Jade Gagné

Sports Editor

Photo Via @thelancerlink.com 

Procrastination, defined as “the act of delaying something that must be done, often because it is unpleasant or boring,” by the Cambridge Dictionary, isn’t an uncommon thing for us students. Even those 3 little chapters that we have to read are enough to provoke this involuntary delay. Then here comes the panicking: “WHEN will I have the time for all this? WHAT should I start with? WHERE do I begin?” Let’s just take a deep breath and relax. 

School, work, assignments, charity work, taking care of our families; those things are time-consuming! How can we deal with all of it? How can students take care of work, make sure all our assignments are completed and find time to be in shape; physically and mentally? Of course the answer won’t be the same for everybody. Some of us might find it very easy to arrange their schedules, but others, including myself, might struggle to find the right balance. 

But is it even possible? The answer is yes, it is always possible. You don’t have to schedule three hours for your workout, nor do you have to postpone your studies. Here is how:

First you need to find something that interests you. Feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Maybe meditation, yoga, or even running could be the solution. “Running with mindfulness” is what it’s called. You can start running because you want to become faster, but you can also run because you like to enjoy the look of nature, the fresh air gives you a sense of freedom, or the feeling alive from feeling the floor under your feet. If you’re very close to nature, your workout could be a run or a walk outside. Just make sure you’re well dressed for the temperature (let’s not add sickness to our list of worries!). You might hate going outside and prefer the feeling of an inside gym. If you have a preference for workouts using tools and machines, the gym is probably the best place for you. You might like to focus more on the numbers, the reps, or the weights. Being at home could trigger procrastination for you. What if you’re a stay-at-home person? You’re the kind of person who only goes out for work or for school? Well, there is actually a lot that you can do at home! Some workouts use props like chairs, walls, and even stairs. Choose a place where YOUR mind feels at peace, then you can set a goal.

Let’s say that your goal is to workout three to four times a week. If you want to go to the gym, you could find one next to your school where you could spend an hour during a big break. Don’t want to feel sweaty and disgusting after? Baby wipes are a great way to get rid of dirt. If you want to run, you could go in the morning or before going to bed. Instead of staying on your phone for thirty minutes, go for a run instead! You have a book to read? Put on the audio version, tie your shoes, and let’s go! Working out at home helps you save time and money; you can take a thirty minute workout and take your shower right after; you can eat at home after each workout instead of buying food. 

You don’t change your schedule, you simply incorporate your workout into your schedule. You decide if you want it to last fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, or even an hour. There’s online workout videos if you wish to get a workout directly without further research, but do not feel forced to complete all the exercises. There’s lots of apps like Nike Training Club if you wish to do workouts focusing on different body parts (it also includes warmups and cool-down exercises and yoga exercises). Another option is the app Bend that helps with yoga and meditation based on your needs, or the Adidas Running: Sport Tracker app which was created to track your runs, give training plans for beginners, and help set goals. There are many other options that you can use, but pick the one that you know is going to motivate you!

Let’s put procrastination behind, do your assignments, and when you find the time, go do what YOU know is good for YOUR body. You are not the first one feeling overwhelmed, and definitely won’t be the last. 

Just remember to take care of yourself; you come first.