Be kind to your mind: pomodoro your way through the pandemic.

“You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.”
- Marcus Aurelius

For students across the world, the upheaval and disruption of the COVID pandemic has been like a minefield - or more like a ‘MINDfield’ - to try and navigate, with no maps.

On top of the normal stresses and strains of life as a teenager or young adult, COVID has added more complexity to their day to day. In Australia in July, the CEDA Mental Health in a COVID-19 Australia Productivity Commission Report confirmed ‘scarring’ impacts on our young people; and reported a ‘lost decade’ of income growth; decline in occupational choices; decline in employment quality and quantity; and greater exposure to future economic shocks across their lifetimes.

The report also highlighted the pandemic-induced economic downturn’s impact on the developmental trajectories of young people through the negative toll that recessions can take on families, which have been shown to diminish parental emotional investment, and increase domestic violence, child abuse and neglect. Such adverse experiences early in a young person’s life can have severe and long-term impacts on mental health.

Added to this are the corollaries of the pandemic itself, including ongoing restrictions, social isolation and the chronic uncertainty that has exacerbated psychological distress and mental health problems among young people, and especially among those with pre-existing conditions. 

So, what can be done to help students mitigate the impacts of the pandemic and recession, and get on top of their mental health?

Students are stressed, overwhelmed + facing complex challenges

October is Mental Health Awareness Month. This month encourages all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not. It also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of good mental health in our everyday lives and encourages help-seeking behaviours when needed. 

Hayley Darke, Psychologist and Monash University postdoctoral researcher, says under ‘normal’ circumstances students have a heightened risk of experiencing anxiety, low mood, and psychological distress.

But the spokesperson for One in Five - a charity that aims to raise awareness and funds to research cures rather than just treatments for mental illness - says the pandemic has posed a host of complex new challenges for students that need to be addressed.

“Students face a barrage of stressors including upcoming tests and exams, constant pressure to achieve good grades, heavy workloads, frequent deadlines, not to mention managing other competing demands such as extracurriculars, work, hobbies and social engagements. It’s no wonder that many students report feeling overwhelmed and strained,” she says.

Home study, remote learning + digital fatigue is real

“For many, lockdown restrictions have brought with them financial stress, fewer employment opportunities, and the stress of social isolation. Switching from in-person classes to remote learning has been a welcome change for some students, while others have struggled with the loss of hands-on learning, less one-on-one time with educators, technical difficulties, and the ‘artificial’ nature of interacting with peers and instructors via video call.”

“Remote learning also means that many students have less control over their learning environments. For instance, cohabiting with others who are working from home, caring for young children, or doing remote learning themselves can make it difficult to find a quiet study environment. Finally, greater uncertainty about the future has made it even more difficult for students to plan their careers and make decisions around their futures.” 

Encourage students to rethink future plans + reset goals

But the good news for students and young adults is there are plenty of things you can do to improve how you manage your home study experience and the prospect that you may need to reconsider future study, travel (gap year) or career pathway planning in a very different looking world.

“As difficult and uncertain as the current times are, try to embrace the possibilities. There are so many opportunities available to young people, and being open and willing to explore new avenues will help you to navigate a rapidly-changing landscape,” Hayley says.

“With that said, be aware that it’s ok to grieve the future plans that you are forced to let go or postpone. Life has changed in unprecedented and potentially irreversible ways!”

“For students looking to rethink their goals, the core advice remains the same: Do your research, and try to get in touch with people who are working in the industry you are interested in. Ask them how their careers have changed during the pandemic, and what advice they might have for people looking to enter that industry. Where do they think things might be headed in future?”

Top Tips for managing study stress

1. Don’t forget to schedule fun stuff
   Fun, mood-boosting activities should be a regular part of your routine. Studying doesn’t always have fixed hours, so it is easy to feel like you are constantly ‘on the clock’. Rather than feeling guilty when you find yourself choosing fun or relaxing activities – like spontaneously starting that new series on Netflix - build them into your schedule in advance. Balancing study time with scheduled enjoyment is essential for maintaining good mental health.   
   

2. Don’t procrastinate - pomodoro instead!
   Contrary to popular belief, procrastination is not laziness. Rather, individuals procrastinate when they feel anxious, overwhelmed, tired, or burned out. The cycle of procrastinating, feeling stressed, then tackling a task at the last minute can be a hard habit to break, but there are many strategies that can help. There are a number of useful apps and web browser extensions to help minimise distractions that encourage procrastination. For example, Productivity Owl is a chrome extension for temporarily blocking selected websites during pre-specified work hours, while Forest is a phone app that earns achievements when you leave your phone alone while studying. The Pomodoro technique is another popular productivity and time management philosophy that aims to provide the user with maximum focus, thereby allowing them to complete projects faster with less mental fatigue.

   Pomodoro Technique

   The process is pretty simple: For every project throughout the day, you budget your time into short increments and take breaks periodically. You work for 25 minutes, then take break for five minutes. Each 25-minute work period is called a “pomodoro”, named after the Italian word for tomato. Francesco Cirillo used a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato as his personal timer, and thus the method’s name! After four “pomodoros” have passed, (100 minutes of work time with 15 minutes of break time) you then take a 15-20 minute break. Every time you finish a pomodoro, you mark your progress with an “X”, and note the number of times you had the impulse to procrastinate or switch gears to work on another task for each 25-minute chunk of time. By focusing your attention for short bursts of time you may find that you are able to complete tasks much more effectively.
   

3. Care for your body
   We’ve all heard it a million times, but it’s said because it’s true - care for your body! Adequate sleep, healthy eating habits, and regular exercise are essential for mental wellness. Many of us would admit to neglecting one or more of these areas during times of stress. Make an effort to prioritise your health, because the consequences of the habits you develop now will follow you into later life – for better or worse! 
   

4. Tap in, talk to someone and take advantage of available supports
   Take advantage of the supports available to you. If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, looking for support during a difficult time, or just feel that you might benefit from having someone to talk to, there is support available. Your school or university will most likely have counsellors or psychologists on staff for you to book an appointment with. You might also visit your GP to arrange a mental health plan, or call the Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) for free online counselling for ages 5-25. There are also a number of online resources, such as ReachOut.com, which provide tailored information guides for young people and students.  

The Future Amp Career Education Platform features student-tested, engaging, real-world programs including ‘Independent Learner’ modules - self-paced, interactive, personal development programs to help students manage themselves, plan tasks, build skills and become more self-aware. Reach out to one of our consultants to bring Future Amp to your school and students in 2021.

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