The Joys of Working Out: How I Stay Balanced in Grad School
1. Just DO it:
In grad school, it seems that there is never enough time. The reality is that like anything you have to make time and prioritize your health. Unlike non-academics, there are many free gyms on campus that exist specifically for student wellness. Take advantage of these free workout spaces. If sweaty machines aren’t your thing, take advantage of the cheap (sometimes free) fitness classes that universities offer such as yoga, pilates, yogalates, boxing, swim class, Zumba, Tai Chi, etc. Hesitant about going alone the first time? Ask a fellow grad student or a friend to join you. The mutual accountability could be that necessary push to get you sweating.
2. Set aside fifteen minutes:
There is no magic amount of time for working out. For graduate students fifteen minutes is a reasonable amount of time to step out of the library and get your heart pumping. Eventually, your body will let you know when to increase the amount of exercise time.
3. Write a workout journal:
Keep track of each workout, how long you spent, what you did and how you felt during/ afterwards. You can even note your weight, BMI, and body fat percentages. I prefer alternating between Runkeeper and the notepad function on my ipod. An electronic or paper journal could also be helpful if you’re interested in adding even more detail including your overall emotional wellness pre and post workout.
4. Build a reward system:
Everyone likes rewards. Perhaps your sweaty workout has earned you an episode of Seinfeld or a mini golf game. Whatever the reward, you should attach some positive reinforcement for your hard work.
5. Create clear goals:
Look up activities that you can train for such as a 5k or a half marathon. This will ensure that you are consciously preparing your body to continue the workout habit.
As for working out, it continues to make me feel great. My personal battles with depression are on-going and always will be. Working out helps alleviate my burdens, which is a good enough reason to continue sweating on the elliptical.
