1. Stretch Your Body

If you’ve been spending many hours at your desk, take a break to stretch. Focus on releasing the tension in every part of your body. To encourage yourself to spend longer on your stretches, you may like to do this at the same time as another activity, such as watching videos or listening to music.

2. Listen to Relaxing Music

You could also listen to music as a mindfulness exercise on its own. Make a playlist of tunes that help you relax.

3. Take a Walk Nearby

Even if it’s cold outside, it’s worth venturing out for at least a short walk while there is still daylight. The gentle exercise will give you energy for everything else you need to do.

4. Treat Yourself to a Long Shower

Too often, showering becomes routine — when it’s actually a great option for a relaxing activity. Pay attention to how it feels to have the hot water rain down on you. This is the ideal activity for right after you come inside and need to warm up.

5. Give Yourself Time to Think

If you’re struggling to figure out how to continue with a paper, close your eyes and let your mind wander for a while. You’ll often find that ideas come to you much more easily when you’re not actively seeking them.

6. Rethink Your Schedule

Make more time for mindfulness on a regular basis by slowing down. Instead of trying to fill every minute of every day, schedule free time for yourself. This may mean dropping some activities, taking one fewer class next semester, or turning down invitations to social events more often.

7. Try Breathing Exercises

Taking deep breaths is ideal for calming down when you’re stressed — but there’s no need to wait until you’re feeling anxious to use this technique. Breathing exercises are ideal at any point in the day for slowing your heart rate and clearing your mind. This will help you find a sense of peace.

8. Do a Simple Workout

It’s also good to increase your heart rate sometimes. Search for workouts videos you can do in your bedroom with no equipment or head to the gym in your student housing. Make sure to do a combination of cardio, bodyweight exercises, and yoga for strength and balance at different points during the week.

It’s difficult to practice mindfulness if you rarely find yourself alone or your student housing is often noisy. This tends to be the case when you’re living in a dorm. A simple fix is to move off campus. Find St Catharines student housing at Regent. You’ll have a fully-furnished suite, complete with a double bed, desk, and closet, as well as access to our onsite gym and community room. Contact us for more information about signing a lease.