Cultivating Kindness and Consciousness

because I can, because WACE is coming and the Americans are starting a new school year at some point probably?? and because it’s always important to look after yourself while studying

I’m not going to claim that all of these will work for everybody or that everyone will be able to do all of them etc etc but I’ve struggled with burnout and sustained anxiety due in part to medical reasons but in part to unhealthy study-based lifestyle and this is some of what I’ve learnt so:

Don’t work where you sleep - As well as promoting bad posture (and getting study snack crumbs all over your bed) this stops your mind and body from separating “work” and “rest”. I know it’s tempting!! and tbh I still do it sometimes. But when your mind and body can’t differentiate, those half-asleep panic thoughts about what you have to do the next day etc etc get worse. Your body rests when it should be alert and tries to stay alert when it should be resting in case you ask it to do something. It’s exhausting! Please don’t do it. You can still use your bed for fun (eg. TV, blogging, reading - I love me a nest don’t get me wrong) but when you actually have to knuckle down, go somewhere else. Preferably a desk, but even the floor, dining table or couch! Also, having a shower or getting dressed (or even just washing your face or putting back your hair) before you start work is a great way to force yourself into “productive mode” especially if you’re feeling lethargic.

Ritual is more important than time table - All through high school we got told, make timetables, make timetables. I could NEVER stick to them. My focus just doesn’t work like that and neither does my workload. However, what I have found helpful is establishing ritual. eg. do I get coffee when I start work or when I start break? Related to the above, this helps get me into “work” mode or “rest” mode. Also, don’t be afraid to reward yourself but be disciplined with your rewards. Can you have one lolly for every 10 minutes work? 10 lollies an hour? A handful after you’ve done this section? STICK TO IT. Rewards only work if you do.

Time tables don’t have to be regular - Again, the usual deal with timetabling is that you spend say, half an hour per day per class studying. First of all, how many hours a day do they think we have, damn? But second of all, that’s a USELESS GENERIC FRAMEWORK. Are you good at the subject? Does it have a really high workload? Is it your major? Then GIVE IT MORE OR LESS TIME. Also, work out when you are most productive during the day and demand more of yourself at that time. eg for me I am quite productive in the morning, so if I have a blocked out “study day” I’ll start with 1-1.5 hour sessions with 15-30 min breaks and gradually slack off until I’m doing more break than study but it’s okay bc I did most of my work in the morning. The point of timetabling is to make sure you actually get the work done: therefore, you need to do it in a way that will allow you to actually get the work done

Diet & Reward Choice is important - Rewards are great, but caffeine and sugar are bad for you and they are bad for your sleep and concentration, which you need to study with!! If you’re eating a lot of sugary snacks, make sure you drink water and have healthy meals. If you’re drinking too much coffee OWN UP TO IT. I was having anxiety problems so I restricted myself to 2 coffees a day, and not after 6pm, and even though I didn’t drink a lot and I don’t feel the “buzz” coffee gives some people, it has helped me (and also reduced some gut problems I was giving myself). Also ofc try to replace lollies with fruit or food with non-food based rewards (eg a trip to the movies when this essay’s done) but it depends what’s going to motivate you and how much motivation you need. I tend to get into the lollies when it’s been assignments uphill through the snow both ways and I’m losing my will to live but I watch sitcoms every break all the time often. What works for you?

Let some things slip - Yes it’s true that poor hygiene and mess can be harmful to your mental health but figure out what you can ignore and how long for because most things can be fixed after you hand that report in. Will your head explode if your room is messy? Then clean it, but if you can live with it, let it slide for a bit. Is a shower an important part of your daily ritual? Then do it, but if you’re cool with waiting until you can feel the grease on your face sometimes that’s the way it’s gonna be. It’s not like you’re meeting people anyway. And your fellow students PROBABLY don’t give a shit as long as it’s not a presentation and you don’t have killer B.O. Your accomodation can’t just slide into the shit eternally, especially if you live with roommates or family, but go easy on yourself is what I’m saying, and prioritise yourself & your food & your rest & your work (*which contributes greatly to your health) above nicities you don’t need. Feed your pets though. That’s important.

Act, Belong, Commit - This is an Australian mental health campaign that really sums up a lot of the best things you can do. Of course we can’t always have that perfect work-life balance, especially trying to pay rent or have a family or during exam time etc etc etc but remember, health including mental health is not an “all or nothing” thing. Every little bit helps! You’ll be surprised (I know I was). Your “C” that’s probably your work/study if you’re reading this! But “Belong” that can be stuff like choir, sports clubs, church, volunteering, or really anything that you’re passionate about including informal communities - for me it’s mostly Amnesty International, activism, & fandom. And then “Act” well that took me ages bc exercise is the bane of my existence but if dancing around in your underwear is what it takes DO THAT. In fact now, I’ve joined a proper dance class! There will be some kind of physical activity that you can tolerate, even if it’s like, a few laps in the pool or walking the dog or even just walking to the store. I look for opportunities to do exercise with a purpose (eg on my way to buy something) bc for its own sake?? No way. You don’t even have to do it enough to get sweaty, lose weight or build muscle (although that’s great). Just a little bit is better than none,

“I’m too busy to be lonely,” declares “Granny” Eva Barnes Henderson, who at age 83 lives alone in a small, time-weathered house near the banks of the Buffalo River.

I hate it when people take the piss out of veganism and lump it into the same category as middle class hipster diet fads like clean eating and raw food and paleo.

Like, I understand that you need certain privileges in order to healthily maintain a vegan diet. But you should bash the social institutions and inequalities that make veganism expensive and inaccessible! Don’t bash veganism itself!

Veganism is not a fad. It’s not a pointless trend that people only ascribe to in order to reach idealised levels of health. I know vegans who eat chips and baked beans for dinner. Vegans aren’t vacuous posers. They are socially aware individuals who have chosen to buck cultural norms in order to protest a gross injustice.

Veganism is an act of political activism. Veganism is the refusal to participate in a barbaric and sadistic industry that is literally DESTROYING the planet on which we live.

In 50 years the entire population of the earth will probably have no choice but to eat vegan. That is, if we make it that far without suffering environmental Armageddon.