Staying away from your phone
Exams are a week and a half away, but you cannot keep the phone down. When you do try to ignore your phone, you absolutely cannot resist checking your notifications every time your phone pings, or scrolling through social media for lengthy amounts of time at regular intervals. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Social media is designed to be engaging, to be pleasurable, to be stimulating, and to grab your attention.
Most of us are so tempted to keep our phones at our desks during study sessions. In fact, online addictions—overusing our devices, apps, certain websites, or a game—activate the same pleasure centres in our brain as other addictions. The problem is that uncontrolled use of our digital devices can hinder our productivity while reviewing or working on assignments.
It’s absolutely crucial to monitor and limit your unproductive screen time while studying. Recent research shows that students spend up to thirteen hours a day on their phones, which can seriously affect study time.
To be concise about this, you need to get rid of your phone while studying, and there’s one way. Out of sight, out of mind. If you need alarms, use a real alarm clock. If you need a calculator, use a real calculator! Get these tools so you don’t need to rely excessively on your cellphone.
If you absolutely cannot part with your phone, at least turn its power off, limit notifications in settings, turn it onto airplane mode, or turn your phone to silent (noises can interrupt your study session, even if you don’t notice—and it can take a long time to get your focus back). You may find it helpful to inform your friends when you will be back online.
There are many apps on your phone that can be used to restrict distracting websites. Social media tends to be a major distractor for students, usually leading to unproductive screen time where they’ll find themselves scrolling through their Instagram explore pages aimlessly for long amounts of time. For example, Screen Time for iPhone, Digital Wellbeing App for Android. Most phones nowadays have a Focus Mode, which will allow you to determine which notifications can come through during your designated working periods. This is a great feature that I hope to explore more myself. In the meantime, I love making sure students are aware that this exists! If your distractions tend to be on your computer rather than your phone, I recommend downloading a browser extension that will help you stay on track.
Here are some other tips that may be helpful:
Use friends to keep you accountable. Tell your online buddy that you need an hour and a half of undistracted time to get your work done, and then you’ll be back.
Give your phone to a family member to “supervise” while you work.
Deactivate your social media accounts. Deactivation is unlike deletion in the sense that you can still access deactivated accounts whenever you choose to go back.
There’s no doubt that social media, and our phones in general, help flood our brains with feel-good chemicals. This is why I usually recommend that students find another form of these “happy chemicals” for their study time. For example, having a delicious hot chocolate during a study session can boost your motivation, or promising yourself a favourite song, face-to-face interactions, or a fun walk post-study session.
When you set out to study, there can be so many distractions in front of you that want to throw you off-track. Keeping these temptations (especially social media and other digital distractions!) in check is key for maximizing your productivity. Moral of the story? Be aware and in control of your screen time usage, especially during study sessions. After all, the sooner you get academic things done, the sooner you can step away from your study zone and do other things you enjoy. You are getting this education for yourself, so don’t cheat yourself, and get the most out of your hours!
Seeking Support
When I work with students in one-on-one appointments or in workshops, I always reiterate that, at the end of the day, their report cards are just grades. Their report cards and transcripts won’t indicate how many times they had to ask for help. It’s grades, and that’s it.
Why do I make this point? I want students to know that they should never hesitate to seek the support that they need to be successful in their classes. Having a support network will go far in helping you thrive in school. A huge portion of academic excellence is knowing when to ask for help. Support could come in many forms, and I’ll share some in this blog post.
Your teachers. They want you to succeed and they want to support you, but they may not realize you are struggling if you don’t reach out for help! Asking for help from a teacher is a great way to build a connection with your teacher and learn more about topics that challenge you. I always recommend that students ask their teachers questions because it makes them more aware of their own learning process and encourages critical thinking.
Tutors, including peer tutors. Tutors can be immensely helpful for deeper, one-on-one work. While a teacher might be able to answer quick questions regularly, a peer tutor would be a great option for those who need extra time, more confidence to ask questions, and individualized attention (that they wouldn’t ordinarily get in a crowded, fast-paced classroom). Tutors are wonderful because they can become familiarized learning style and modify their teaching methods accordingly.
Meeting with a Learning Strategist like me! As a Learning Strategist, I am an academic specialist who can equip YOU with the tailored tools you need to face challenges that interfere with your learning. For instance, I can help with organization, reading and note-taking techniques, breaking down your assignments into manageable pieces, setting goals, and scheduling your week for maximal efficiency. Ultimately, I believe all students will benefit from learning how to learn, and my job is to teach you to learn! If you think this is something you might benefit from, please do not hesitate to shoot me an email at studywithjoanne@gmail.com, where we can chat about a consultation and next steps.
