Temperatures are Dropping, Cases are Rising: 10 Tips for Staying Motivated and Happy
Daylight Savings happens every year, but that doesn’t mean it ever gets easier to adjust to. As temperatures drop and the sun sets earlier and earlier, it is easy to lose motivation and have lower energy than normal. It makes scientific sense — we are getting less sun. However, coupling that with seeing COVID-19 cases on the rise again only makes it worse.
For students, we are beginning to prepare for the end of the semester. Staying motivated is already challenging this time of year because we are feeling a little burnt out, but have arguably the toughest weeks ahead of us in school. We are also picking classes for next semester or preparing to enter the workforce. The overwhelmed, exhausted, low energy, and little motivation feelings are all too familiar to students. Seeing cases rise and new restrictions implemented only makes it worse.
So, how can we combat this (or at least attempt to) effectively? Here are a few tips.
- Try to get outside at least once or twice a day. Even if this means just walking down the driveway to get your mail, going grocery shopping, or filling up your gas tank, make sure you do it. Fresh air and sunshine are great mood-boosters.
2. If you feel like you aren’t getting enough sunlight (probably because you really aren’t), try taking a Vitamin D supplement or trying out a S.A.D. lamp.
3. Make sure you are eating and drinking things that fuel your body, not fatigue it.
4. Take time away from screens. While it has never been more challenging to do so, make sure you set time every day (even just 30 minutes while you make a meal, play a game, or read a book) to take your eyes off a screen. Instagram and your reality show can wait, I promise.
5. Make time to talk to friends and family. Whether this is meeting for a meal in person or over Facetime, going for a walk and catching up, or just giving them a call, it has never been more important to maintain social connections.
6. Move your body, whatever this means for you. Being active is a great way to naturally boost your mood, and it can be whatever you want it to be. Going for a walk (indoors or outdoors) yoga, biking/cycling, weightlifting, dancing, etc., are all great ways to keep yourself active. If you need inspiration, Youtube has plenty of free videos for all different types of activities.
7. Try meditation and/or mindfulness practices. There are countless free apps and online resources to guide you through meditations, breathing exercises, journaling, and other mindfulness practices. This can help center you and bring positive energy and thoughts back into your body.
8. Set up your space to encourage calmness and happiness. Think about your 5 senses. Use candles or essential oils to make your workspace smell nice (I recommend lavender and eucalyptus for calming scents and peppermint for when you want to be productive). Set up your desk close to a window to allow for natural light. Bring plants into your space.
9. Try to make a sleep routine that works for you and stick to it. If you have trouble falling asleep, try drinking tea, reading, or meditating before bed. Try to make sure you go to bed around the same time every night, and your body will eventually fall into the routine. You will wake up feeling more rested and energized for the day ahead. (Check out Samantha’s latest blog for more tips here.)
10. On the other hand, if you are feeling like your daily/weekly schedule is boring you and you need to change things up, do so. When we are stuck at home all day every day, things can become a bit boring and monotonous. Try exercising in the morning instead of at night, making a new kind of tea in the morning, trying new dinner recipes, moving meetings to a different time in the day. When we get bored, we become less productive and less happy. It is critical to monitor these things and adjust when necessary.
These tips may seem a bit overwhelming to incorporate all at once, so try implementing one every day and see how it feels. It is perfectly acceptable to take it slow, because these may not be so achievable for everyone. These tips are also easy to start and find yourself stopping when things get busy, but this is when you need to do them most. When I find myself doing this, I try to incorporate back into my schedule one thing at a time. During this time of year, I find myself reaching for my essential oils and candles far more often. I also start to use my S.A.D. lamp a few times a week, especially on darker days, and try to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into my meals and snacks. Not only are they nutritious, but they add color to my day and make me feel a bit more in tune with nature while I stare at my screens and do work and school. You will find that certain things work better for you, and certain things don’t do much of anything for you. Take some time to figure that out, and I think you’ll find some solace in these crazy times.
What are you going to try out today?
