With the start of fall quarter on your heels, you may find yourself running on overdrive—if so, slow down and look both ways! In the rush to get ready, you risk showing up to your first day of classes already huffing and puffing. This is hardly an effective way to begin the marathon sprint that is the 10-week academic quarter.
3 Steps to Your Best Start:
1.Honor The Golden Triangle: Eat-Exercise-Sleep. With this fundamental physical foundation you set yourself up for maximum productivity and mental efficiency.
• Eat a balanced diet and don’t skip meals—especially breakfast. Keep healthy snacks in your backpack. Food is fuel; you get out what you put in. Go for high octane stuff like vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and lean protein.
• Engage in significant physical activity—be it dance, gym, yoga, ball games, running, or jousting—at least three times a week. You can also build exercise into your schedule by walking briskly between classes, riding a bike to various local destinations, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Sleep—seriously. The average human being requires seven hours of sleep a night. When you deny yourself these precious hours of restoration, relying on caffeine to get through the day, you do a major disservice to your engine.
These three elements are your basic formula for functionality. Get into a good rhythm right off the bat, and sustain your groove all quarter long. You’ll have a much smoother ride.
2. Get Ready, Get Set. Environmental setting has a critical impact on your performance. Clean and organize your bedroom and work area (ideally you have a separate space designated for each). Make sure you have appropriate and comfortable furnishings, and decorations that uplift and inspire you. Note: creating a customized habitat doesn’t have to be expensive! Utilize Craigslist and Freecycle to acquire what you need (and get rid of what you don’t).
3. Adjust Your Attitude. It’s essential that you approach the challenging weeks ahead with the right mental posture. If you go into a hard class with a grumble and a grimace, you are going to have a very different experience than if you invite the course with willing confidence and open arms. Granted, there may be moments when you feel yourself falling off track—when this happens, take a deep breath, and redirect your train of thought. As Henry Ford said: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are usually right.”
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