A role model. A role model is someone who has the qualities you want to have (e.g., optimism, creativity, strong listening skills) and inspires you to grow into a better person. A role model might be a leader in your community, a trusted teacher, a family member, or a peer. In my opinion, a good role model should be someone whose behaviour you hope to emulate, and who makes a positive impression on your life.
Your school’s website. Many educational institutions have pages full of services and resources to support your academic success—free of charge. These usually have a wide variety of research-backed tips and strategies that you can learn. You’ll probably find a diverse array of videos, workshops, supported learning communities, tip sheets, and more! I strongly recommend taking a browse.
Your school’s advisors, mentors, and counsellors. There are many people at your school with different skillsets that you can take advantage of. For instance, faculty advisors can help you manage your academic situation during a time of financial difficulty or share tips about choosing a minor. Other academic mentors can offer research opportunities or give career advice on your field of interest.
One of the best ways to improve academic performance is to proactively seek support with your learning. Most successful students do seek help from others when—or even better—before they encounter academic challenges. As someone who was not explicitly taught to ask for help, I can understand where people may feel reluctant to ask for help. However, the belief that “asking for help is a sign of weakness” could not be further from the truth. Counterintuitive as it is, seeking academic assistance is linked to many positive outcomes and makes YOU more efficient and resourceful.
In conclusion, regular help-seeking can help alleviate difficulties throughout your entire academic journey. Happy studying!
Study Hacks and Active/Passive Studying
There are few things I’m more passionate about than learning strategies that bolster student success. My goal, as a Learning Strategist, is to help students prime their brains for learning. In other words, I want to help them get their brains ready to learn, even if it’s a subject they loathe or find tremendously tedious!
The thing about study hacks is that there’s never one standard study method that works well for everyone.
Check out these tips and see if they’ll help make studying a breeze for you.
Transform detailed notes into a high-level summary sheet, or overview. I am a major advocate for this. Making a summary sheet requires that you understand key concepts and the big picture, instead of being hung up on insignificant details. Use key words, and make sure you understand their meanings and relationships.
Make your notes visually appealing, whether that’s by using mind maps, charts, or another method of consolidating information. A big sheet of notes can be overwhelming and hard to look at. I always recommend that students pick meaningful ways to rearrange information. You can do this by examining headings, chapter questions, summaries, and learning objectives to identify key themes. I always find myself encouraging students to create mind maps!
Write as many practice tests or sample exams as you can, because self-testing Is key to help you understand exactly which material needs extra focus. This should come towards the end of your studying journey. Another approach you can try is teaching a friend the material that you are learning. Teaching a friend, classmate, family member, or stuffed toy can help you figure out whether or not you truly understand the material. If you find trouble in remembering certain aspects of a concept, then you know which parts you need to review.
Create a “done” list to boost your sense of accomplishment and productivity. The brain is a powerful thing, and it LOVES rewards. Try to hack your brain by triggering its reward centre. Make sure you thank your brain for all its effort to keep it at its optimal learning state. Instead of cramming a whole bunch of information into your brain in one sitting, I like to ask students to break up their content into chunks. Once important milestones are reached, they can reward themselves (e.g., getting fresh air)!
Avoid memorizing information until AFTER you fully understand it. If you do have to memorize things, I recommend using mnemonics. It’s a classic study hack, but they work!
Acknowledge that passive study strategies can trick us into thinking we know the material, when what we’re really doing is “looking over” the words with our eyes. Active study strategies are irrefutably harder at first (they require more cognitive energy, or brainpower!), but they will actually lead to understanding and mastery of the material. Not all study strategies are created equal. Passive study strategies are so commonly used, even though they are time-consuming and don’t lead to any real learning.
Don’t believe me? Check out these wonderful quotes from two students of mine on active vs. passive studying:
“I found out that my technique is part of the passive study strategy and that it is not as effective as the active study strategies. Because of that new information, I will now try to study using the active study strategy that instead of just reading materials, I will create a cheat sheet and instead of just highlighting important words, I will reorganize the information based on my own understanding. Through this strategy, it will help me retain all significant information that I reviewed on my long-term memory.”
“Learning about the different types of passive studying styles, like mindless highlighting, and how it is actually not the optimal way of retaining information was informative considering that this was the way I was studying for most my student life. Her presentation allowed me to shift my mindset from just passively taking notes to actually reading and focusing my energy on understanding the material.”
