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It seems like the semester has just started, yet it's already November. It feels like this school year has just been going and going with hardly any room to breathe. How can we manage this busy and overwhelmed narrative while keeping our stress under control? It's not an easy task, so I want to provide some tips that may help you with stress management.
Getting enough sleep
This can be a difficult task to accomplish, but sleep is vital for our health and stress management. Think about setting a goal for yourself to get more sleep. It doesn't have to be drastic. Even just thirty minutes of more sleep each night can make a huge difference.
Being Active
Exercise can be a great way to take a break from the day's stresses and do something good for your body. Physical activity can help bump up the production of the brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, endorphins, and it doesn't have to be super intense. Just taking the time to take a walk can be a great way to refresh your mind, or if you have been sitting at a desk for a while, remember to stand up and stretch every once in a while.
Having a healthy stress outlet
This could mean something different for every person, but it's important to find things that you enjoy to help manage your stress. This could be your hobbies or clubs you're involved in. For example, I love dancing and listening to music; both of these outlets are a great way for me to lower my stress levels.
Find connections
It can be hard to get yourself to do more when you're already stressed, busy, and overwhelmed, but it can be extremely helpful to surround yourself with people who make you feel supported and calm. Joining a club is a great step to finding connections with others on campus with common interests.
Practice self-care
Once again, this can mean something different for everybody; it's important to cater self-care to what helps you feel refreshed and relaxed. Some ideas include hobbies, yoga, meditation, reading a book, talking to friends, playing games, going outside, drinking a lot of water, and listening to music.
Time management and organization
These can be tough skills to develop and continually practice, but once they are used effectively, they can be a great way to combat stress. For example, I use a planner to organize my to-do lists for the day and the assignments that I need to do for each class. For my extracurricular involvements, I use the app called Daily Planner. It's a great way to organize different lists and events in a calendar. You can also set reminders on your phone. Overall, figuring out time management and organization practices that work for you can be long process, but they are worth it in the long run.
Journaling
This can be a great way to relieve stress by getting your thoughts out on paper. For example, you may want to write about something stressful that happened; this can help you process how you are feeling through reflection. Want to learn more about the benefits of journaling? Check out this website: https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-journaling-for-stress-management-3144611
Always feel free to reach out for help
Whether this means talking to a friend, family member, a professor, or staff member, remember that there's nothing wrong with asking for help. We can all use support from each other.
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