Feature: Habits to Start for a New You

1/22/2021 12:25:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

FRESH START. Goals for the new year are being written down. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/01/heres-how-to-crack-your-new-years-resolutions

New year, new me? New year, new me. 

Although we’re nearing the end of another January, it’s not too late to add a few resolutions for the year ahead. This last semester took a toll on a lot of us because of the new learning set-up that we are still getting used to. But thankfully, with the coming break, we’re facing some much-deserved rest--as well as a chance to adopt some productive habits in preparation for next semester’s new, exciting lessons. Not sure where to start? Well, here are a few ideas for kicking off the second half of this school year and the rest of 2021. 

When you wake up in the morning, it’s a good idea to plan out and envision how you want your next twenty-four hours to go. Knowing what you want to do makes it so much easier to actually do these things. Think about what goals you have for the day, or even for the week or longer, and draw up a to-do list or schedule. 

In the next few weeks, it would be nice to set “goals” for relaxing and fun activities with family and friends online. For example, you could schedule a night for movies with your siblings or arrange an online chess match with your friends. When classes come back around, your goals would be more school-oriented and centered around what assignments you have to finish or what lessons you want to review. 

The next thing to do would be to find ways to stick to your plans and accomplish every goal you’d thought of. For example, a long-term goal could be accomplished by being cut up into manageable tasks to be incorporated into a day-to-day schedule. This schedule and your other daily tasks could be accomplished by setting realistic goals and managing your time wisely. 

There are a lot of ways to learn self-discipline for this. Personally, I have found the Pomodoro technique to be very effective as it turns everyday tasks into little challenges: for this, you work in twenty-five-minute intervals and rest for five minutes after each one. Four Pomodoro sessions are usually done before a longer fifteen-to-thirty-minute break; and you simply repeat this until you’ve accomplished your tasks. Ready, set, and start your timers to get the process going, or turn to countless applications and websites created specifically for practicing Pomodoro. 

Yes, it does feel good! Before settling down and starting your tasks, consider soaking up some sun. Studies have shown that there may be links between exposure to sunlight and the production of the mood-stabilizing hormone serotonin. Sunlight is also thought to help the regulation of melatonin, a hormone for managing the body’s circadian rhythms (for the body’s internal clock). And you can’t forget about vitamin D, which is known to help protect against certain diseases like cancer and osteoporosis. 

Experts say that even a few minutes under the sun can already benefit your health. But, do be careful, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that too much time out in the sun’s rays--around fifteen minutes--can damage your skin. So, don’t stay for too-too long and make sure to put on sunscreen. Remember to wear your face mask and face shield, too. 

It’s not a secret that water is essential for our bodies. Sadly though, we frequently forget to drink enough of it. Let’s try to change that. Harvard Health Publishing puts the right amount of water for a generally healthy person at four to six cups a day (this differs for some scenarios, like when you’re exercising or for people with certain health conditions). 

There are many ways to ensure you’re drinking enough water. Examples are putting a water bottle right where you work so it’s accessible and counting how many cups you’ve drunk by using markers like rubber bands around your bottle. You could also set a few alarms on your phone to remind you or download some applications designed specifically for that. 

A great, fun way to stay productive and motivated during school is studying with other people. You can meet through Zoom calls or social media. Schoolwork and learning become a lot easier when done with other people. It also makes you feel like you’re back in the UPIS library hanging out with friends, a sure-fire way to lift your spirits.

Another habit we should start this year is exercising. Its benefits aren’t just related to physical health; it also reduces stress, gives us more energy, and helps boost our concentration and creativity. MedlinePlus says children and teens should “get 60 minutes or more of physical activity every day”, mostly composed of moderate-intensity aerobic exercises like walking, biking, and running. 

It’s not always going to be easy to do this, but changing it up to adjust to your schedule and preferences will help. You can also motivate yourself by first doing exercise routines you are curious about or interested in.

This habit is one of my favorites, and I’m sure it’ll be one of yours, too! Quality sleep is so important for our bodies, brains, and productivity. SleepFoundation.org recommends that those aged 6-13 years old get 9-11 hours of sleep, and those aged 14-17 get 8-10. 

To rest well, it’s important to practice sleep hygiene. Examples of this are sleeping at around the same time every night and steering clear of sources of blue light, like your phone and other screens, a few hours before bed. Light at night can suppress your body's melatonin secretion, thus possibly disrupting your circadian rhythms, but blue light specifically is thought to do this to a greater extent. 

A neat thing to do before bed would be to read books. According to DeskTime, reading may help your ability to concentrate and relieve stress. Reading literary fiction may even make you more empathetic. As much as possible, stick to physical, non-digital books so you don’t get exposed to blue light. Additionally, research shows that you are more likely to remember what you read from a physical book, since your brain also receives signals about your tactile response to the book. 

If you don’t really feel like reading, why don’t you try journaling? Before bed would be a great time to reflect on everything you did during the day as a way of catharsis and de-stressing. You could also relive some of the fun moments you had. A nice practice would be writing down the things that you were grateful for for that day, which could help you build optimism. If writing isn’t really your style, you could draw or doodle to express yourself. Whichever way you do it though, there’s always the added bonus of journaling that, through the years, you can come back to a certain page, a pocket of time in the past, and reminisce. 

These are just a few of the things we can start doing as we prepare for the next semester. Try these out to make each day a little bit more productive. Do remember, though, to not be frustrated if you don’t get these exactly right the first time. Building habits isn’t easy: it’s made up of everyday baby steps, and keep in mind that these habits are meant to suit your preferences. As such, always be patient with yourself and be flexible; find what works for you. Little by little, we’ll work towards our goals and get closer to claiming those new me’s. //by Pam Marquez

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