I completed my Advanced Diploma in Kinesiology at O’Neill Kinesiology College last year. You can read all about my experience studying kinesiology here. That’s the end of three years of juggling study with part time work and of course being a mum and a wife. It hasn’t been easy but I have also done the best I could to make it as smooth as possible. So I thought I would share some of my tips. There’s already lots of articles out there with great study tips or tips for busy mums. As a kinesiologist my approach is more focused on your wellbeing.
Let go of mum guilt
Mum guilt is hard on a daily basis. And then there’s the mum guilt about wanting to study. Feeling torn about choosing to spend more time away from your children but knowing it will be worth it for a better future. Then when you actually begin studying there’s the mum guilt about having less time for your kids due to classes, study and assignments. No matter how much you try to minimise the impact on your kids there will always be moments when that mum guilt will creep in. Just acknowledge it, allow the feelings to pass and remind yourself why you are doing this. The more you do this the more you will be able to keep mum guilt at bay and eventually let it go.
There are so many juggling acts for us mums. Adding in study can take awhile for you and your family to find the right balance and that’s ok. Be kind to yourself while you try to work out the flow.
Organise your time
Use a study/family planner and fill it with your assessment due dates and peak study times as well as family commitments. This will help you balance and prioritise your time and work around busy periods because you can easily see it all at a glance.
Finding the time to study and work on assignments can be tricky with little ones around. Trial waking up an hour or two before the kids or wait until the kids are in bed in the evening. Having less distractions from the kids will allow you to focus and get more done and you will feel less overwhelm.
And while it is important to plan ahead it is also important to be flexible. Life happens. Set your non-negotiables and be ready to be flexible with anything else.
Ask for help
If you have a partner have an open and honest conversation about where you need help – whether it be reducing your share of the chores at home or hiring some help around the house. If you’re a single mama lean on the people around you to look after your kids so you can study or help out in other ways like cooking meals. Be open to offers of help. The offers may not be exactly what you needed or asked for but look at how they can work to your advantage. Your people love you and will want to help you but often don’t realise you need help until you ask. If you really struggling to find support with the kids you can try the creche at your gym or your local rec centre so you fit in some study time or work on assignments or even the McDonalds playground.
The same goes for the teaching staff of your course. It is their job to teach you so if you’re struggling to understand something ask questions or ask for some tutoring/mentoring. My level one teacher had been a kindy teacher. She always commented how adult learners are so hard on themselves. Adults expect they should know it all already whereas kindy kids understand it is all new and they are just learning. Embrace the fact that you are there to learn and you will find the pressure will ease.
Celebrate your achievements
Getting assignments in on time, passing assessments, completing units. These are all achievements. Especially in the beginning and even more so if you haven’t studied for decades. Congratulate yourself for what you achieve as you do it and reward yourself with a massage or a special gift. If money is tight you can make yourself something special, celebrate with friends or get creative with other ways you can treat yourself.
To help keep yourself motivated for the duration of your whole course find or make a graduation reward chart where you can colour in sections as you complete each unit. This way you can get that dopamine hit as you see how much you have completed and when you’re almost finished you can see how close you are to graduation.
Prioritise self care
Ensure you get enough sleep. Not only will this help you function but it will also help your focus and memory retention.
Eat healthy foods and limit sugary snacks. It’s so easy to turn to snacks to keep you going or because you don’t want to interrupt working on an assignment to make a proper meal. Your body and your brain will function better on healthy and more filling meals.
Drink plenty of water. Keeping hydrated helps your body on a cellular level and this helps your brain function too. Limit sugary and caffeinated beverages so your body isn’t overstimulated.
Move your body even if it’s gentle like yoga and going for a walk. It’s important to keep your body moving especially if you spend a lot of time sitting in class or watching online classes. When you are really focused working on an assignment or studying for an exam remember to take breaks and move around.
Make time for meditation. It is great for calming your nervous system and it can also improve your attention and focus. You can also try breathwork, ice baths and sound baths. Find what works for you.
Treat yourself. Get a massage, go to the hairdressers – do something that makes you feel good. This can be part of you celebrating your achievements or this can be part of your self care. It’s up to you.
Reduce overwhelm
Set short term goals even if it’s just a 5 minute window of reading time. This will help break down tasks that appear overwhelming. Try to read your notes within the same week to improve your memory retention. This will help when it’s time to study for an exam.
Understand your learning style. If you’re visual, find or make yourself more visual guides. If you’re auditory, voice record your notes and play back when you’re out walking, driving or even cooking in the kitchen. If you’re kinaesthetic, get hands-on in any way that you can and move around if you can while learning.
Be kind to yourself. Observe the negative/critical self talk and be patient with yourself. You are studying because you want to learn something new. This means you don’t know it yet. And that’s ok. You are learning. Take the pressure off yourself and get comfortable with learning. Talk to yourself the same way you would talk to your child when they feel overwhelmed with school.
If you are constantly feeling like you are in a state of overwhelm consider getting a kinesiology balance. By calming your nervous system your brain will be able to function better which will help your learning. Kinesiology can also help if you are struggling with learning. Brain integration balances can really help with learning difficulties and to calm your nervous system to allow learning to occur. And that was another thing I loved about studying at O’Neill Kinesiology College in Perth. In Level 1, all students receive a free basic brain integration balance. It was so great to be studying at a college where we were really supported with tools to help our understanding and our growth.
If you would like to know more about how kinesiology can help improve your learning please add a comment or contact me with any questions.