Just because you can't travel to a place like this now, doesn't mean you can't visit it in your mind!
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
In Spring 2020, we couldn't offer you our usual Zen Den at Greenblatt Library and De-Stress Zone space at Reese Library during finals time, so we united to bring the Zen Zone to you virtually by putting together this page of links to ideas to help you get into a zen state.
You can link to coloring pages and puzzles you can print or do online, or create your own thing.
Find below several resources so you can tap into your own Zen Zone at home, in the car, or wherever you are, as long as you have an internet connection. Some you can download when you have internet access so that you can use them offline. We have resources from our e-collections and those freely available online (no in-app purchases required!) to help you become de-stressed and more mindful during this tumultuous time and beyond.
**Disclaimer** The resources listed below are here to help you take short breaks to enter into a more calm and mindful state. We know they take time to get used to, but if you find that you are still feeling rather stressed after many days, we recommend seeking help from a mental health professional. See the links below for free counseling for students and employees at Augusta University.
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
You probably have heard of "the need for self-care." As JagNation (2018) says, when we think of 'self-care,' bubble baths, massages, and spa days pop into our minds. That is thanks to media representation, which typically depicts a woman taking a "self-care moment" away from her busy family life. However, as Dr. William Hight, a psychologist from Augusta University Student Counseling & Psychological Services, explains, 'self-care' is so much more than that, and is essential for everyone. According to Hight (JagNation, para. 2):
Self-care can be defined as the practice of intentionally and consistently tending to one's emotional, physical, and mental well-being. It starts with a decision to be kind to oneself."
As JagNation (2018) says, it can be tempting to push aside 'self-care' for a later time, as working on assignments and studying for your finals seem the highest priority. However, if you keep on putting 'self-care' off, your daily stress will build over time, making it harder for you to perform well academically and personally, leading to short-term and long-term negative implications on your quality of life.
So, be at your optimal mental best by practicing self-care all year round. Create a "self-care toolkit" of ideas for you to dip into for self-care time. We have links to coloring, puzzling, soothing musing, mindfulness and meditation downloads and streaming, and more underneath this box which are all ways you can self-care. Other self-care ideas can be found on The Cafe, and Endorphins While Indooring tabs in this guide.
Image by Joshua Woroniecki from Pixabay
Image by Luisella Planeta Leoni from Pixabay
What is mindfulness, and what does it mean to be more mindful? Has someone ever commented to you, "I need to be mindful about x," or "Please be more mindful about y"? Being mindful in this context means being more focused or aware of a particular issue or situation. Being mindful in the context of mental health is an extension of this - being aware and focused as you go about your everyday life. This definition of mindfulness by Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkley (GGSCa, n.d., para. 1) gives a good overview of mindfulness:
Mindfulness means maintaining a moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment.
Practicing mindfulness helps us to ground ourselves into reality, the present moment, so we don't lose ourselves in rehashing the past or stressing about the future (GGSC, n.d.). Mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist meditation, and in recent decades, a secular practice of mindfulness has entered the Western mainstream (GGSC). Since then, thousands of studies have shown how mindfulness, in general, has physical and mental health benefits (GGSC). It is virtually impossible to be in a 100% state of mindfulness - not even experienced Buddhist monks can! But the more you practice in mindfulness, quite likely the better you will get in honing in on the present and stop yourself from worries and regret.
You've probably seen a lot of mindfulness and meditation apps. The problem is many of these have in-app purchases and aren't even backed by research on their efficacy of developing your mindfulness (GGSCb, n.d.). Find below a list of links to FREE high-quality mindfulness and meditation downloads and streaming developed by health centers in universities.
Image by Maret Horsemann on Pixabay
Certain types of background music can help you focus while you are studying. We recommend classical music because there are no distracting lyrics (Northcentral University, 2017). You can also explore meditation music, which is great for concentration as it helps relieve stress and relaxes your mind (Northcentral University). Find out more about how music can help you study and focus on Northcentral University's blog post. And find some free relaxing tracks below!
Image by McKinsey from Rawpixel
You may have heard of ASMR as it became a YouTube sensation in recent years. What is it? ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSD, n.d.), ASMR may bring on a feeling of euphoric tingling and relaxation when you watch specific videos or listen to particular sounds. Segments tend to be long, and you can keep on watching or listening until you drift off to sleep (NSD). ASMR doesn't work for everyone, but it might work for you! Find out more about ASMR from the National Sleep Foundation's blog post on Sleep.org. One of our colleagues' swears by ASMR and below are some of her favorite YouTube Channels:
