Posted on

Self-Care | Motivational Video

What are the things you do for your self-care? How do you make time for self-care? On a scale of 1-10, how important do you feel self-care is important to your well being? For me self care is very important, it is something that I put on my ...

Read more

What are the things you do for your self-care?

How do you make time for self-care?

On a scale of 1-10, how important do you feel self-care is important to your well being?

For me self care is very important, it is something that I put on my schedule.

In this video, we will be talking about some tips on how you can do self-care.

Going back to school and need support?

Join the Back to School Divas FB Community
http://bit.ly/2q40BUH

Get Featured in the BTSD Blog
http://bit.ly/BTSDFeaturedDiva

Read more about this month’s featured Divas
http://bit.ly/DivaSpotlight

Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/backtoschooldivas/

Follow Us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/backtoschooldivas

Get the ‘Everything You Need to Pass Your College Papers’ FREE Download
http://bit.ly/3boIS0O

Posted on

Coping with Depression

Divas, I know some of you are being too hard on yourself. Maybe some of you are feeling depressed right now because you are working full time, going to school, taking care of kids, etc., Let's talk about how you can deal and cope with depressio...

Read more

Divas, I know some of you are being too hard on yourself.

Maybe some of you are feeling depressed right now because you are working full time, going to school, taking care of kids, etc.,

Let’s talk about how you can deal and cope with depression while reaching your goals 😘❤️

Going back to school and need support?

Join the Back to School Divas FB Community
http://bit.ly/2q40BUH

Get Featured in the BTSD Blog
http://bit.ly/BTSDFeaturedDiva

Read more about this month’s featured Divas
http://bit.ly/DivaSpotlight

Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/backtoschooldivas/

Follow Us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/backtoschooldivas

Get the ‘Everything You Need to Pass Your College Papers’ FREE Download
http://bit.ly/3boIS0O

Posted on

Stop Being Hard On Yourself

Stop being so hard on yourself, Divas‼️  Don't get down, don't stress yourself out, stop beating yourself. Be happy with your accomplishments and have the courage to take a leap of faith. Lift and hold yourself up! Celebrate the journey at...

Read more

Stop being so hard on yourself, Divas‼️  Don’t get down, don’t stress yourself out, stop beating yourself.

Be happy with your accomplishments and have the courage to take a leap of faith. Lift and hold yourself up!

Celebrate the journey at EVERY step no matter the outcome! If you want

Going back to school and need support?

Join the Back to School Divas FB Community
http://bit.ly/2q40BUH

Get Featured in the BTSD Blog
http://bit.ly/BTSDFeaturedDiva

Read more about this month’s featured Divas
http://bit.ly/DivaSpotlight

Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/backtoschooldivas/

Follow Us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/backtoschooldivas

Get the ‘Everything You Need to Pass Your College Papers’ FREE Download
http://bit.ly/3boIS0O

young african american woman with glasses looking thoughtfully with a book
Posted on

How to Plan for a Successful New Semester

young african american woman with glasses looking thoughtfully with a book

When most students think about planning for a successful semester, they immediately think: "that's a lot of work."

   

While we agree, it's that kind of work that ends up paying off at the end. Bet...

Read more

When most students think about planning for a successful semester, they immediately think: “that’s a lot of work.”

 

 

While we agree, it’s that kind of work that ends up paying off at the end. Between assignments, breaks, and so many other things, it’s important to consider them all when you’re planning your semester.

 

In fact, a bit of planning can help make the rest of the semester a success! If you’ve already ended a semester successfully, or you want to ensure you get off to a good start, here’s how.

Here’s how to plan a successful semester:

#1: Put It In Writing:

 

When you are planning your semester, you need to put it in writing. It doesn’t matter if you use a student-specific planner, agenda, a regular old calendar or a digital calendar or planner. The important thing is to write down your plans.

#2: Annotate All Due Dates And Big Events:

 

Make sure that you annotate all due dates and big events for the upcoming semester. One extra tip that may help you is to use a different color to signal the due dates. This will allow you to know what’s coming at a glance.

#3: Break Your Work Into Daily Tasks:

 

One of the main benefits of planning your semester is that you can schedule your own time. If you have to deliver an assignment in one month, you don’t need to start working on it right now.

 

 

But you don’t need to leave all the work to be done on the previous day of the due date. When you plan your semester, you can easily dedicate a couple of hours each day, among your daily tasks, to work on this assignment. Just make sure that you have enough time to complete every task without rushing.

