How to Make Winter Break a Time to Reset and Restore

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After wrapping up a challenging semester, you are likely to feel exhausted and ready to collapse, right?

And you’ve earned it! No matter what the outcome of the semester and what the final grades turn out to be, you should be proud. Even if you may not have achieved every goal, it is important to look forward. Learn the lessons you may need to learn about your time management or study tools, tuck them away for next semester- and then make recovery and restoration a priority for your break.

Reward yourself for all your hard work by giving yourself a chance to truly hit the reset button.

Your job for winter break: take care of yourself so that you can start the new year off on the best possible foot!

Here are our tips!

Catch up on sleep

I bet you saw that one and said “You better believe I will!”

But hold on. Stick with me for just a moment.

It’s not only about catching up- although that’s important. It’s also about getting on something resembling a regular sleep schedule, so your body can stabilize and recover.

Do what you can to try to find a routine where you are going to bed and waking up around the same time (or at least in the same ballpark).

Your body performs at its best when you can let it flow with its natural circadian rhythm. That 24-hour body clock influences your mood, your appetite, your digestion, even your immune system! That’s part of why students often get sick so often- not maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.

So when you have the extra flexibility, do yourself a favor! Get plenty of rest but also see you can settle into a healthy sleep schedule while you’re at it!

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Reconnect with loved ones

Next week we will talk about the stress that sometimes comes with having to spend time with family that you may not get along with, but that isn’t what we are talking about here.

Today we’re talking about spending time with those you’ve missed. Maybe it’s a friend you go to school with, but you’ve been so busy you haven’t had a chance to really spend any quality time together. Maybe it is in fact your family- if so, celebrate those connections and nurture them, because that is a gift!

Prioritize fun activities with people you care about, or even plan a way to connect virtually if you can’t get together in person.

Unwind from academic stress

It can actually feel strange to go from 100 miles per hour to zero! You want to savor it, but it can feel unnatural.

Especially for those who put a lot of pressure on themselves (and I’m betting you know if that’s you), it can be hard to truly take a break.

But here’s an analogy that might make sense: do you have to recover from a workout in order to have another great workout? Of course you do.

So, if you want to set yourself up for the next semester, it’s important to let your brain rest. And for those of you who put a lot of pressure on yourself, think of it as this: let your ambition rest.

Avoid studying or reviewing material or studying ahead if you possibly can afford to do so. Instead, focus on relaxing activities that you may love but not have time for during the semester. It might be catching up on movies you wanted to see but didn’t have time for, reading for fun, crafting, or planning holiday outings.

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Get your fitness in- the right kinds and the right amounts

Yes, we’ve talked a lot about rest and recovery, but being sedentary isn’t ideal either.

Of course you already know that being active can supports your mental wellness.

So over break, prioritize fitness to the degree that it feels right for you!

It could be that you want to do only things that are fun- winter sports like ice skating and skiing can help you embrace the holiday feels for sure.

Or you may want to use the extra time to establish the fitness routine you wish you had during the semester.

Whatever you choose, make it about how it makes you feel- and aim for feeling good!

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And finally: begin to think about New Year’s goals

Again, a reminder: we are all about keeping the stress levels down over winter break!

But the new year is almost always going to be a time for reflection and goal-setting, so it’s important to recognize that you’re likely going to want to do just that.

It can be helpful to think about avoiding strict resolutions and instead focusing on broad, achievable goals.

So rather than saying “I will get a 4.0” you might think about:

How you want to create a balance of study and self care.
Practicing mindfulness
Staying active and maintaining a fitness routine that you love
Engaging in a hobby you love more often.

In other words, consider setting some overarching goals that are focused on progress over perfection and geared towards you, feeling better about you!

Making winter break about self care is about finding a balance between rest and activities that feel personally fulfilling!

Your mission: lots of easy, kind, gentle actions that will add up to have a big impact on just how ready you feel to take on the next semester feeling healthy, restored, and focused!

Our workshops and retreats are here for you as well! They are a great way to connect with others who want to prioritize their mental and physical well-being! You can build a network of individuals that you know you can lean on when life starts to get a little crazy again, and also have the tools to tackle whatever life throws your way

Find out about upcoming workshops and events by getting on our email list, or following us on social, below!