Managing your mindset
Book, tea and cookies

Learning and living is hard work and it’s a challenging process to go through, full of highs and lows. Understanding and managing your mindset can have a significant impact on how you experience life.  

A “fixed mindset” is the belief that your abilities and character are static and cannot be changed, and that success is based on inherent intelligence or talent. On the other hand, a “growth mindset” looks at failure as an opportunity to learn and embraces challenges. Practicing self-compassion can help you shift your mindset from a “fixed mindset” to a “growth mindset”. 

Self-compassion is about being aware of your negative feelings and knowing that they’re a normal part of life. It’s important to practice kindness and care towards yourself and develop techniques that will help you get through it. Your emotional wellbeing is influenced by how you choose to speak to yourself in difficult situations, so try and be gentler on yourself.  

It's important to treat yourself with the same type of kind, caring support and understanding that you would show to anyone you cared about.  

Setting healthy boundaries
A venn diagram with three equally overlapping circles: priorities, comfort and time. The space where all three circles intersect says "yes".

There are two types of boundaries. Boundaries that you put in place for yourself, and boundaries that you put in place for others depending on their relationship to you. Boundaries are about what is okay and what is not okay and help you keep feel comfortable and safe as you engage in the world. Observing boundaries shows respect for others. When we have the boundaries in our life right, it helps us to feel safe and less stressed. Boundaries can be: 

Physical: Eg when we feel comfortable being physically close to someone, how and under what circumstances we prefer to be touched or intimate 

Social/psychological/cultural: E.g. asking or answering personal questions, how we dress or behave in different circumstances.  

How to set a boundary: 

  1. Define what the boundary is and why it is important to you
  2. Communicate the boundary
  3. Acknowledge the needs of others
  4. Keep the boundary established (even when it's challenging)

When setting healthy boundaries remember: 

  • It is okay to be assertive and say NO when you need to

  • Protecting your space and time is important 

  • Trust your gut, you will know when your boundaries are being crossed. 

  • Asking for support is a strength 

Benefits of setting healthy boundaries

  • Reduces your stress and mental load 

  • Establishes relationships that are emotionally healthy on all sides 

  • Improves self-esteem and confidence and social skills by practicing assertiveness and communication. 

  • By meeting your needs you develop more respect for yourself and others 

  • You finally have time and energy to do things that nourish and bring you joy. 

Balancing your time

Leading a well-rounded life also means taking into account the needs we have outside of being productive – this includes our relationships with friends and family, homes, hobbies, education, work and health.  

There is only so much time in a day and doing things to the best of your ability takes time. If you are expecting yourself to do too many things, you run the risk of burning out. Prioritising what is most important for a certain time frame helps you do your best in these areas and reduces the chance of getting overwhelmed trying to do everything. 

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs depicted as a jenga set with the following text: Self-actualisation: Desire to become the most that one can be; Esteem: Respect, self-esteem, status, recognition, strength, freedom; Love & Belonging: friendship, intimacy, family, sense of connection; Safety Needs: personal security, employment, resources, health, property; Physiological needs: air, water, food, shelter, sleep, clothing, reproduction

There are lots of different areas of your life to consider, but only so many places you can prioritise in certain time frames. It’s up to you what you choose to do with your life, and what things you prioritise. 

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Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.