#4: Be Flexible:

 

The truth is that no matter if you create the best plan in the world for the next semester, there will always be distractions and interruptions. You want to reduce stress in college with ease. So, it’s always better to allocate more time than the one you believe you need for each task.

#5: Learn To Say “No”:

 

Sometimes, we just get carried away. You may like to paint and join a painting class and you also like to dance and you join a dancing class. Before you know it, you won’t have the time to do it all.

 

 

So, be sure to prioritize. Before you commit to any other extra activity, make sure that you really have the time and energy that it takes.

#6: Don’t Forget To Say “Yes” Too:

 

While getting good grades should always be a priority for you, your personal life is also important. So, if you feel like going out for dinner, watch your favorite television show or simply spend time with your friends, don’t feel guilty.

 

 

These are the kinds of activities that will allow you to relax and get the extra motivation to keep working hard. We all need a break sometimes.

#7: Keep Monitoring:

 

Planning your semester is incredibly important. However, you need to ensure that you monitor how you’re actually doing and if your grades are at the level that you were expecting.

 

 

By looking at what you have done and the results that you get, you’ll be able to adapt your behavior to improve your efficiency and productivity!

African American woman reading a book peacefully on couch
Posted on

Saying “No” to Stress with Priorities Check-In

African American woman reading a book peacefully on couch

We know it’s hard to successfully navigate family, work, politics, health, chores, and studying. Life seems to be going too fast, and to be honest, it’s not slowing down any time soon. But that doesn’t mean you h...

Read more

We know it’s hard to successfully navigate family, work, politics, health, chores, and studying. Life seems to be going too fast, and to be honest, it’s not slowing down any time soon. But that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to the stress, eat comfort food for every meal, and give up on all the fun extra things that make life awesome.

 

Stress — and more importantly, how you deal with it — all come down to you. Even a simple mindset shift can help you view stressors in a new light. Think about all the advice you’ve heard about saying “I get to …” instead of “I have to …”. And it doesn’t stop there. You have the power to remove stress from your life, too.

 

Don’t believe us? Let’s breakdown 4 strategies you can use to reduce stress levels and set priorities in your life.

.

Rule 1: Set Aside all the “Nice to Haves” for Later

 

No doubt about it, college stress is on a whole new level. You’ve got essays, and tests, and pop quizzes, group assignments, speeches … you name it. And it’s all happening at once.  There’s no “one and done”: rule for how to handle it all, but it can be helpful to remember to simply put first things first.

Ask yourself: “will what I’m about to do have an immediate effect on my most important goal right now?” Think about this in terms of short-term goals. You have dishes to do, laundry to fold, and an essay to write. Your biggest short-term goal is to get an A in your class for the semester. Which task helps you get there?

That doesn’t mean that the dishes won’t ever get done, or that the laundry will sit there forever. But always, first things first.

 

Rule 2. If it Works Without the Change, Then Let the Change Wait

 

Multi-tasking can seem like the easy way out of pressure, but try to avoid it if you’re really serious about reducing stress and increasing efficiency.

We all get distracted by a few new tasks here and there. The reality is that you may not be able to stop all these tasks from coming at you, especially as a college student. You may find yourself shuttling between school work and family tasks, only halfway showing up for either one.

Why not try out a more efficient way to deal with this situation? You can reduce stress, manage your time well and still remain fully present in each moment. Here’s the simple secret: as soon as a new assignment is given to you, listen to the instructions carefully and determine how much time you need to complete it. Then ask yourself if it’s really a priority that day or if it can be done tomorrow or next. Those dishes are annoying (and frankly, kinda gross) but leaving them one more day won’t be the end of the world.

On the other hand, leaving your assignment until tomorrow could cause serious issues. You just never know what might pop up tomorrow, right?

 

Rule 3: Focusing 100% on One Assignment is the Fastest Way to Complete It

 

Managing your time is a huge part of prioritizing your life, too. This means allotting a time block to complete certain tasks. Let’s say you’ve decided to complete that essay assignment that’s due in a couple of days. You sit down with a goal to get it done, then find that you spend three hours digging through research papers, bouncing around on Facebook, and staring at the ceiling. Or, you get distracted in 15 minutes and walk away.

Instead, get focused by setting a timer. 30 minutes will do. Set a timer, open your document, and get to work. Knowing that you’re in a time crunch, you’ll likely get more done in 30 minutes than you would in 3 hours, and you can walk away satisfied with your progress (even if you don’t finish it 100%).

