Managing my wellbeing as an MSc student

MSc Management student Aditya shares his advice on balancing his wellbeing alongside studies at Warwick Business School.

It can be easy to become exhausted or stressed when having to balance studies, exams, and personal life. So it’s crucial to learn to devote time to things other than work or study, we must remember to take care of ourselves.

Not only will this avoid stress, but it will keep us in the right frame of mind to perform and grow, both professionally and personally.

I always like to organise my schedule carefully, and strategise to avoid any last minute panics or needless worries. If you’re like me then the following tips should be useful, and if you’re not, it might be worth trying – you might thank yourself!

Time management

As a Masters student at WBS, time management is imperative. Making a schedule that incorporates time for studying, socialising, exercising, and relaxing is the ideal way to do this. You might not get it right at first and it might take some adjusting, but it will pay dividends once you do.

I like to prioritise my most urgent and important tasks, giving myself plenty of time to do them without rushing or panicking. This way, if I do decide I feel like going to see friends, exercising or just having some rest, I can grant that to myself with time to spare and no feelings of guilt.

Exercise

I find including daily exercise eases anxiety and stress, improves my focus, and is instrumental to my overall wellbeing. It doesn’t have to be anything too strenuous or time-consuming, even a light walk, fresh air and a change of scenery can work wonders.

I attend regular fitness classes at the campus gym, and often enjoy a wander around the university on one of the beautiful campus walks. The cherry blossom trees and refreshing lake views are a personal favourite.

Prioritise sleep

Getting enough sleep is vital to perform at our top level, be that in study, work, exercise or our day-to-day lives. Many students fall into the trap of sacrificing important sleeping hours for last-minute study, but if you can help it, this should really be avoided.

I find I function best on between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, but everybody’s different – some of my friends prefer ‘power naps’ in the day, whatever works for you!

Socialise

Making friends with other students, teachers, and staff on campus is a great way to connect, enjoy spare time and learn from others. I like to organise group study sessions with my course mates, and enjoy non-curricular activities such as cinema trips together and attending live music gigs.  

Be sure to check out the Warwick SU societies, there are over 300 and counting! The Warwick campus is a hotbed of different voices, cultures and viewpoints, so make the most of your time here and spend time getting to know your peers.

Be kind to yourself

In such a busy schedule of studying, perhaps working, travelling, exercising and socialising, it can be easy to forget about time for yourself. Don’t overdo it, plan your schedule so that you’ve always got time to decide you want a day off, to do whatever you feel like doing.

Resting and recharging is vital, a Masters course is a marathon not a sprint. If you are ever struggling and looking for advice or a second opinion, our wellbeing team are always on hand to help.

Warwick is a warm, friendly and united community, I’m certain you’ll love your time here. Just remember to be kind to yourself and make the most of your experience, both inside of the WBS building and out – a year flies by!

Read more about the experiences of our MSc students here, or download our MSc brochure to discover our range of Postgraduate courses.