Student life can be a lot. There can be deadlines and exams, money worries, paid work, friendships and relationships to navigate – as well as everything else going on in your life.

Looking after your wellbeing doesn’t mean getting all of this perfectly balanced. It’s about noticing what helps you feel more able to cope, and getting support when things start to pile up.

You don’t need to change everything at once. Start with whatever feels most useful to you right now.

In this page:

    When your workload is getting on top of you

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    Deadlines can build up quickly, and sometimes the hardest part is knowing where to start.

    If perfectionism or fear of failure is keeping you stuck, remember that the aim doesn’t always have to be doing something brilliantly. Sometimes getting started – or doing something well enough – is the more useful goal.

    It can help to:

    • break a big task into the smallest useful next step
    • work out what genuinely needs doing first and what can wait
    • plan breaks as well as study time
    • focus on one task rather than trying to hold everything in your head at once
    • ask your tutor or study support team for help if you’re falling behind or struggling to manage your workload.

    Student Minds has more advice about studying, exams and managing deadline pressure.

    You can also read MindWell’s information about stress and feeling pressure.

    Make room for life outside studying

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    When you’re busy, rest can start to feel like something you have to earn.

    But studying for longer isn’t always the same as studying better. Try to leave some space for things that help you feel like yourself outside your course.

    That might be seeing friends, gaming, cooking, reading, making something, being outside, exercising, watching something you enjoy – or simply having time when you don’t need to be productive.

    During particularly busy periods you may have less free time than usual. That’s OK. The important thing is not expecting yourself to keep going indefinitely without a chance to recharge.

    If you’re feeling lonely or out of place

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    University can be lonely. You can feel that way even when you’re surrounded by other people – and especially when it looks as though everyone else has already found their friends.

    You don’t need a huge friendship group to belong.

    If you’d like more connection, think small. You could try talking to someone on your course, going to the same group or activity more than once, asking someone to get a coffee or go for a walk, or staying in touch with people who already know you well.

    Your university or students’ union may have societies, networks, volunteering opportunities and activities where you can meet people around a shared interest.

    You can also read MindWell’s advice about feeling lonely and connecting with others, or Student Minds’ advice about friendship, social life and loneliness at university.

    If making friends feels much harder than you expected, that doesn’t mean you’re doing student life wrong. It can take time to find people you feel comfortable with.

    If money or work is taking over

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    Studying doesn’t happen separately from the rest of your life.

    If you’re worrying about rent, food or bills, working long hours alongside your course, caring for someone or juggling other responsibilities, you may simply have less time and energy available. That isn’t a failure of time management.

    Try to get practical help early if you can.

    Your university or students’ union may have money advisers, hardship funding or support if work or other responsibilities are affecting your studies.

    See Finding student support in Leeds for more options, or read Student Minds’ advice about money worries.

    When sleep gets off track

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    Late nights sometimes come with student life – whether you’re studying, working, socialising or lying awake thinking about everything you need to do.

    But if you’re regularly not getting enough sleep, it can become harder to concentrate, learn, remember things and cope with pressure.

    Rather than trying to create a perfect bedtime routine, think about what might be getting in the way of your sleep.

    It may help to keep roughly the same waking and sleeping times, give yourself some time to wind down, and avoid turning your bed into another place to study if you can.

    If sleep is becoming an ongoing problem, see MindWell’s information about sleeping problems.

    Student Minds also has practical advice about improving your sleep at university.

    If being online is making things harder

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    Your phone and laptop may be where you study, organise your life, talk to friends and relax. So simply telling yourself to have a ‘digital detox’ isn’t always realistic.

    Instead, notice how different kinds of screen time affect you.

    If scrolling leaves you comparing yourself with other people, checking messages keeps interrupting your work, or news and social media make it harder to switch off, try changing that particular habit.

    You could turn off some notifications, move distracting apps off your home screen, set periods when you don’t check messages, or put your phone somewhere else while you work or sleep.

    Student Minds has more ideas for healthier digital habits.

    Keep the basics going

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    When you’re stressed or busy, ordinary things can slip.

    Try to eat regularly, drink enough, move your body in ways that work for you and get outside when you can.

    None of these needs to become another target to hit. A ten-minute walk still counts. An easy meal is still a meal. Rest is useful even if you haven’t finished everything.

    Alcohol and drugs can also affect sleep and mental health and may make anxiety or low mood worse for some people.

    If alcohol, drugs or gambling are becoming a worry, see Help with alcohol, drugs or gambling.

    Notice what helps you

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    There isn’t one wellbeing routine that works for everyone.

    Some people feel better after seeing other people; others need time alone. Exercise helps some people switch off; others prefer music, gaming, creativity, being outside, meditation or something completely different

    It can be useful to notice:

    • what tends to leave you feeling better
    • what regularly drains you
    • the first signs that you’re starting to struggle
    • what has helped you through difficult periods before.

    If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed right now, MindWell also has quick self-help and relaxation techniques you can try.

    When you need more support

    Self-care can help, but it isn’t always enough – and needing more support doesn’t mean you’ve failed to look after yourself properly.

    If worry, low mood or feeling overwhelmed keeps coming back, lasts for weeks, feels difficult to manage or starts affecting your studies, relationships or everyday life, it’s worth getting some help.

    You don’t have to wait until things reach crisis point.

    You could talk to someone you trust, your GP, or your university or college wellbeing team.

    If you’re not sure what kind of help you need, see Finding student support in Leeds.

    You can also read about anxiety, stress, depression and feeling low, or other common mental health problems on MindWell.

    Want to go a bit deeper?

    Be Well, Learn Well by Gareth Hughes explores the relationship between learning and wellbeing, and how you can approach studying in a way that supports both.

    Last updated: September 2026