Wellbeing Guide
by Emerson Caruso-Pellegrini
A Short Guide on Maintaining Your Health and Wellbeing as a University Student
It’s no secret that good time management is essential to maintaining work-life balance. University is designed for you to manage your time independently, which can become difficult if you are juggling other commitments
There are many programs that you can use to help organise your schedule, such as Google Calendar/iCalendar, Notion or Trello. Start by writing a to-do list and then estimate how much time you need to complete each task. Then, add these into your calendar in ‘time blocks’ so you have a visual representation of your schedule. Don’t forget to make it fun by colour-coding tasks and customizing your calendar background!
It’s well known that work expands to fill the time allocated to it, so if you struggle to adhere to your schedule, try using a timer. This allows you to keep track of your time and make any necessary adjustments to your calendar.
ORGANISING YOUR SCHEDULE
The secret to maintaining work-life balance is to also schedule in time for rest, so ensure that you include time for exercise, catching up with friends and other self-care activities that fill your cup. You’re more likely to keep yourself accountable to a task if you write it down, so treat rest time as a study period or appointment - it’s not worth compromising! You might even like to create your schedule in advance on Sundays so you have a weekly overview of your commitments.
Don’t underestimate the power of support networks, particularly during tough times. Forming a study group is a great way to maximise your productivity while still maintaining your social well-being and those social connections!
If you are ever going through a difficult time, the University of Melbourne offers free counselling and psychological support services through the CAPS program. You can also apply for an Academic Adjustment Plan if you need extra flexibility with your studies. You should never feel ashamed to ask for help and remember that prioritising your own health and well-being is the greatest investment you could make.
Further, don’t forget to get enough sleep, which for most people is between 7-9 hours, and to eat well-balanced and nutritious meals. Try to establish a routine so that you consistently go to bed and wake up at the same time, and try to work with your circadian rhythms. With regards to nutrition, the key is to keep things simple. There are many healthy recipes that you can easily re-create without being a chef, and if you’re time-poor, you might like to prepare these ahead of time so that you have enough food to get you through the week.
DON’T COMPROMISE YOUR MENTAL HEATLH
While procrastination and perfectionism are some of the most common barriers to well-being, they don’t have to be the norm. Creating and sticking to a realistic schedule that includes both study and rest is key to maintaining balance as a student, but take this with a grain of salt. This approach doesn’t work for everyone, and it’s important to acknowledge that we all work differently. For example, someone with ADHD might prefer to use the Pomodoro technique and might need to take regular breaks to maintain focus. It’s important to find what works for you to maintain your own wellbeing, however unconventional it may seem.
Finally, the MUPA team have put together some of our favourite rest activities, so if you’re struggling to unwind after a long day, try one of the following;
Go on a walk outside - fresh air and exercise work wonders for your mental and physical health
Play your favourite music as a pick-me-up after your lectures
Have at least one outlet that is unrelated to your Uni studies - it could even be as small as watching Youtube videos while you cook or eat dinner
Watch your favourite TV shows or movies
Have a bath or shower
Read a good book
Head into nature if you can!
Spend time with your pets