Take regular breaks and make rest a priority

One of the most important ways you can support yourself whilst studying with us is to ensure you take regular breaks throughout the day. Whilst it sounds like a simple step, it can be far too easy to stay laser focused on what you’re doing and completely forget to step away from your computer. Suddenly, you realise you’ve been working for hours with no respite, which can lead to physical and mental fatigue. Setting reminders throughout the day to take a break could help with this. 

Following along nicely from taking breaks, making sure you’re able to prioritise rest is crucial to feeling refreshed and motivated during your time at Northcoders. A few things to think about could be how you wind down, what makes you feel relaxed and also creating an awareness around how much sleep you’re getting. Without rest comes burnout, so do take that time to recharge. 

Move through your day 

During bootcamp hours, you will likely be sitting down for long periods of time at your computer, so making a conscious effort to move your body is essential and a good way to re-energise. You can do this in any way that works for you! Some examples include getting outside on a walk during your lunch break, starting the day with your favourite type of exercise, or even just standing up and stretching regularly when you take breaks is also great. However you choose to move your body, it can make a huge difference to your mental wellbeing by improving your mood and reducing stress. 

Create a working environment right for you

Even though we have our in-person hubs, many learners work from home and study with us remotely. As you’ll be spending lots of your time focused on the course over the 13 weeks, it’s massively helpful to create a positive working environment that feels good for you. For example, if you’re somebody who is easily distracted, you can try making your working area as minimalistic as possible. Another layer to this is ensuring you have suitable equipment for everyday use, such as a comfortable desk chair that supports you. 

Self-care

Self-care doesn’t always look ‘fancy’, nor does it look the same for everybody. Being aware of how you take care of yourself overall is a vital part of supporting yourself during your time on the bootcamp, and it can actually just be the basics. There are many different types of self-care, some include: physical, emotional, social, mental, spiritual and professional (workplace wellbeing).

Here are a few examples for each type of self-care mentioned below:

• Physical: Getting enough sleep, fuelling your body, physical activity, staying hydrated, attending appointments 
• Emotional: Speaking to somebody when you need support, journaling to process emotions, practising self acceptance and compassion, setting boundaries 
• Social: Spending time with friends and family, creating new connections and relationships, taking time to yourself when needed
• Mental: Reading, learning a new skill, setting goals, trying a new hobby 
• Spiritual: How you connect with the world and yourself, reflecting on your values, meditation, prayer, spending time in nature, breathwork
• Professional: Taking regular breaks, take part in activities and social events, rest/take time off when you need it, setting your phone to ‘Do not disturb’

Always reach out if you need support

Last but certainly not least, always reach out for support when you need it. At Northcoders, you could have a conversation with your mentor or with our wellbeing team (Cade or Danni). We understand how important it is to be able to talk to someone, whether that be for some help on the course, wellbeing support or if you just need a chat. Outside of the course, staying connected with friends or family can be a great support, so you know that you’re not in this alone. 

It’s all about balance

I’ve mentioned some examples of how you can support yourself on the bootcamp, but it’s important to remember that it’s all about balance. For example, exercising may be exactly what you need one day, but perhaps fully resting is what you need on another day. It’s all about removing the ‘shoulds’, trying not to compare yourself to others and focusing on what makes you feel good.