Written by Elizabeth Quinteros
This time of year, the second semester, seems to be one of the toughest for SOAR students, especially with how driven, hard-working, and overachieving they are. We love to push our limits to feel accomplished. This can both be beneficial and admirable, but it can also be the downfall of many.
We must take care of ourselves mentally, physically, and spiritually. One of the most effective ways to do this is by practicing self-care. Yes, self-care, is the thing that Soar students dread because it takes up too much time. But without taking a much-needed break, your productivity and motivation will easily diminish and you go through something called burnout. Burnout is described as stress in a working environment that lingers for a while without resolution. When you are burned out, you might feel exhausted, you don’t want to do any more work and even distance yourself from it, and have very negative feelings towards the work you are doing, whether it be at school or your job. Other effects of overworking include anxiety disorders, depression, stress, and resentment.
Thankfully, self-care has been clinically proven to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. It also gives you more energy to do what you need to do and have a more positive mood. It has even been proven to help through a physical perspective by reducing heart disease, stroke, and cancer. The best part of it is that self-care can be both affordable and is something that you want and like to do. As long as you are not harming yourself in any way, practicing self-care just has to be something that you enjoy doing. Some examples of this could be listening to music, drawing, going out for a walk, doing face masks, and things of this nature. Eros ViDemantay, a junior attending Soar says, “I practice self-care by reading a book or taking a nap. If necessary for my mental health, I will turn in an assignment late so that I can take time to relax.” Couldn't have said it better myself Eros! Our mental health should come first before anything else, even though it sounds hard to do so. On the other hand, Sydni Perry, a junior in Soar High School, says, “I listen to music, play soccer, and watch Netflix.” Not everyone’s form of self-care will look the same and that’s what makes it such a unique and helpful method of staying healthy and happy.
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