 

Rule 4: Ask for Help When You Need It

 

Being productive and being stressed don’t need to go hand-in-hand. Ask for help when you need it:

 

  • task your kids with household chores while you study
  • ask a neighbor to pull in trash cans or check mail while you’re working late
  • use a delivery service for food from a local restaurant while you write an essay
  • hire help for everyday tasks while you enjoy time with family

 

Just be sure to ask for help from the right person. Having the wrong person, or someone who’s not up to the task, can end up causing more work for you down the line.

 

If you want to reduce stress and stay productive, focus on prioritizing what’s really important. If you want more help, join the Back to School Divas Facebook group for motivation and inspiration from women just like you!

 

Posted on

Get Calm with These Mindfulness Apps

Are you familiar with the term mindfulness? It’s gained popularity in the past few years and many people swear they have gotten their lives together, lost weight, learned to be happier and relieved stress by practici...

Read more

Are you familiar with the term mindfulness? It’s gained popularity in the past few years and many people swear they have gotten their lives together, lost weight, learned to be happier and relieved stress by practicing the principles of this technique.

 

Still, some people have yet to catch up with the mindfulness train and if you’re one of them, then today our goal is to help you get started! Let’s start living a much more calm, aware and stress-free life by identifying some of the best mindfulness apps to help you get in on it.

 

What is Mindfulness?

 

Mindfulness is a state of being more aware, living in the present moment and being conscious of your feelings, emotions, and thoughts as well as your physical presence.

 

encourages you to let go of the past and mistakes you have made and focus more on living life to the fullest in the present. It’s a powerful therapeutic technique that can help you feel more at ease.

 

Focusing on the past or future instead of the present can make you anxious and stressed out which reduces your quality of life and productivity. If you’re looking to cut out those negative thoughts that make you feel stressed, and become more present in the moment, or if you already actively practice and want to enhance your practice, mindfulness apps can help.

 

Could relief be as close as your smartphone?

 

Roll safe guy with "hmm" expression pointing at head

 

Let’s find out.

 

Calm

The Calm app lets you customize your experience by selecting soothing tracks to accompany your practice: the sound of the outdoors or rain, chirping crickets, or whatever sounds soothe you and puts your mind at ease. Calm features an exercise that helps you refocus your mind when it wanders, build awareness and learn to “snap out of it” when your mind goes into autopilot mode.

 

There are a series of 10-minute long videos on mindful movements and sleep stories that are read to you in a calming voice, like a bedtime story to put you at ease and help you sleep better.. There are also guided sessions for “daily calm” to help you relax and unwind. It has a wide selection of up to 100 music tracks to relax and sleep peacefully.

 

The app is free, but you can access even more helpful features with a premium subscription. It’s available on the Google Play store and iTunes App Store.

 

Headspace

Headspace app with tagline "Guided meditation for everybody"

Headspace is one of the most popular and best mindfulness apps available today. Creator Andy Puddicombe makes meditation and mindfulness a breeze with guided sessions based on what you want to achieve from your practice.

 

The app’s interface is bright and cheerful with animations and even has sessions for kids and short mini sessions to help you incorporate a bit of mindfulness into your daily life. You can track your progress as you meditate more and set reminders for days when you might forget to get a session in.

 

There are a variety of guided sessions to choose from like sleep sounds, emergency meditations, and short meditations. There is also an option for you to save some of these sessions for when you’re offline so you can access your favorite guided meditation sessions when you are off the grid.

 

The Headspace mindfulness app is available for free, but to access all of the available courses you’ll need to subscribe to a monthly plan. You can download the app from the Google Play store or iTunes App Store.

 

Stop, Breathe & Think

Stop, Breathe & Think app screen

As the name suggests, this mindfulness app encourages you to breathe and think by giving you a handy timer for mediations and breathing exercises while a soothing soundtrack plays in the background. What’s really unique about this app is that it tailors each session to you by letting you check in and answer questions about your physical and mental health to decide which meditation or yoga session would work best for you.

 

There’s a wide selection of sessions—from forgiveness to short stories and acupuncture videos that help you focus on living more in the present. This beginners mindfulness app has a guide on mediation for those who need more help getting into mediation as well. At the end of the week, you get a review of what your week was like, based on the moods you checked in before each session.

 

You can enjoy using this app for free but for full benefits, sign up for a monthly subscription. The app is available on Google Play store or iTunes App Store.

 

10% Happier

10% Happier app with screens on iPhone

This app is one of the most helpful mindfulness apps available for first time meditators. It’s based on the popular bestselling book by Tv Host Dan Harris with the same name and provides practical exercises you can follow, as well as sessions and talks by world-famous scientists, writers and psychologists. This app gives you the chance to communicate with a real-life coach if guided sessions simply aren’t doing it for you.

