Being in BalanceStaying on the tightrope

The importance of being in balance

You have probably heard about how important it is to “be in balance”. Think of yourself as a tightrope walker trying to stay balanced so as not to fall.. If you are doing too many things and not taking the time to look after yourself you could slip off the rope and you may become sick, run down, stressed or depressed. You need to stay as balanced as you can.

Key elements of being in balance

What are some of the key actions you can take to keep in balance so as to maximise your learning capacity?

SleepIt is important that you try and get 8 HOURS sleep every night.

Starting the day tired (due to lack of sleep) can only compound problems when it comes to doing homework, study and preparing for exams.

HONESTLY look at your sleeping patterns.

What stops you from getting a good night’s sleep?

What stops you from getting a good night’s sleep?

Do you stay up late talking to friends on MSN or Facebook after you have finished study?

Do you ‘unwind’ after studying by watching TV and then fall asleep in front of the TV?

Do you leave your mobile phone on so that you can be interrupted by friends calling you late at night (this is disastrous for your sleeping patterns)?

Sleep (cont.)

•If you said YES to any of these questions or practice similar behaviours, then you need to discipline yourself to remove the distraction and go to bed at your agreed time.

•If you can go to bed earlier than you are used to for a week why not reward yourself for the action you have taken.

•This is ONE SMALL STEP but you are already starting to change your patterns.

•You are “behaving like study matters”

Commit to a bedtime routine that you can realistically stick to.

Discipline yourself to remove or turn off anything that may interrupt your sleep.

Have a warm / hot shower just before you go to bed.

Ask your friends not to text or phone you after an agreed time.

Challenges to change your sleeping behaviours

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Stress

There are many signs that tell us we are over-stressed. That’s the time to deal with it. Don’t ignore it or think it will go away. If we don’t try and reduce stress our bodies will start to get sick.

Physical exhaustion

Inability to sleep

Headaches

Some of the signs of stress

Depression Sore muscles

Anxiety

Some of the signs of stress

Loss of self confidence

Aggression and anger

Stomach pains

Some of the signs of stress

Stress

If you consistently have one or more of these symptoms then you should speak to someone or go and see your family doctor.Stress is often invisible from the outside but can be very dangerous to your health if it goes untreated.

Stress Busters

There are many ways that you can deal with stress. Remember though it is up to YOU! Why not try some of these strategies.

Stress Busters

Here are some more strategies

Diet and nutrition

Eating nutritious food is essential to get your brain ‘in gear’ for learning. Check out the weblinks in this module for ideas of what is good to eat for effective brain function.

ExerciseExercise and physical activity is essential if you want to be an effective learner.

Not only is exercise beneficial for your general health but it also helps keep the brain in peak condition for learning.Try to do something physical every day.It doesn’t have to be an organised sport. It can be anything that increases the heart rate and gets your body moving.•Walking the dog•Kicking the football around the back yard•Skateboarding with friends•Playing at the local park•Dancing•Karate•Jumping on the trampoline•Swimming

Just get up and get active……

BreathingWe breathe automatically without even thinking about it.

Most of us, however, do not breath deeply which means there is a lot of stale air that sits in our lungs.

Get in the habit of breathing deeply every day to get fresh air into every part of your lungs.

This will oxygenate the blood which will then oxygenate the brain and improve our thinking and learning.

One of the most important ways of keeping in balance is making sure you have lots of fun while you are doing the things you do. While you need to be diligent to get the things done that need to be done, you also need to make time to do the things that “make your heart sing” - whatever they are.

Make sure you take time also to be with people who make you laugh, make you feel good about yourself and who challenge you to be the best you can be.

Having fun

How balanced are you?

Why not download this schedule and monitor how well you do these things every week. This will give you an idea of what you need to work on.

Want to find out more about how you can stay in balance?

Why not join the Studyvibe Community and get weekly hints and tips on being in the best possible shape to maximise your learning potential.