Flickr user Asian Development Bank
Whether you’re a freshman or a senior in high school, there are always good habits you can take advantage of. You probably have a few good ones already (as well as bad)! However, as you head into a new semester, these are a few good habits you can add to your life and learn from.
Create Daily To-Do Lists
You may already keep a planner for your homework, but you might want to go beyond that. During college, you’ll have a lot of tasks to complete from homework to reading to laundry as well as writing co-workers about specific projects or ordering a textbook you forgot to buy previously. It can be hard to keep on track and do it all.
Creating a to-do list now every day can help make this semester and all your future ones, whether in high school or college, successful. Teachers in high school will often remind you of due projects; college professors won’t always do that. Starting this habit early will help you adjust quickly when you head to a university. It may even free up time in your day to day right now, as you’ll have all your must do tasks out of the way right away.
Exercise Daily
If you’re not already, you’ve heard it a million times: Exercise is important. It helps keep your stress levels lower, while also keeping you healthy and in shape, and can even help you study. Whether you’re walking a mile or two (or more) a day, playing sports, or simply exercising at the local or school’s gym, don’t skip this.
Making exercise a habit early on will help you keep on track in the future. It can be easy to skip that day or skip this day, but once you make it a habit, it will feel weird to not exercise. It’s a good routine to have even after you graduate high school and college.
Better Sleep Schedule
You’ve also heard this a million times: Sleep is important. Everyone’s different. Some require 7 hours, most need 8, but some also need 9. Whatever your requirement, make sure you’re getting it. Sleeping too little or too much can have negative effects on your health, mood, and academics.
A sleep schedule, where you go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning, can only benefit you. It helps establish a routine that you’re comfortable with while also making sure you’re giving your body the full night’s rest it needs. It can be easy to stay up late as a teenager, but creating this habit now can improve your health and your grades.
These habits and others will help set you up for a successful semester at high school, and even a successful career at college. However, even at the end of the finals, don’t give these new found habits up! Keep at it, even through the summer, to help ensure they stay in place when you start your next year of high school or even your freshman year at college.
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