 

10% Happier takes a no-nonsense approach with its guided sessions on mindfulness, which is great for people who prefer a practical approach. The sessions and talks cover a range of topics including the benefits of practice on your brain and mind, mindful eating, and learning to be kind.

 

Take advantage of a 7-day free trial period after which you will have to pay for a yearly subscription if you decide it’s the best mindfulness app for you. The app is available on Google Play store or iTunes App Store.

 

Insight Timer

Insight Timer logo and phone app screen with tagline "Peace in our Timer"

What’s really special about this mindfulness app is that it’s more like a community or social network of meditators from all around the world. Insight Timer gives you information on how many people are currently mediating with you around the world and even gives you the option of inviting friends to meditate as well. Because you’re so connected to other like-minded people there are group discussions on meditation and mindfulness where users can share ideas, ask questions and learn from each other.

 

This app offers a wide range of guided meditation sessions—from sessions on self-love to overcoming addictions. You can also time sessions and choose soothing background sounds.

 

Insight Timer is free to download but you’ll need a premium subscription for access to more courses and content. Because of the wide range of users, there’s a lot of content that can be overwhelming for beginners. The app is available on Google Play store or iTunes App Store.

 

Which app will you try? Have you ever tried mindfulness or meditation practice? Let us know in the comments!

 

stressed African American woman sitting in front of laptop at work
Posted on

How to Deal with Stress: Doctor’s Advice

stressed African American woman sitting in front of laptop at work

With the crazy world that we live in and the hustle and bustle of each day, getting stressed out is not exactly a strange experience. Still, some level of stress has in fact been proven to be healthy! A little anxiety ...

Read more

With the crazy world that we live in and the hustle and bustle of each day, getting stressed out is not exactly a strange experience. Still, some level of stress has in fact been proven to be healthy! A little anxiety inspires drive and enhances your natural abilities to handle tasks and deliver results.

 

Just like every other thing in the world, if stress goes unchecked or is too frequent, there can be frightening consequences. Your body could experience a decline in the central nervous system, immune system, cardiovascular and neuroendocrine.

 

Miss J clutching neck and saying "oooo child"

 

And honestly, what is scarier than a trip to the emergency room? Doctors and scientists have gone out of their way to discuss tips for dealing with stress—so you can avoid health scares and feel your absolute best.

 

How to Deal with Stress in a Healthy Way

 

Beat Stress with Exercise

Hitting the gym or going for a walk comes first on our list because it’s one of the most fantastic ways to get your body and mind relaxed. Ironically, most of us who would love to experience these exercising benefits hardly ever find the time to make it happen!

 

Dr. Edward Group, Founder of Global Healing Center, stated that exercise helps you to feel stronger and better energized. It emits neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine which leaves you strong and feeling good thereby curbing stress.

 

Get in a regular sweat session at home with free YouTube workouts, DVDs, or other options. Doctor’s orders!

 

Fight Mental Overload with Meditation

Cutting off every distraction and finding that peaceful space to meditate and pray can be all you need to deal with stress. Research shows that it helps your body relax and keeps your mind focused. What’s more, meditating and mindful prayer help you get rid of negative emotions which could contribute to physical stress.

 

Meditation is so potent that the American Psychological Association recommends it to individuals, adding that it assists in generating self-compassion, forgiveness and other instant benefits.

 

Experience Renewal with Muscle Relaxation

With stress comes the feeling of tension and uneasiness. For this reason, taking actions to relax your muscles can help you get over such stress and exhaustion. To experience deep relaxation in your body, try:

  • enjoy a massage
  • stretch with a foam roller
  • take a hot shower
  • soak in a hot bath with Epsom sales

 

Gain a New Outlook when You Change Your Attitude

Stress usually originates from demands for your time and energy that you find difficult to handle. The most logical way to get out of stress is to avoid the situation that got you worked up in the first place. Easier said than done, right?

 

Maybe not. If your job gets you stressed to the point that Sunday afternoons are full of intense dread of Monday morning, consider updating your resume with a professional and start looking for something new.

 

Also, don’t work yourself up over circumstances that you can’t change. Focus on things you can control: your attitude, your time, and your thoughts.

 

Diva, daily living can be so crazy that it’s no wonder stress pops up every now and then. If your stress is ongoing, or leading to physical ailments, please visit your doctor.

 

If you’re looking for a simple way to enhance your productivity, get organized, and feel less overwhelmed by all your to-dos, download the Back to School Divas Planner! This beautiful free template includes weekly schedules, assignment lists, grocery lists and more.