Small steps are the building blocks of big dreams. When countless phenomena exist outside of your control, taking charge of your life through daily rituals and practices can have considerable effects on your health and well-being. However, maintaining a regimented routine is often unattainable due to a lack of motivation. Especially for university students, the thought of diligently sticking with seemingly insignificant habits can be challenging at the best of times, and next to impossible at the worst.
Here’s why you should focus on developing small habits rather than colossal lifestyle changes, and how this will enable you to achieve larger goals:
Written by Tavie Johnson
Control and accomplishment
We are all familiar with the concept of burnout: the exhaustion that arises from the detrimental mishandling of excessive workplace or academic stress. Conversely, you may also have encountered boreout during the pandemic, which is a lesser-known symptom where one either doesn’t have enough work or has work that isn’t interesting, enjoyable, or personally fulfilling. Building small habits can help combat burnout since completing tasks that require less time and energy is rejuvenating and replenishing. For instance, if you’ve just finished a week of exams, make yourself a small self-care checklist with activities like taking a walk, getting coffee with a friend, or reading a book. This will help you feel in control of your life even when you feel abnormally depleted, and allow you to get back to work with a newfound spirit soon after. In the case of boreout, balancing your workload with projects that make you feel creative and educated can spark the sense of accomplishment you’re searching for. This could include taking an online course, trying something new each day, or volunteering in your community.
The cycle of momentum
When faced with a monumental challenge, it’s easy to let procrastination get the best of you. In order to complete a time-sensitive project without feeling overwhelmed or exhausted, begin with the smallest tasks first. If you have an exam to study for, begin with tidying your study space and writing a schedule for yourself. These small habits will not only keep you organized but elicit the release of dopamine–the neurotransmitter that motivates behaviour–which initiates a cycle of momentum. Completing a simple task will give you the motivation needed to take on something harder, building resilience and optimism in the interim. Beginning with small habits and building upon those enables you to be productive and efficient while also preserving your mental health. Checking items off your to-do list builds the confidence and motivation required to persevere through the more difficult tasks.
Building a sustainable framework
One immense benefit of developing small habits is building and maintaining a routine that enables success and a feeling of achievement. Slowly incorporating little tasks into your schedule builds the foundation required to achieve your goals. For example, if you want to improve your academic performance and choose to focus on preparing for your 8 AM classes, this could involve waking up early to make yourself a healthy breakfast, journaling your thoughts, or taking a leisurely walk before your class. This is the foundation for being resilient in the face of adversity–to keep yourself grounded in the simple things when everything else is awry.
Conclusion
On a final note, reward yourself for taking the initiative to implement small habits into your life. It can be as simple as eating your favourite food, spending time with your pet, or taking deep breaths and practicing gratitude. If you know how to incorporate them sustainably, small habits have the potential to change your life for the better.
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