The GC Student Balancing Act: Making Self-Care a Priority - Divya Proper

When you hear “self-care,” what pops into your head? Maybe it’s yoga, meditation, or journaling. While those are great, self-care is so much more than just bubble baths and taking deep breaths. Sometimes it’s about setting boundaries, getting enough sleep, or just stepping outside for some fresh air. As genetic counseling students, it’s important for us to build good self-care habits now to prevent compassion fatigue and burnout during the program and after graduation when we are working genetic counselors. However, with packed clinic days, constantly changing schedules, and what feels like a never-ending to-do list, self-care can easily fall off your radar.

So how can you make self-care a regular and doable part of your graduate school life?

Schedule Self-Care Like an Appointment

One strategy that I have found helpful throughout my time in the program has been to put self-care on my calendar. I block off time to exercise or just to unwind and treat it like any other commitment. Sometimes, signing up (and paying!) for an activity or a workout class gives me extra motivation to go. If it’s on my schedule and I’ve already put down a deposit, I’m way more likely to stick with it and actually show up.

Prioritize Sleep

Sleep is so important, yet often the first thing that is sacrificed when things get busy. However, not feeling well-rested will typically set me up for failure when I have a busy week ahead of me. To make sure I’m getting a full eight hours every night, I set a “laptop off” time, and if I have an early clinic or class, I’ll head to bed even earlier.

Maintain Social Connections

I have found that staying connected to friends and family to be extremely important in staying sane during graduate school. Even when we are not all in class together, I find it helpful to try and make a point to regularly see the other people in my cohort since they understand what it is like to be a GC student better than anyone. I also try to hang out with friends outside the program (sometimes you need a break from talking about genetics) and regularly catch up with family, even if it’s just a quick call.

 

Utilize Weekends Intentionally

It’s easy to let weekends become an extension of the workweek, but I try to protect at least part of the weekend for personal time. I aim to have at least one day on the weekend to do something fun, participate in my hobbies, or do nothing with zero guilt. Having time to go to sports games, explore Pittsburgh, or spend a day on the couch reading a book is always a much-needed break after a busy week.

 

Self-care in graduate school isn’t optional. It enables you to show up for your patients, your classes, your relationships, and yourself. The key is consistency. Start small and set realistic goals for yourself. You’ll be more focused, more fulfilled, and far more prepared to take on whatever grad school throws at you.