Next time you feel like rereading lecture slides or highlighting notes, try:
Creating summary sheets that compare, contrast, and synthesize different ideas
Discussing lecture notes in a study group of around four people
Making your own flash cards and using them to practice your recall
Turning ideas into a colourful mind map, making associations/connections
Covering practice calculations and re-doing equations on your own
Nothing beats hard work and thoughtfulness but studying still doesn’t have to be hard if you study smart. I hope these tips help you see studying in a new light and stay productive! Learning can be so rewarding when you persevere and try your best to be as effective with your time and energy as possible. If your approach to studying needs a little tweaking, that’s okay!
My goal is for these tried-and-true study techniques to serve you. Happy studying!
Voluntary Discomfort
There is no doubt that we live in a culture that adores instant gratification. When convenience becomes a priority, discomfort becomes less important. In today’s blog post, I’ll write a bit about how voluntary discomfort can help us cultivate resilience and improve ourselves overall. I strongly believe that practicing voluntary discomfort can help us grow mentally and physically.
As humans, we want to avoid pain and look for immediate pleasure. These two principles—pain avoidance and pleasure-seeking—are totally natural. However, doing everything to align with these principles can lead to a lack of purpose and an existential crisis!
I’m not encouraging you wake up at 4:00 AM every morning to walk on glass, eat habanero chili for breakfast, and injure yourself at the gym. It’s not about self-inflicted punishment. It’s about balance, and it’s about doing it in a conscious and intentional way.
I’ve learned through experience that discomfort makes things feel more rewarding. For instance, I usually exercise in the morning. Getting my workout in during the earlier hours of the day, instead of lazing around in bed (which has its place too!), helps me feel physically and mentally refreshed. Just as exercise and healthy eating help us avoid health problems down the line, there are other facets of voluntary discomfort that can help:
Saving money today can prevent financial problems later on.
Spending a week away from social media can allow you to feel less anxious and more grateful.
Taking thorough notes will make it easier for you to prepare for a test at the end of the semester.
Wearing something that you wouldn’t ordinarily wear (e.g., a bright colour, a bold makeup look, or an unusual accessory) can help you explore new ways to express yourself visually.
Eating healthfully can help prevent chronic disease in the future.
Reading instead of watching TV can keep your brain sharp.
Taking a cold shower can make you feel more alert when studying.
Learning new skills can help you advance in your job.
Facing fears, like public speaking, can make you more confident and grow your skillset.
Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list of things you can try. As you can see, there are countless ways to practice discomfort and appreciate the subtle side effects that come with making yourself uncomfortable. Take a moment to reflect on some things that you find comfortable (perhaps, excessively so!) in your life, and think about how you can put a little twist on that aspect of your life.
I’m committed to practicing voluntary discomfort in my life and constantly challenging myself to do new things that may or may not make me feel a bit uncomfortable. Acknowledging that the discomfort is temporary has been tremendously helpful, and I know that I’m growing my comfort zone little by little.
I read a quote once that said, “life is easy when you live it the hard way, and hard if you live it the easy way.” I love quotes like these, ones that inspire me to embrace discomfort regularly and embark on my own journey towards self-improvement.
Seeking discomfort can help you build a life full of strength and resilience. I want you, too, to live a life of excellence and going beyond your own expectations for yourself!
Studying 101
I might be a Learning Strategist whose whole career if focused on helping students learn better, but I get it. Studying is daunting, studying can be difficult, and so rarely is it fun or entertaining. For many people, studying is a total pain and the most negative “side effect” of their academic life.
I won’t go on and on about how important it is to study. You already know it’s crucial to do good-quality study regularly in order to perform well in school.
As you read through this blog post, remember to tailor things to YOU! For example, background music might help some people concentrate while distracting other people (or, maybe you need instrumental music with lyrics vs. no lyrics). Another example—some folks prefer to study with small groups, while others prefer to do things on their own. Of course, this is not all black-or-white, because you can be very successful learning material by yourself at first, and then studying with a group once you have a general understanding of the material. Ultimately, remember to think of how you can adapt my following tips to your own personal needs and preferences.
Where?
I recommend that people try different places until they find somewhere that they feel productive and motivated to study. When studying at home, never study in bed! Your brain associates your bed with sleep. Studying at a desk will lead to a more successful study session. As well, ensure your study space is comfortable, properly equipped with materials, clutter-free, and has no distractions to help you focus. I like to keep water nearby so I can stay hydrated, as water keeps the brain focused on learning. Having healthy snacks nearby—things like fruit, almonds, yogurt—is also beneficial.
