Back To School Health Tips For Health Start
Summer is winding down and it’s time to go back to school! Back to routine, alarms, schedules and planning for success. Whether you are a student heading back to the books or a parent trying to plan the schedule for your self and for your family, here are some back to school health tips to help you get back into the swing of things in a healthy and stress-free manner.
Back To School Health Tips
1. Say “NO” to Snooze
I know it may be tempting to opt for that extra 10 minutes of shut-eye before getting out of bed– DON’T! If you’re like me, one time hitting the snooze button can lead to 2 or 3 times, so it’s best if you just forget it all together. It’s back to school, time to get back on schedule and to form a routine that is going to help you stay on track and stress-free. Try putting your phone across the room so you have to get up out of bed to turn it off. By the time you do that you will be awake and ready.
2. Get to bed on time
Try to break late night summer habits as soon as possible. In fact, I would suggest you start hitting the sack earlier a week before school starts. It takes practice to alter these habits and it’s better if you’re good at it by the time the week of school begins. Quality sleep is going to help you handle the kids and get them out the door in a timely manner & it’s going to help the kids focus and perform better in school. Do you have trouble falling asleep or getting quality sleep? Try these 11 Strategies For More Quality Sleep.
3. Go for an evening walk
Going back to school can be extremely hectic for both parents and students. Try going for a family walk before or after dinner a couple times a week to unwind and reflect on the day. This can be a great time for the “What did you learn today in school?” questions and a great opportunity just to stay in touch with each others’ lives amongst the chaos.
4. Take micro breaks
With school comes homework and studying. How exciting, right? All jokes aside, school is serious business and a lot of work. Homework time can be a dreaded time for both parents and students, but that doesn’t change the importance of getting it done. Is homework time a dreadful experience? Try doing a little bit at a time and then taking micro breaks. Studies have shown that taking these short breaks, even as short at 30 seconds, can increase productivity by up to 13%! Do an assignment, take a break & begin again.
5. Pack a healthy lunch
It is true that schools are putting more and more effort into providing healthy lunch items for their students but, pack your own if you can. Making sure that healthy food is packed or available for students is just as important as getting school work done. My mom really taught me the value of nutritious food simply because she would pack me a lunch every single day even though she worked a full time job. I know things have changed, but when I was in school our options were nachos, pizza, chips, hamburgers & candy. Not quite the recipe for intellect. Let healthy food hold great value in your household! A healthy packed lunch could be a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, stringed cheese, fruit, veggies, nuts & plenty of water. Start sooner rather than later.
6. Find a study buddy ASAP
The less you feel stressed about school, the better the experience will be. Parents, are homework and projects turning the household into a war zone? Find a student in your child’s class and plan study dates so the kids can work together at each others’ houses. Students, would you like to work with your classmates to get things done? Find a friend in your class and get together a few times a week to work together. The higher the grade, the harder the classes, the more beneficial this partnership can become.
7. Bike or walk to school
If you can, get in some exercise by walking or biking to school. Not every child has this opportunity, but do it if you can. If possible, it can be great for parents and students to do this together in the morning. Get some fresh air and prepare for your day.
8. Plan “you” time
It’s already Friday and the week has flown by, right? Don’t let the stress of the school week carry into the weekend every time. Of course, there will be weeks when homework and projects can really take over the weekend. But, you really should make sure you plan activities once a week or a couple times a month to really disconnect from school, have a little fun & recharge your brain. Maybe this means going swimming, mini golfing, bowling, fishing, hiking or even just being outside in the garden.
I hope everyone has a healthy, happy, productive and successful start and finish of this school year. Do you have any back to school health tips? Share them with us in the comments.
