5 Ways to Practice Self-Care As a Graduate Student
As a psychology graduate student, I must take the time to care for myself. It’s a practice I started before enrolling, but I could be better at giving myself the time. I’m a parent, I have a household to take care of, I’m applying for jobs and internships, I’m volunteering my time, and I’m getting side hustles to diversify my experience, all while taking on the load of being a graduate student. Self-care is important for everyone, but it can also look different for each person depending on their circumstances in life and what they feel is right for them.
Below is a list of self-care tips and strategies I’m actively implementing during graduate school and beyond. I hope this list can aid you in your self-care journey whether you’re a student or not a student, and want to improve your mental well-being.
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed mental health professional or psychologist. Any information is intended for educational purposes, and it is strongly encouraged to seek professional help if needed. If you require emergency assistance, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org/chat to reach a crisis counselor for support.
1. Journaling
This is a practice that I have been working on in my life even before my undergraduate studies. It hasn’t been a consistent habit, but I always come to it whenever I need to express myself, positively or negatively. I find it helpful to have a way of expressing myself because it’s often hard to speak about what’s going on verbally. It also allows me to keep that privacy that’s important to me. The weight of my emotions and thoughts is lifted, which helps me continue with my day.
As I begin my graduate studies, I’m reminded of the importance of self-reflection. Self-reflection can help me reflect on assignments, research, goals, and any thoughts or feelings arising during my studies. I can look back to see how I felt the first week of classes and how far I’ve come. It’s also helpful to be able to go back and reference the goals I have set, any trains of thought about research, and any ideas of what I feel I need to do in my life.
Currently, I use the journal where I write about my feelings and thoughts because it allows me to express both my academic and non-academic thoughts and see where I am mentally during the day. In the future, as I get deeper into my studies and doctorate program, I may split the two into a personal journal and then an academic journal. That way, I can better organize my thoughts and keep notes on my research separate from my feelings.
2. Making Time For Art
Creating art has always brought me joy, whether or not the creation process was stressful. I love picking up a canvas and painting whatever comes out of me or using a pencil to make little doodles on my paper while listening to a video about a topic I’m interested in. However, I have neglected engaging in it for several years.
I’ll get creative occasionally, but not as much as I once did. It’s a shame, but it’s also something that I can control. I can choose to give myself that time to get creative. Not only would this allow me to do something I enjoy, but it can also help boost my creativity, help me appreciate the process rather than the product, and allow me to express emotions that aren’t so easily expressed in writing or speaking. As a graduate student, I’m juggling many hats at once and need to remember to take the time to do things that I enjoy simply because they bring me joy.
For me, I like to paint and draw, but some other ways of making time for art are:
Knitting
Crocheting
Writing music
Listening to music
Playing an instrument
Dancing
Crafting
Photography
Watching movies
Looking at art
Don’t be afraid to try something new, either. It’s never too late to learn a new skill, like an instrument. You can also make time for art by enjoying the art created by others. Allow yourself to enjoy it, and see and do something new!
3. Exercising
This is important not only for graduate students. Exercising helps to improve and maintain physical health and mental health. It doesn’t have to be hard and intense, either. Staying consistent and sticking to what works for you helps build long-term habits.
I like lower-impact workouts because they work better for my body and aren’t hard on my joints. I enjoy walking, practicing yoga, and doing calisthenics in my room to get my blood flowing and relieve stress. I find it helpful to practice yoga in the morning to energize myself for the day and at night to loosen up after being at the computer most of the day. Taking a walk during my lunch break also helps me to stretch and reenergize for the rest of the work I need to do for the afternoon.
For calisthenics, I use an app on my phone that gives me 5 to 10-minute workouts from the comfort of my room, and no equipment is required. I often choose to do them in the morning or evening, depending on the schedule for that day.
Implementing these different exercise strategies throughout my week helps me manage my stress, makes me feel more confident, boosts my motivation, and improves how my body handles being at the computer during the day. It’s a habit that I am still working on being consistent with, but I can succeed if I keep trying every day to improve my physical and mental health. Small steps are still steps in the right direction.
4. Practicing Positive Self-Talk
What you think about yourself can have a positive or negative effect. I tend to let negative thoughts creep in and discourage myself. I’ll tell myself that I’m not good enough, that I’m not capable of accomplishing what I want to accomplish. Listening to and only remembering the negative things about myself and life brings my energy down and makes it harder to feel motivated to continue working on my goals.
When I think, “I’m a failure,” I can reframe this thought as “I can learn from this experience.”
When I think, “I don’t know how to do that,” I can reframe this thought as “I have an opportunity to strengthen my skills.”
When I think, “No one wants to hear what I have to say,” I can reframe this thought as "I have the right to share my voice and contribute to the conversation.”
These are some examples of common negative self-talk I engage in and how to reframe it into a more positive outlook. As a growing professional and academic, it’s easy to let that imposter syndrome set it and damper your spirits. Many people struggle with this, and it’s a good reminder that your thoughts don’t always reflect reality. Especially when they are about you as a person.
This article from positivepsychology.com offers a great overview of positive self-talk.
5. Creating A Schedule
I’m an online graduate student, so I spend a lot of time in my room on my computer. It can be hard to separate personal time from school time. Creating a schedule to include moments of practicing self-care allows me to hold myself accountable and visually see when to take care of myself between my responsibilities.
I like to use my Google calendars to color code everything I need to work on during my schedule. It’s also digital, allowing me to easily access my schedule from my phone without carrying around a notebook. However, I also like using paper calendars.
It can be tough when things don’t go exactly as planned, so it’s important to remain flexible with your schedule and consider how much you can handle in a day. I often overestimate my ability to get the amount of things done, so I take the time to evaluate what I must do each day and how long it will take to get those done.
A schedule can prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and give you time to recharge. It’s helpful to schedule your time around an 8-hour schedule, as graduate school is much like a job. Some days may be longer, but being consistent with your schedule allows you to build a routine, making it easier to go through the day. This can create a work-life balance that will allow for those self-care activities in your life.
Some things to consider when creating a schedule are:
Prioritizing tasks
Breaking down tasks into smaller steps
Make time for friends and family
Schedule times to eat
Schedule breaks
Set time to plan out your week
Allowing adequate time for tasks
If possible, set aside a day where you don’t focus on school. This can be a good time to recharge and refresh before returning to school.
Self-care isn’t selfish. Everyone needs to take care of themselves to be there for others. I hope you found some helpful information to apply to your life. Please feel free to leave any thoughts, questions, or comments down below. Thank you and take care!
