Fall Meeting 4: Self-Care

Meeting Goals

With finals and the potential stress of the holidays coming up, talk with your mentee about the importance of self-care and different methods they can utilize to help alleviate some stress and anxiety. Feel free to share what works for you as well.

Self-Care

If ever there was a time to take care of ourselves, we are living it now! In addition to the stresses brought to us by COVID-19, being a student is hard. All of this can take a serious toll on your ability to do well in school, including feeling burnt out, unmotivated, lethargic, drained, and even getting sick. Self-care is all about balancing priorities and making space for personal wellness.

This meeting focuses on examining how one can take care of themselves and what we can do to make healthy lifestyle choices.

PHYSICAL SELF-CARE

Physical self-care is centered on your taking care of your body in a physical manner. Here are some physical self-care tips. Yoga is also a great way to relax/destress. Below are some videos you and/or the mentee can reference on their own time.

Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night
Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day
Exercise for 20 to 30 minutes at least three to five days a week
Focus on proper nutrition and limit sugar and caffeine intake
Drink enough water (6-8, 8 ounce glasses per day)
Engage in relaxing activities, like taking a stroll, meditating, gentle stretching, yoga, deep breathing
Take a nap
Take the stairs instead of the elevator
Practice good hygiene
Need a PEH credit? Take one of the many 1-credit PEH courses in the Winter quarter

Yoga for Stress Relief

Calming Yoga for Stress Relief & Anxiety

SOCIAL SELF-CARE

Call or video chat a family member or friend
Commit to one or two video-chat social engagements per week
Keep positive, supportive people in your inner circle (with social distancing of course)
Form a virtual study group with classmates
Practice empathy and reach out to someone adversely affected (maybe an elderly loved one or friend)

MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL SELF-CARE

Make time for activities that engage you in a fun way (puzzles, reading, art, etc.)
Take breaks when studying
Study slowly over a period instead of cramming
Clean up your room (clutter can increase feelings of anxiety or be distracting when you need to focus)
Smile (even a fake smile can boost positive feelings)
Listening to uplifting, empowering music
Keep a journal so you have a place to be honest about your feelings
Reflect on things you are thankful for.
Counter negative thoughts with optimistic ones (view a challenge as an opportunity for growth)
Help someone (being helpful can be gratifying)
Watch funny movies, television shows, or video clips for a quick laugh
Ask for help if you need it

Guiding Questions

When you meet with your mentee, take time to explain the three different types of self care: physical, social, and mental/emotional. Refer to the guiding questions below as you discuss the types of self-care. Also take a moment to think about these questions in regards to yourself. It may become that you need to talk about your self-care before your menttee opens up about theirs.

1. Identify a couple of items from each category of self-care that you consistently do. Are there any items that you need to work on? Are there areas where you are sabotaging yourself?

2. Are there changes that you want to make that would make self-care easier? For example, is your sleeping environment noisy, uncomfortable, lit with devices? Maybe it's time to make changes so that you can get an adequate night's rest.

3. What activities bring you joy? How do you make sure that you are prioritizing time to engage in activities that you enjoy?

4. Where can you add self-care into your busy day? (this could be as easy as drinking more water in the day; everyone can do it!)

5. Compare with your mentor. What ideas do they have for staying positive and active right now?

6. What tips can you share on being successful in online or in-person classes?

7. How have you adjusted to working on classes from home?

8. What do you need help with? What are you feeling stressed out about?

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