Hey @Lapis_Anteater
Thank you so much for sharing! And I agree, I also wish that self-care was taught in school. I believe that self-care is for all, especially students who spend a lot of time learning and taking part in extracurricular activities that may take a toll on their mental health. Students spend a lot of time working on their laptops and they should be taking the time to relax their eyes and focus their attention on things that are a little less stimulating.
As a uni student, I experience the most burnout when I am constantly staring at my screen and my eyes start to hurt and go blurry because sometimes I forget to take a break. In those cases, something that works for me is lying on my bed, closing my eyes, and listening to relaxing music (e.g., rainfall, or nature sounds). This allows me to relax my eyes and give myself a break from my screen. Sometimes my eyes can get really sore and I like to wash my face with cold water and go outside for a walk for fresh air.
Little things like that have helped me maintain my work ethic without compromising my health and mental well-being.
I am very glad that you mentioned sleep because sleep is one of the most important parts of our lives, and I believe that if you don't do a lot for self-care but have a good sleep schedule then that will make your life just that little bit easier to cope with. I personally do not have the greatest sleep schedule, as I tend to sleep around 2 am most nights but it is something I am working on. Ever since year 11, I have been sleeping at around 1 or 2 am but I do not recommend that, but hope to share my experience to help others.
Recently to help with my sleeping habits, I have been going out for a walk in the morning and exercising. I realised that when I allowed my body to get tired I felt more inclined to sleep around 10 or 11 pm, which feels much better for my mental and physical health. Although, there are nights where I slip back into old habits and sleep late but integrating self-care practices can take some time, especially if you are stuck in some habits and sleep is one of those things.
I'm glad you are engaging in self-care and allowing yourself to get proper sleep.