When?
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of spacing out your study sessions. Research shows that it can be more effective to have five one-hour study sessions, spaced out throughout the week, versus one five-hour block. Stack your review for long-term memory retention. For cumulative tests, plan to learn new information and revise information learned during previous weeks.
It’s also critical to have a goal-oriented session. Set a realistic goal for a specific block of time. For example, in one hour, I will complete three learning outcomes from my course outline. Once you have completed your goal, you can take a short break before moving on to the next task. Taking short breaks isn’t just nice—it’s essential! When you notice that you have lost focus, then it is time for a break. A short break (approximately five minutes) will reset your brain to get back on track. When you take breaks, remove yourself from the study space. Your brain will benefit from a change of scenery to reset. You can also get up and move! A quick burst of exercise, such as jumping jacks, push-ups or squats, can wake you up and get your blood flowing. Getting some fresh air can also help.
What?
Hmm… which course to focus on? There are a lot of factors to consider here, but I like to ask myself the following key questions.
Which assignment or test is coming up next? Refer to your course outlines or your semester plan.
What is worth more? Pay attention to how much test and assignments are worth and allocate time and effort accordingly.
How am I doing in that class? You may need to dedicate more time to some classes, as they can be more challenging and/or content-heavy than others. I like to start with the most challenging material first and save the easiest for last.
How?
Many students think they know how they are SUPPOSED to study but end up using a passive approach to their studying, which leads to poor retention of the material. Using a more active approach can lead to better results. Your test results tell you if your study habits are effective. If you get a grade that you are unhappy with, assess how you studied, and see what you can do differently to improve your results. Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” study strategy because every student learns in their own unique way. It can be helpful to try several different strategies until you find the combination that works for you.
To wrap it up, I have a reminder for you: Take a breather! Studying can be overwhelming and isolating. Spend time with your friends, family, and pets, grab healthy snacks, and make sure you schedule enough time to exercise and rest.
I hope these tips will help you to refine your study habits and score very well on your upcoming exams! I am sure you will be impressed by all the benefits of finding a study routine that allows YOU to adhere to it. I wish you the best of luck in all your studying and academic endeavours!
Boost Your Grades: Effective Note-Taking Strategies for Students - Cornell Method and SQ4R Technique Explained
Although taking notes in class is an important part of the learning process, most students who take notes in class rarely look at them again! Reading and note taking are key strategies for helping students learn and retain content in their classes.
I recommend that students aim to complete your assigned readings BEFORE class, as this will make it easier to follow along and take notes in class. As well, I suggest reviewing your notes within 24 hours AFTER class, while the information is still fresh in your brain. Studies show that students who regularly read their textbooks and take notes during class get higher grades!
Cornell Method for Taking Notes
The Cornell notes method has been around since the 1940s. It’s a unique system of taking, organizing, and reviewing your notes. This technique allows you to visualize the main takeaways of your lecture in a way that allows you to quiz yourself on the material later by covering portions of the text. Cornell notes can be helpful because recording notes in class will help you concentrate in class and prevent you from forgetting what you learn. So, how do you do it?
First, draw a margin for questions. Take notes on the right side only. When done all notes, go back and write corresponding questions in the questions column. Then, summarize your notes briefly at the bottom. When it’s time to review your notes, simply cover the notes section and quiz yourself by reading just the questions.
SQ4R Technique for Reading
Another great technique is called SQ4R. These are the main components of the SQ4R strategy, which will also help to set you up for success.
S: Survey/Scan
Read the CONTENTS first and ask yourself, “What do I know about this already?” Read the INTRODUCTION & SUMMARY. Now read any bolded TERMINOLOGY. You don’t have to memorize, just read. SCAN the chapter and look at the pictures, read the learning objectives, headings, titles of diagrams/pictures, and bolded words. Get an overall sense of the chapter you will be reading.
Q & R: Question and Read
Write down questions that are listed at the beginning or end of the chapter. You can also use the weekly learning outcomes from your course outline. Write each question on a separate flash card. Do this BEFORE you start to read. Now you can read the chapter! Go paragraph-by-paragraph. As you read the chapter, look for the ANSWERS to the QUESTIONS and when you find them, pause your reading and write the answers down on the opposite side of the flash card as you find them. You can LOOK UP any words you don’t know.
R: Reflect
REFLECT on what you have read and relate it to yourself or to other information you have learned. Create a way to make a connection to the info to make it stick in your brain.
R: Recite
Without looking at the text, restate your questions and RECITE the answers out loud in your own words.
