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Mini Blog: Ways to Stay on Your Wellness Game in this Back to School/End of Summer Season

Writer's picture: Janna RossJanna Ross

As a lot of us transition into new schedules during this back to school season it can be easy to let our own self-care practices slide. Then, next thing we know, stress levels go up, things get a little overwhelming and, if we let it go long enough, we end up spiraling through more frequent bouts of anxiety. 


Let’s make it a point to try to avoid that!


It’s important to keep in mind that just like stress accumulates and can cause us to lose our shiz now and then, what we do for our recovery also accumulates.


Our ability to recover is essential to us handling stress better and becoming more resilient.

 

Just like the underdog needs a few wins here and there to encourage him to keep going in order to get the big win, we also need to recover well in order to keep us going when stress inevitably comes crashing through the door.


You may be wondering, “Soooo… what do you mean by recovery?”


Recovery is what we do to take care of ourselves and refill our cup- essentially what we usually call self-care. And it’s important that we do things for our recovery in all areas of our deep health. (That’s a blog post for another time.) Here are some examples of what self-care practices could be to help you stay on top of your wellness game as our new schedules come into play:


  • Upon waking start with gratitudes or some kind of positive thoughts- cut off negativity!

  • Spend 5 minutes or so on meditation or mindfulness practices

  • Take a few minutes to get clear on your schedule for the day- no surprises!

  • Plan your meals for the week so you can avoid decision fatigue later

  • Drink water! Whatever you’re averaging now try to add 10 oz for the day- unless you're already over 100 oz 🙌

  • Try box breathing-breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, hold for 4, repeat 5 times

  • Eat mostly nourishing foods that support your mind and body

  • Get up and move! When foggy brain kicks in, movement can help it disperse

  • Spend time with a friend or your partner sometime through the week

  • Set time aside for exercise- even just 5 minutes counts!

  • Pack your lunch in the evening so your morning feels less rushed

  • Take 10 minutes to tidy up your space- it’ll help you feel less scattered mentally.

  • Do something simply because you enjoy it- yes it's worth the time!

  • Journal to empty your brain box of the day’s events. Get your brain dump journal here!

  • Spend 5-10 minutes doing mobility and stretching before bed

  • Make sure to get good quality sleep- this is truly key to your sanity


Three important things to keep in mind as you add in self-care practices:

1 You must be intentional about it for it to work.

2 If things don't go as you planned- that's okay!- don't give up on it, simply modify and try again.

3 Don't say "I can't" before even making an effort. Instead ask yourself "how can I make some of these work?"


Most of these things take 10 minutes or less and they can have a big impact on how your days and weeks go. For the ones that will take longer like meal planning (20-30 min) , doing a full workout (20-60 min), or spending time with a friend (however long ya want!) they're likely not a daily thing and the time invested is well worth it!


Try implementing some of these as we go through this back to school/end of summer season and beyond. Over time you’ll see how much better you handle stress when it rears its ugly head and how much more resilient you become!


What are some of your favorite recovery/self-care practices? Tell me in the comments!


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