We’ve all been there: it’s late in the evening, we’re halfway through a season of our favorite show, and Netflix asks us if we’re still watching. At this point, panic begins to set in as we wonder, “what am I doing with my life?” Although many of us may find it easy to be professional procrastinators, fear not! Here are three different ways you can change your life – and your mind – for the better this school year…

MAKE A SCHEDULE

Sometimes, lack of a game plan can result in late nights, unnecessary stress, and a lack of productivity. By telling yourself, “Okay, I’m going to work on my math homework for an hour, write my English essay for forty-five minutes, and study for my history quiz for another forty-five minutes,” you will immediately feel less intimidated simply because you have a solid plan in place. Although making a schedule is a trial and error process, you will ultimately find something that works for you.

SELF-CARE

When you’re starting to feel overwhelmed, it helps to take ten minutes to do something that makes you happy. Whether that be applying a fun face mask, reading a chapter out of your favorite book, or taking a BuzzFeed quiz to discover which pizza represents your personality, short breaks will refresh you.

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

Although it can be challenging to maintain a positive mindset, one of the easiest ways to achieve this is by spending time with more positive people. By spending time with people who make you happy, you will be replacing your negative thoughts with positive thoughts. When you feel totally stuck in a hopeless situation, it helps to take a step back and realize that you can’t change your circumstances, but you can change how you react to them.

So this year, instead of rewatching “The Office” for the third time, try and change it up! Your mind will thank you for it.