 3-5 hours of activity per week. On other days, take the stairs to get to the fifth floor of the humanities building!
6. Budget
University is THE time to learn how to manage your money in the least stressful way possible. This is a skill you will need straight away and if you do it well, will serve you for the rest of your life. Look out for my upcoming post on tips for managing a student budget. Until then, remember money is never an easy topic to talk about and is one people tend to not be very transparent about. You might have noticed I have a recurring idea running like a thread through my tips/recommendations, namely that of figuring out and do what works for you! And that applies to managing a budget as well.
I hope you guys will benefit from integrating these habits in your lives! Let me know if you have any others to recommend and as always, feel free to ask me any questions you might have!
