Self-care tips for your mind and body

Why is this important? 

University can be a big adjustment. Whether you’ve moved far from home, are navigating new relationships, or feeling overwhelmed from what seems like never ending assignments, it’s easy to push your wellbeing to the side without even being aware. Not just your physical health, but your mental health as well. These two constantly influence each other. For instance, stress can trigger physical responses such as increased heart rate, digestive problems and can affect your sleep. So, taking care of your wellbeing is more than just things like journalling, and the occasional meditation, but also building habits that support you from the inside out.

How I take care of my body 

To start, I try to stay consistent with exercise. I aim for 5 days a week (keyword: ‘aim’ because life happens). I have a gym membership, which is  definitely an investment, but personally I thinkit’s worth it cause it’s flexible and doesn’t mean I have to stop during the holidays. 

But if you prefer working out at home, there are loads of really good free workout videos on YouTube — so you can absolutely do it without a gym too. 

If any of you are struggling to start exercising or would like support with nutrition or meditation, UOB Sport &Fitness has a Wellness Service that can give you an extra hand in starting your fitness journey. 

Another way I look after my body is by eating healthy foods. When meal prepping, I tend to go for balanced meals, usually something with high protein, fibre and lots of vegetables (I know, veggies aren’t exactly the best, but they do make a difference). For meal ideas and wellbeing support, I use the UBHeard service on the Wisdom app: 

• Download the app and enter the UoB unique code: MHA323213 

How I take care of my mind 

Mental wellbeing is just as important as physical wellbeing and it doesn’t just mean “feeling happy.” It’s about coping when things get harder, working productively and giving grace to yourself. 

For instance, I like to ‘brain dump’ before bed to reflect on my day and things that went well, things that stressed me out and what I’m choosing not to carry into tomorrow. It doesn’t have to be essay perfect writing, it can be messy, a couple sentences, or even a voice recorded journal if you don’t feel like writing. 

I also have a weekly reset where I take a couple hours on the weekend to do admin: reply to emails, organise my planner for the week ahead, plan my meals, clean my room. It can be hard to decide when to do things, so having a day dedicated to doing these things makes it easier and prevents things from building up. 

Now, moving on to the hardest thing I do: I take breaks from my phone. I hate to say it but my mum was right, it really is that phone. Even small pauses create space for my mind to breathe and not feel overloaded. 

If you want more structured guidance, UoB has simple, readable self-help guides for stress, anxiety, sleep and more.  

Start small. Don’t try to overhaul your entire life in a day or a week. Pick a couple or even just one thing and be consistent. Over time, it’s the small habits that create the biggest difference. You’re doing better than you think, so be kind to not only others, but yourself. Thanks for reading!