September 2019
September Mental Health Challenge: Tiny Accomplishments Deserve Recognition
It is important to step back and give yourself recognition for the small accomplishments you have made throughout the day. Those tiny successes add up and may be the stepping stones that lead you towards achieving your larger life goals. We often spend too much time fixating on what were not able to do and ignore what we were able to accomplish. This fosters unhealthy and negative thinking habits that can leave you feeling hopeless and incompetent. By recognizing small successes we give ourselves the chance to reflect on the journey and recognize how far we have come. Today's successes were yesterdays challenges, and it is important to acknowledge the growth we have made. So I challenge you to instead try something different and praise yourself for what were you were able to do well during the day!
September Mental Health Tip
September means back to school for many people. Whether that be elementary, high-school, university or college, it can be a stressful time of the year. Here are 5 tips that may help things less overwhelming as you ease your way back to a school routine.
1. Keep a calendar.
This will allow you to see at a glance what your week or even your month looks like. By doing this you will know how far in advance you need to start an assignment. Whether you will have three tests in one week so going to a concert the Friday before may not be a good plan if you don't start studying early. Your calendar can be on your phone, in an agenda or on your wall.
2. Learn where you study best.
For a lot of people studying at home is not effective. I know that this is the case for me. I find myself getting distracted by the T.V., music, the internet or small tasks that seem so important when I have an assignment due. It is important to learn whether you study best on your own or with someone else who can help keep you on task. Are you someone that needs to go to the library or a coffee shop? Discovering this about yourself early in the year can help make life easier come exam time.
3. Learn how you study.
There are a number of different ways to study. Some people learn by reading their notes and text books, or by rewriting their notes. Some people will come up with potential questions and answering them while others do a lot of practice questions. You could try doing a combination of the above or something completely different. We are often taught to read our notes and text books over and over again. This is not effective for everyone. Early in the year try to gain an understanding of what study method works best for you. Practice this on quizzes worth a small percentage of your grade.
4. Fit in time for things other then school.
When we become stressed we often focus on what is making us stressed. This means that we stop doing activities that we enjoy. It is important to find time to have fun and to wind down. It is easier to be motivated to finish an assignment if you know that you will not be able attend a movie you really want to see or help your team win a game.
5. Learn what supports your school offers.
Colleges and universities often offer a number of supports that can help you do better academically. I remember learning that my university had a writing clinic where I could make an appointment and have my essays edited. Once learning this I was able to save a lot of time. I was also motivated to finish my work early so that I could get it edited. Goodbye marks lost for grammar errors! Many schools offer this or similar services, I would recommend looking into it! Another great tip, some schools also have exam banks where you can find old exams (some professors continue to use questions from these exams).
Good luck to everyone starting the school year and hopefully these tips help.