R: Review
REVIEW the questions by quizzing yourself as often as possible! The more often you review the flash cards, the higher the chance you will commit the info to memory.
To be successful in school, you need to be well-prepared by having completed your assigned readings. This can be a very different experience from high school to university! It’s so important to listen and read mindfully and be aware of what is helpful and not helpful for us. If you need additional assistance, your school like likely have specific learning resources that can help you with reading and note-taking skills, or even peer coaches or writing experts who are there to support your communication skills.
Reading thoughtfully and taking thorough notes will pay dividends in the long run, as they are such essential academic skills. Trying these strategies may help you keep ideas compartmentalized, analyze new ideas, and understand connections between different concepts.
I hope these tips help you get the most out of your learning.
This is how you can master time management.
I need you to picture this.
It’s 3:58 PM and you tell yourself it’s time to study for a few hours before dinner. You plop into your chair but figure it’s best to check your messages before you get started. There are a few pointless messages from a friend that you feel obligated to respond to. You peek at the clock, and now it’s 4:02 PM. Darn—you just missed the 4:00 mark. You might as well hold off on schoolwork until 4:30 to get started, so you end up scrolling through TikTok videos for another half hour.
The next couple hours are loaded with distractions, and you try your best to chip away at your assignment in between. The family dog needs to be walked, your sister comes into your room blasting your favourite music, and Grandpa gives you a phone call that you just can’t find a way out of. Then, dinner takes longer than expected. Since you feel a bit sluggish after dinner and washing dishes, you spend an hour and a half watching TV.
It’s after 10:00 PM by the time you are ready to work again, but your working time is interspersed with finding the right music, answering Instagram messages, checking emails, finding the right music again, going down a miniature YouTube rabbit hole, and getting water.
You end up doing your assignment until 1:07 AM, then spending another 45 minutes on some much deserved “me-time” of scrolling through social media (hello, revenge bedtime procrastination). By the time you settle into bed, it’s well after two in the morning, and since you’ve got sports practice tomorrow morning, you’ll have get five hours of sleep.
Since your brain isn’t refreshed the next day with the lack of sleep, the cycle repeats!
If you’ve followed me on social media for any amount of time, or if you’ve read any of my blog posts, you will know that I am a bit of a time management fiend! When it comes to managing your time and staying organized, I recommend a three-step process.
Step 1: Keep track of test dates and assignment due dates on a calendar.
Go through course outline, one course at a time.
Write down ALL tests and assignments for the entire semester.
Use a different colour for each course.
Write down what each test or assignment is worth (e.g., 20%).
Step 2: Keep track of your homework and readings.
Go through each course outline, one course at a time, and write down the readings and homework that is assigned each week for each class.
Step 3: Create a weekly study schedule.
Schedule in all your classes.
Put in any other fixed commitments, exercise 3x/wk, 1-2 nights off.
Schedule time to read and prepare before each class (separate into 2 separate blocks if longer than 2 hours).
Schedule time to review your notes within 24 hours after each class (1 hr/class).
Schedule time to do a weekly review/study of all classes almost every night, and 4-8 hours of unspecified catch-up time.
Students should also spend adequate time reading and preparing for class. I advise students to complete all assigned textbook readings and try to teach yourself some of the info you will be learning in class and making flash cards/study notes at the same time (SQ4R Strategy—more on this in a future blog post!). Students should also dedicate time to going over what they learned in class and filling in knowledge gaps. It can also be very helpful to recall information without looking, answer learning outcomes from the course outline, and quiz yourself with practice questions.
Managing your time well as a student is key for success. It allows you to stay on top of regular tasks, be on time for meetings, work efficiently and effectively, focus their energy on urgent and important tasks, and ultimately be a better student. I totally understand that our schedules vary week to week, and even day to day. It can be so tough to learn to balance all the components of your life, from school to a part-time job to sports to volunteering. However, these skills are critical to develop, so you can learn to control your academic (and non-academic!) life.
Finally, strong time management skills go beyond the classroom—you’ll continue to use them in the workplace and make a great impression on colleagues and supervisors.
Control your time, instead of letting it control you!
Digital Distractions
Technology is a tool that has improved our lives in many ways. Many of us could not imagine what our lives would be like without our computers and smart phones or without Netflix or YouTube. Entertainment aside, there is so much wonderful, accessible, flourishing educational content available online, and I love that. Unfortunately, our dependency on these technologies has become extreme, and many of us are addicted to technology in such a way that it negatively impacts our productivity and even our mental health.
