Thursday Take-Off: Break time, Wake time!

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Beep beep beep! My alarm goes off, and it’s that time again – trying to survive the week, deprived of sleep, through the back-to-back schedule of work, school, volunteer, clubs, and other commitments. Between the list of things – the art of living – how can we stay physically active every day? Health is essential to life, yet we often place it on the back-burner because we feel we have little or no time left in the day. We try to substitute our lack of sleep with a cup of coffee, eat our way to brain power, sit all day waiting for a performance – for our brains to perform for us – while our bodies stay still, inactive, and unused. Many of my friends, peers, and co-workers seem to rely on a caffeinated drink to get them through the day, but  perhaps there is a better way to make our minds alert, without the jitteriness from that coffee bitterness. What are some ways that we can stay alert throughout our busy schedule days?

Instead of going on that five minute coffee break, we could potentially close the door to our cubicle, pop in our headphones, and dance to music for a good five minutes. This fun activity would allow for body movement, something that our bodies crave throughout the day and need in order to get our blood flowing, our brains going, and maybe even a smile showing! Or if dancing isn’t your thing, there’s plenty of other options: push-ups, jumping jacks, planking, sit-ups, jogging in place, or even walking around campus – taking the stairs. All of these physical activities can be done in the comfort of your cubicle, except for the latter – which allows you to enjoy the scenery outside and grab some fresh air. These little physically active breaks can do wonders for your body and especially the mind, increasing your energy throughout the day and keeping you mentally engaged in your work or study. So, the next time you feel overwhelmed or unable to concentrate, get up and breathe deeply. Do a quick physical activity that will increase your heart rate and force you to breathe, letting out all the bad air and taking in fresh new energy. Now that we’ve discussed some options of how to re-energize our bodies and minds without caffeine, what physical activity will you do on your next break?

Also, though physical activity is important, we can also use breaks for a mental detoxification. What are some other ways we can maximize the use of our breaks so that we’re not dragging our feet to the end, but instead, enjoying the rest of our day?

Post submitted by Christina

Free Speech Fridays: Ann Cuddy – “Your body language shapes who you are”

Transferring to UCLA was a tough transition for me. I left the cozy and familiar landscape of my community college and arrived at a large university blooming with life and surrounded by intricately designed libraries. At some point, I felt the place was too nice for me. Feelings of doubt consumed me as I sat as still as the walls in my first classroom of over a hundred students. I began to tell myself, “I’m not supposed to be here.” However, I soon discovered that I was not alone; many other UCLA students felt the same way, even non-transfer students.

In the above video, Ann Cuddy presents her remarkable studies on how our body language can help change our minds and the way we perceive ourselves. She offers her own personal story on dealing with feeling simply lucky and not truly belonging at a prestigious university. Also, she follows up with how her mindset changed and her ability to handle stress strengthened through the use of body language. Though it’s a little lengthy, this video is well worth the watch!

Post submitted by: Christina Trieu

De-Stresser Tip: Self-Reflection

The following is an activity that I thought of in order to alleviate stress.  We tried it out here at WSP, and it was effective for me Hopefully it works for y’all:

Write a letter to yourself that reminisces on a memory you have of the past,  a happy, cheerful memory (Going to Disneyland, your first memorable Christmas, graduation, whatever).  Think back on that memory and describe the emotions that you felt.  Next, briefly describe the way you feel now (assuming that you’re stressed, talk about why you’re stressed, emotions, etc.) Lastly, write down your goals for returning back to that state of happiness, how you plan to de-stress.  Sign it, seal it, and open it up after you’re done being stressed to see if it worked

Post submitted by Casey O’Neill

De-stresser

A great way to relax and regain inspiration is to watch inspirational YouTube videos. Two videos that really help me are: 1. A clip from The Pursuit of Happyness and 2. J.K. Rowling’s Graduation Speech to Harvard. Watching clips that will provide a break and re-energize you is twice as helpful when finding ways to destress during studying.

Post Submitted By: Layhannara Tep

De-Stresser: Take Care of Your Body!

Hello readers! This de-Stresser tip is a way for you to get rid of all that stress and take care of yourself at the same time (this is super important, you only have one body!). During those long study sessions, when you hit a point where you really need a break, take that break and really take care of yourself. Whether it is taking that long-prolonged shower, brushing your teeth, or making yourself a hearty meal these sorts of activities are not only ways to de-stress but they are ways to properly take care of yourself as well. These activities do not take an extreme amount of thinking and really can release some of that tension (either through repetitive action or the fact that it is something other than studying). Plus they come with an added benefit of being necessary, health-maintaining activities giving you that much needed break without the guilt for taking a study break. Remember to not only take care of your studies but to take care of your body as well!

Post Submitted by: Jesse Chiang

De-Stressor: Less Coffee, More Tea

De-stressor: Drink tea.

Drinking tea has been the one thing that has been getting me through this entire quarter.  For years my mom has been urging me to sip the hot stuff, but I’ve always reached for my morning coffee instead.  One day at UCLA’s Kerckhoff Coffee House, I decided to skip the usual cup of joe and went for a cup of plain Bigelow green tea.  I haven’t bought a cup of coffee since.

There have been a lot of studies done on the benefits of tea over the years, and who’s to argue?  It’s a soothing, light, therapeutic drink that just smells amazing.  From herbal to black to green, there’s definitely a type of tea that can satisfy your palette.

Read: Health Benefits of Green Tea by Julie Edgar, WebMD Feature

So the next time you find yourself cramming for a physics final or just need something to loosen up your joints, steep yourself a nice hot cup of tea.

…and remember not to burn your tongue.

Post submitted by Crystal Maranan