Key Takeaways
- Online students face constant distractions and competing responsibilities, making consistent study habits difficult and increasing risk of mental overload.
- Study routines often break down due to shifting priorities, life changes and burnout, which can negatively impact academic performance.
- Building and maintaining a strong support system like advisors, instructors, and student advocates is essential for staying on track and managing stress.
- Managing multiple roles requires structure, realistic expectations, and clear boundaries to protect mental health and avoid burnout.
- Simple strategies like naming emotions, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and taking action early can help reduce anxiety and restore focus.
- Consistency comes from small, sustainable habits and supportive environments, including dedicated study spaces, routines, and celebrating incremental progress.
- Read on to get tips and advice from student advocates from our Office of Student Access and Wellness.
How to Prioritize Your Mental Health as an Online College Student
Staying consistent with your studies as an online college student is hard enough in these distracting times, when every break in your focus can shift your attention to a hobby, housework, or an endless cycle of scrolling through your phone.
These distractions can lead to mental overload. But prioritizing your mental health should not take a back seat. With the right strategies and support, you can develop routines that are sustainable and help keep your mental health in check.
In this article, student advocates from our Office of Student Access and Wellness, offer practical advice on how to make your mental health a top priority.
Why Study Habits Break Down So Easily (and How to Reset Them)
If your study habits are inconsistent, you are not alone. Even a consistent routine can be disrupted by added responsibilities, a change in schedule, or just mental fatigue. And like any habit, once you start to fall out of a routine, getting back into form can feel near-impossible. Just ask anyone who hasn’t used their gym membership in months.
Common study habit disruptors include:
- Competing priorities: You may feel overwhelmed with responsibilities that make life unpredictable, including work, family, and personal obligations.
- Change in routine: A job change, promotion, or new family member can make your schedule less predictable.
- Mental wear and tear: With so much on your plate, you could be at risk for burnout.
Research shows stress and anxiety are significantly linked to academic performance, so developing a healthy balance between school and the rest of your responsibilities is paramount.
Pro Tip No. 1: Know When to Call on Your Support System
One thing our student advocates want you to know: you are not alone. We prioritize student support, and reaching out early in your academic career can help you develop a foundation of sustainable study habits and stress management strategies.
“One of the most important ways for students to make their mental health a priority is to remember that you do not have to do everything on your own,” says Kenya Edwards, a student advocate with the Office of Student Access and Wellness.
Among Kenya’s tips:
- Reach out early and use your UAGC resources: “If you're falling behind, you might reach out to your instructor for guidance on an assignment,” Kenya suggests. “If you need help staying on track or just understanding your academic options, you can always connect with your academic advisor. And if you're ever dealing with something personal, feeling overwhelmed, or just needing help figuring out the next steps, you can reach out to your student advocate for support.”
- Be honest about what you need: You don’t have to have it all figured out, Kenya explains. “You can simply start with, ‘I’m having a tough time, and I’m not sure what to do.’”
- Check in with yourself regularly. Be honest about what you need, and then reach out early for support. It also means “giving yourself permission to not carry everything along,” she adds.
You don’t need a plan of action when reaching out for help. All you need to do is acknowledge that you need support, and let the resources and people available help you move forward.
“When you stay connected to support, you create a space for understanding, flexibility, and a plan that actually works for you, not against you,” Kenya says. “So, if you ever start to feel overwhelmed, don't wait. Stay connected and reach out to us and then allow yourself to be supported. And remember, you were never meant to navigate this academic journey alone.”
Pro Tip No. 2: How to Protect Your Mental Health When Managing Multiple Roles
Adult learners in college are often navigating multiple roles as professionals, partners, parents, and caregivers. That level of responsibility requires more than time management. It requires intentional care of your mental health.
As student advocate Dr. Nicole Villarreal explains, managing responsibilities starts with introducing structure and flexibility into your routine. Her tips include:
- Be predictable: Research consistently shows that predictability reduces stress, Dr. Villarreal explains. “The best piece of advice I offer our students to manage their stress is to start by restructuring your time with purpose.”
- Set realistic expectations: High standards are valuable, but perfectionism is often a barrier to completion and well-being. Sustainable progress should always be the goal.
- Know your limits. Be mindful of your cognitive and emotional limits,” Dr. Villarreal suggests. “Setting boundaries is not avoidance; it’s a form of self-regulation that protects your capacity to perform.”
Dr. Villarreal encourages students to practice ongoing self-assessment. When you start to notice signs of burnout, anxiety, or emotional fatigue, it’s a signal that you need to ask for help.
Pro Tip No. 3: How to Take Control of Your Anxiety
Once your stress becomes overwhelming, it may be difficult to focus. If you find yourself stuck in that space, focusing on simple, manageable steps can help you regain control.
“Taking care of your mental health as a student doesn’t have to be complicated,” says Student Care Manager Matt Galloway.
Matt suggests “three simple tools” for taking control of your anxiety.
- Name what you’re feeling: If you’re stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious, say it to yourself. “Putting feelings into words can actually help calm our minds and make things more manageable,” Matt says.
- Break tasks into small steps: When everything feels like too much, just “shrink it.” Instead of completing an assignment, try typing one paragraph, or do the citation. Those small steps make it easier to build momentum, and starting is everything.
- Reach out: You don’t have to handle everything on your own. Even a quick conversation about what’s on your mind can make a big difference.
“While we might feel like it, we don’t need to do everything perfectly,” Matt stresses. “Just start with one small step.”
Pro Tip No. 4: How to Stay Consistent When Your Motivation Drops
Even the most dedicated students go through periods when it’s harder to focus and stay motivated, which can inadvertently impact your mental health. But small, steady efforts can make a difference. Some ways to stay consistent when your motivation drops include:
- Start small: Focus on manageable study sessions with established start and end times rather than waiting until you’re motivated.
- Connect your study habits to an existing routine: Try reviewing your coursework after work every day or writing your papers in the same location. This goes a long way to creating a habit.
- Keep track of your progress: Checking off tasks or logging your study time every day will show you that consistency is possible, momentum is contagious, and motivation comes from seeing your own success.
“Success is not just about endurance; it’s about sustainability,” Kenya says.
Pro Tip No. 5: How to Create a Study Space That Works Anywhere
Identifying a study space that works for you is critical to a routine that benefits your mental health. However, you don’t need a dedicated office or quiet room in your house. For many students, it’s simply about creating an environment – at home, in the library, at a coffee shop – where it’s easy to avoid distractions and stay engaged.
- Find a consistent place to study: Even a small area works as long as it has the proper lighting and comfortable seating.
- Limit interruptions: Silence your notifications and set boundaries when it comes to friends and family. Let them know this is your dedicated study time.
- Build structure into your routine: Use calendar reminders and timers to create “study blocks” that let you know when it’s time to start and when it’s time to close your books.
Your personal study space doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be yours. Over time, you’ll feel at home in your space, making it easier for you to focus, get your work done, and maintain a positive mindset.
Summary: How to Prioritize Your Mental Health
You don’t need unlimited time or perfect focus to create a consistent study routine, nor do you have to sacrifice your own mental health in order to succeed. By building small, sustainable habits, using your support system, and taking care of yourself, you can create a routine that works for you.
“Making your mental health a priority isn't just about reacting when things become overwhelming, Kenya explains. “It's also about checking in with yourself, being honest about what you need, and then reaching out early for support.”
Remember to celebrate the small wins, whether it’s completing a research paper or simply getting through a study session without reaching for your phone. What matters most is showing up for yourself and staying engaged with your goals.
Learn more about our support services for students or speak to an advisor today!