Love it or hate it, we live in an incredibly digital age and continue to move in that direction. With that, digital distractions are everywhere. We’re in the same boat—as I type this, my Internet browser is open beside Microsoft Word, a bunch of enticing bookmarked websites staring at me. Just a couple inches away from my keyboard lies my phone, which might flash or ding at any time with some presumably pressing notification.
Multitasking can decrease productivity. I always tell students that, contrary to popular belief, focusing on many different tasks at once can impair cognitive ability and take a toll on productivity. In fact, people work slower when they have to switch tasks. This constant interruption brings on higher stress levels. Furthermore, people who multitask have a harder time finding relevant information from irrelevant details.
Source: Very Well Mind
With that in mind, it’s important to focus on one task at a time. Here are some tips to do so:
Fully devote your attention to one task instead of switching between them.
Turn things off, whether it be email notifications or text messages.
Limit distractions to minimize the number of times you have to make mental shifts.
Source: CoSchedule
Strategies for decreasing unproductive screen time
Monitor and limit unproductive usage.
Set downtime and app limits, mute group chats, turn off notifications.
Make phone calls or use face-to-face communication where possible!
Strategies for staying focused during online learning
Block unnecessary websites/apps.
Take regular breaks, shutting your eyes or looking away from the screen.
Maintain a consistent schedule. Making a daily checklist can help!
Set up a comfortable workspace with few distractions.
Find online tutors or other assistance if you need outside help.
Practice the rule of 3 when it’s time to be productive
Your phone should be out of SIGHT- out of sight, out of mind. If you can see your phone right next to you, you will have the urge to pick it up.
Your phone should be out of SOUND- constant notifications greatly increase your temptation to check your phone. Your brain associates the noise with getting a dopamine hit.
Your phone should be out of REACH- even if your phone is under a pile of books or behind your laptop, your brain still knows it’s right there and will be tempted to pick it up. Placing your phone in another room while you’re studying can significantly decrease the temptation to check it every two minutes.
If you are concerned about your digital consumption, consider going on a digital diet and making some small but powerful changes in the way you use your digital devices and technology. A digital diet can help increase your focus, improve your sleep, reduce your stress, and improve your quality of life.
Suggestions for a digital diet
Have no-phone zones in your home such as the dinner table. This helps with the temptation to constantly check your devices.
Have a no phone meal with some friends when going out to eat.
Try having a screen-free break for a few hours every day.
Consider temporarily deleting distracting apps during exam time.
Work with your family to create a technology plan together.
Keep a log of how much time you spend on different screen-related activities.
Dig out your alarm clock, calculator, and camera! Since you’ve avoiding your phone, these things will be helpful to have on hand.
Get out in nature. Taking a walk is a great way to get fresh air and resist the urge to look at your phone.
Sources: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Digital entertainment is everywhere, whether we like it or not, and becoming obsessed with our digital distractions is real. The next time you notice your mind drifting towards those pesky digital distractions, take a moment to sit back and put your phone away. So much easier said than done, I know, but you can do focus on your to-do list instead! Remember that little things can make a huge difference.
If you’d like, take a look at this helpful list of recommended resources that I’ve compiled:
Screen time: built into iOS settings
Digital Wellbeing: built into Android settings
Other apps: Rescue Time, any other apps you can find that monitor screen time or help limit unproductive usage
Netflix Documentary: The Social Dilemma
Tips for online safety: https://tlp-lpa.ca/learning-online/security
Prioritize Your Self-Care
Let’s get one thing straight before we get started: Self-care is not selfish.
The past couple of years have been immensely difficult for most of us, highlighting the importance of prioritizing our mental and emotional well-being. In a world where we are taught to put ourselves last and other people's needs first, it’s so easy to neglect the little actions that make our own lives fulfilling (think: taking your full lunch break, doing absolutely nothing for an entire Saturday, or enjoying tea in the park with a friend).
Let’s reiterate: Self-care is neither selfish nor shallow. In fact, a KEY component for a healthy lifestyle. I want you to think of self-care as something you do, for yourself, to rejuvenate and become more resilient PROACTIVELY, rather than waiting until you are experiencing overwhelming stress.
What is self-care? Self-care involves activities that we purposefully do to take care of our physical, mental, and emotional health. Regularly practicing self-care can prevent burnout, improve your overall mood, reduce anxiety, and lower stress levels.
In today’s blog post, I’ll split self-care activities into four major categories: exercise, hydration, nutrition, and sleep.
