Whether you admit it or not, moving your body is essential in balancing your study, work, and daily life. As per the Department of Health, humans need moderate-intensity exercise of up to 150 to 300 minutes, as well as vigorous weekly activity that ranges from 75 to 150 minutes. That means 30 to 60 minutes of daily movement that you don’t necessarily have to do at the gym.
Mini workouts are the best for working students because of the cumulative effect. Don’t live in the campus and drive yourself to school? Parking further away than usual and walking to the assigned building can be a form of exercise. Also, YouTube has lots of videos on yoga and Zumba routines that last for as short as five minutes. Don’t even get us started on apps!
Connect with a Club
We’re not saying that you should overextend yourself. After all, it can only lead to more stress, which isn’t good for your overall well-being. However, no one wants to just have memories of work and study during their university years.
We suggest finding a social club where you can be flexible with attending meetups and events. If you’re into reading, you might have fun in a book club. If competing is your thing, then join a chess group. Not having the time or energy for exhausting sports and activities doesn’t equate to missing out on friendship and amity.
Ensure You’re Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
We can’t stress this enough—you need enough sleep if you want to maximise your time and energy in and out of university. Processing and integrating new knowledge in the brain happens in slumber, so that’s why it’s vital in balancing your study, work, and daily life.
It can be problematic if you live on-campus and more so if you have unusual work hours, so here’s some advice. If you’re sharing a room and can afford to have privacy, invest in a bed tent. You might also want to buy noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds for that peace and quiet that you seek in order to zone out into the dream world.
A couple of useful podcasts for your commutes or for when you want to get some inspiration:
Hundreds of interviews with leaders from all industries (including Nobel Prize winners, Olympic gold medallists, inventors and leaders): Innovator Diaries
Hundreds of short and relaxed conversations related to Travelling, International Education, Professional development and Studying: TIPS Podcast