Wellbeing

‘How you are’ is everything

Your career won’t thrive if you don’t – your physical and mental health is the most important thing so put time aside to nurture it (and watch your results skyrocket)

In your final years of school, there can be a lot of pressure to study hard and get good results.

Which can mean late nights and early mornings (and not enough sleep), poor food choices, a lack of exercise, and social media pressures and dramas.

Oh, and being bent like a pretzel over your smartphone for hours each day doesn’t help either. So regardless of where you’re at with your studies, you need to take the time to chill out and look after your wellbeing as regularly as you can.

Eat some more vegetables, snack on some fruit and down a few litres of water each day. You’ll feel better for it faster than any coffee can make you feel.

Top tips

Study smarter, not harder

You’ll often be told to ‘study harder’ when you’re in high school, but that’s not always the best advice. If you want to get better results, then get prepared:

Talk with your teacher about what study materials you need
Also talk with them if you’re dealing with challenges (everything from family issues at home to not understanding that algebra equation). You’ll be surprised at how helpful they can be
Whip out your calendar and write down all of the key dates for when things are happening/due – it’ll help you get your mind organised and focused
Get that textbook out. Sometimes the smartest, easiest way to get up to speed on something is to start at the start of the section you’re being tested and work your way through it. It’ll quickly show up problem areas (talk with your teacher about these) and give you an idea of what you still need to learn
Make a regular habit of doing homework in the afternoons as soon as you get in from school. It’ll mean that things are fresher in your mind and you’ll have more time for TV, reading and sleeping later in the evening

Having a plan for how the school term is going to look and working towards achieving small goals each day can mean a lot less stress and much better results. Look after your wellbeing, study smart and good results will soon come your way.

Tip 1

Smartphone down, laces done up

Despite what some adults might say, sleep is important, especially when you’re in the later years of high school. And not to harp on about smartphones, but it’s been proven that they’re not good for you at night.

So click your phone off, take some deep breaths, think some happy thoughts and try to get AT LEAST 8 hours sleep. 10 is even better. It’s the best way for you to refresh and get yourself ready for another big day of school, friends and family.

Be a hero on 3 hours sleep on the weekend (or a little later in life).

Tip 1

Tip 2

Sleep, sleep, sleep

Thrive on chaos? We’re going to need to get that under control.

If you’re constantly looking for notes and losing the links then you’re wasting time. Getting organised starts in class, so take all your notes and put them in the same place, and categorise them (did you know you can make an auto Table of Contents in Word? It changed my life).

Make organising your notes a part of your study each week – you’ll be reviewing what you’ve learnt as you go and then when the time comes to cram for your final exams you won’t have to spend any time getting organised.

Tip 2

Tip 3

Eat like you’re training for an event

Professional athletes know that if they want to get the best performance from their body they need to be eating nutritious, balanced foods for months before the big day. They cut out the stuff that slows them down, like sugar-heavy foods and energy drinks, and focus on supporting their body.

You’re also preparing for a big event – the end of high school – and if you want to be your best then you need to make sure you’re giving your body the fuel it needs to stay alert, awake and focused for each and every study-session.

Tip 3