Exercise
You should accumulate at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day for at least three days a week, which involve aerobic activities for heart health, and strengthening activities to strengthen muscles and bones. Exercise not only increases focus, attention, energy, and mood, but also improves memory. I think exercise is awesome because it’s considered a “keystone habit”, meaning it can lead to positive changes in other parts of your life. I like to add exercise to my own life by visiting the playground or park, taking regular walks, and setting movement goals with my friends and family—competition is a great motivator!
Hydration
To stay hydrated, I always pack a reusable drink bottle. You can even add a slice of lemon, orange, cucumber, or other fruits to add flavour to the water. For people who aren’t used to drinking much water throughout the day, I recommend setting alarms and trying foods with high water content (e.g., fruit, vegetables, soups, stews, etc.). Hydration recommendations differ for everyone, depending on age, sex, weather, and physical activity. Either way, it’s important to limit sugary drinks (e.g., sweetened fruit juices or pop) and replace these with water.
Nutrition
Your brain uses a lot of energy while you’re studying and learning. Give your body “better fuel.” I like to cut up fruits and veggies and have them easily accessible for snacking. Another tip that helps me is planning meals for the next day. I can now plan an entire week’s worth of meals! When planning meals, I try to limit foods that are high in sodium, sugars, and saturated fat.
Sleep
A regular sleep routine calms and restores the body and brain, improves concentration, regulates mood, sharpens judgement and decision-making. My top tip for getting good sleep is making sure to turn off all screens 15 minutes before bed. The blue light emitted from television, computer, or phone screens can decrease the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Sometimes, I also enjoy a nice warm bath to relax before going to bed. Reading a book may also be helpful. I started by reading for a few minutes each night and worked my way up a few minutes each time—this always makes me knock out!
Healthy habits in these areas of life are invaluable. They make take a while to incorporate into your routine, so be forgiving to yourself and try your best to make small, sustainable changes. Often, life doesn’t go as planned. Your self-care plan should be adaptable in a way that allows you to move through tough times without contributing stress.
There is no one-size-fits all formula for self-care. All our self-care plans will look different and change over time, depending on our given circumstances. I like to ask myself, when I’m in a stressed head space, what simple things I can do to feel better. Sometimes, this is a walk with great music, other times a healthy snack, sometimes a couple deep breaths.
You got this!
Hype Your Habits
One of my favourite authors, James Clear, defines habits as the compound interest of self-improvement. He wrote the #1 New York Times bestseller “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones,” a highly praised self-help book designed to reshape the way we think about progress and success. After I read this book, I felt like I had a stronger understanding of the framework of how habits are formed, and it familiarized me with the scientific research behind habit formation. The bitesize chapters and simple anecdotes were practical, digestible, and thought-provoking.
We are all habitual creatures. We live our lives on autopilot and often don’t realize how deeply our habits are engrained into our daily routine.
Before we dive into it, what even is a habit? Habits are little decisions and behaviours we make/do every day. these can he helpful or harmful. Our lives, fundamentally, are the sum of our habits—from nutrition to stress to exercise.
Here are some examples of positive habits you may want to incorporate into your daily routine:
Writing in a gratitude journal
Washing your hands
Reading every day
Going to bed at a certain time to ensure you get a good night’s sleep
Drinking water regularly
Brushing your teeth after eating a meal
Here are some examples of habits you may want to break:
Mindless scrolling on social media
Eating too much junk food
Biting your nails
Leaving your dirty clothes on the floor
Drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks close to bedtime
When you want to incorporate a new healthy habit into your daily life, there are four laws of behaviour change that can help make habits stick. These tips can also be reversed to break negative habits.
Make it obvious: the more obvious or visible it is, the more likely it will stick. To break a habit, put it out of sight—the less obvious or visible it is, the less likely you will be to engage.
Make it attractive: the more appealing, the more motivated you will feel to do it. For breaking bad habits, make it unattractive so you will be less tempted to do it.
Make it easy: the more simple, convenient, frictionless a habit is, the more likely is to be performed. Break a bad habit by making it hard or less convenient. Put up some barriers.
Make it more satisfying: the more enjoyable, and the more you get a sense of pleasure, it gives your brain a signal to repeat in the future. To break a habit, make it less satisfying. The more you do not enjoy it, the more it gives your brain a signal to not repeat again in the future.
Habit stacking can also help. Habit stacking is a strategy you can use to incorporate small changes into a routine that you have already established. The key to consistency to treat a habit stack like a single action, rather than a series of individual tasks. In other words, try meditating right after you brush your teeth in the morning, adding a piece of fruit with your lunch, or doing some stretches immediately after your workout.
