I think it’s safe to say that we’re all pretty familiar with stress in college. What is also safe to say is that too many of us handle that stress poorly even though we know exactly how to manage it. It’s as if we’re going out of our way to hurt ourselves—let’s not. Let’s remind ourselves of a few ways that we can regulate stress. Let’s try to practice these incredibly obvious methods of stress reduction and have a little less stress in our lives to enjoy more and worry less.
1) Procrastination kills—finish things early and well.
I’ve heard the argument that people tend to be on their A-game right before an assignment is due—either the night before or the morning of. There’s only some validity to this: a little procrastination isn’t problematic, but a great deal of procrastination is devastating. It can drive us insane to throw together something for a class that we could’ve done well had we not put it off. And the worst part: when we can’t finish something on time, we simply give up, turn it in, and accept whatever grade we get on it. So, finish things early and well.
2) Take breaks wherever possible.
It’s a terrible idea to take too many breaks and risk getting nothing done. It’s an even worse idea to work continuously in the hopes of finishing everything that’s left to be done. We’re human beings—not automatons. We can’t work without rest. We need breaks. And probably the best type of break is the power nap, especially the 20-minute power nap. Just diving into our subconscious during sleep and directing our attention away from the world is blissful and seems to magically restore our strength.
3) Don’t stay too long in the same place.
This is probably the least obvious way to manage our stress. What this tip means is that staying put in the same place for hours on end minimizes our productivity and actually exacerbates our stress. Healthy change is sometimes necessary. Moving to a new location brings about this needed change and makes us feel as if we’re starting our work anew and afresh.
4) Know thyself.
You and you alone know your limitations. Only you know where to draw the line. So, don’t take on more than you can handle. This tip is so obvious, so clear, but we all somehow insist on making the mistake as often as possible. If only we understand how good we are at managing time, we’ll know exactly how much we can handle before falling apart. We’ll then know how many and which classes to take as well as how many and which extracurriculars to do. So, the most important rule is: know thyself.