At this point, I’m sure you understand just how POWERFUL out habits are, and how they shape who we are—from our actions to our attitudes. The truth is that forming positive habits is not always easy, and as you may already be able to imagine, some habits are harder or easier to form than others. For example, replacing your morning coffee with a tea latte might be easier than quitting all forms of caffeine at once.
I like to think of building healthy habits like developing the major pillars of personal growth. With these tips, hopefully you will feel propelled to learn more and improve your life little by little. I wish you all the success in establishing good habits moving forward!
Mindset Matters
I’m a strong believer in the idea that “what you think about, you bring about.” This quote by author and documentarian Rhonda Byrne means a lot to me and is one of my favourites because of how its truth resonates with me and my life. It’s not that you can just think about winning the lottery right now and hear from the Lotto 6/49 tonight. Instead, it’s a bit more insidious—the things we think about will creep into our actions and behaviours. For instance, someone who always thinks about their friendships will make ample time to dedicate to their friends. A person who values spiritual health, and cherishes their religion, will focus their behaviours in a way that reflects this key value.
The second part of her quote is that “your whole life is a manifestation of the thoughts that go on in your head.”
Do you ever pause to think about the thoughts that run through your mind? What do you spend the most time thinking about? What occupies your brain during your waking hours, and where do these thoughts come from?
I’ve always been drawn to the premise of mind power and mind techniques. Once I learned that most of the thoughts that we experience in a day are negative, I’ve been shifting my attention to my learned thoughts and beliefs. My goal is to unlearn the counterproductive ones to make room for new, productive thoughts.
Science agrees—those who have a positive mindset benefit from lower stress levels, longer lives, better overall mental health, increased academic success, and more! Before we dive into it, what exactly is a mindset? Experts define one’s mindset as a set of attitudes, values, frame of mind, and disposition. Mindsets arise from someone’s world view or their life philosophy.
In this blog post, I’ll summarize ten of my favourite tips for mastering your mindset.
Develop a growth mindset
A growth mindset means that you believe your intelligence and talents can be developed over time, as opposed to a fixed mindset where you believe intelligence is fixed—so if you're not good at something, you might believe you'll never be good at it.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness focuses our attention on what we are experiencing in the present moment. This practice helps us experience events as they are, instead of getting lost in the past or future.
Marvelous meditation
Meditation is a mental exercise that involves relaxation, focus, and awareness. Meditation is to the mind what physical exercise is to the body. The practice is usually done individually, in a still seated position, and with eyes closed.
Gratitude is a must
When you focus on what’s good in your life, you will notice more goodness in your life. Taking time to practice gratitude has been proven to have many benefits. Try writing down three things you’re grateful for each day!
Jot it down in a journal
Journaling can help clarify thoughts and feelings, know yourself better, and solve problems effectively. Try journaling to reduce stress. Writing out your emotions can help reduce the intensity of those feelings, which can help you to feel calmer and better able to stay in the present. Journaling can help you track patterns/growth.
The power of positive affirmations
Positive affirmations are simple statements that fill your brain with positive self-talk to manifest your intentions. Affirmations help us focus on actions we want to manifest, and by verbalizing them, we feel empowered. Think of it as rewiring our brains by filling them with hormones! Affirmations can break patterns of negative thoughts.
Picture perfect
Visualizations are very powerful. Your subconscious does not know the difference between what it has imagined vs. what has happened. When you have a goal, picture yourself achieving that goal. Use your imagination and try to feel how you would feel if you were there.
You are the company you keep
Energy is contagious! You pick up the energy of those around you. So, if you are around negative people, then you may start to think negatively yourself.
There’s an app for that
There’s an app for pretty much everything. Here are a few of my faves: Headspace, Buddhify, Calm, Calm The Storm, Healthy Minds, Perspective.
Seek support if you need it
If you are having difficulty remaining positive, then you may need some support. Getting some help can sometimes make a huge difference. Reach out to a trusted person in your life or seek the help of a professional.
Our mindsets are so important for setting us up for success and helping us curate the beautiful lives we want to life. Remind yourself of the power of the thoughts you replay in your mind. They’ll become your beliefs and define your life experiences.
Since we live in a world of thought patterns and beliefs (our thoughts create our experiences!), you really are what you think! I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for us to pay attention to our inner dialogue. After all, our inner dialogue conditions and controls us, so it’ll be beneficial to think in ways that encourage us to do better. Positive thoughts and controlling your mindset in general can make a major difference for your mental health. I wish you a happy and healthy mind journey!
Thank you for reading.