Finals season is approaching, and I know we are all either at the edge of a mental breakdown or going to go through one soon. Do not let your body and mind suffer this semester. Apply the tips below!
1. Sleep.
Sleep can reduce stress. A good night’s sleep is said to help tackle a day of stress. Being well rested -- sleeping 8 to 10 hours a night -- has you waking up more patient and less agitated. Feeling tired will have your thoughts all over the place during the day. If you’re worried that you’ll think of something you need to do right before you fall asleep, leave a notebook or your phone next to you to jot down to get rid of the fear of forgetting.
2. Eat healthy.
Adopting healthy eating habits is one of the best ways to combat stress. By fueling your body with the right foods, you are constantly keeping your energy level up allowing yourself to get through the day in your best mindset. Try avoiding coffee and sugar because it causes a crash in the middle of the day and will leave you feeling less relaxed and more tense and jittery. Treat your body well because the better foods you put in your body, the better your body works.
3. Exercise.
They say that 30 minutes of exercise a day can reduce your levels of stress significantly. This also gives your body more energy and helps you sleep better at night. Exercise releases endorphins, our feel-good neurotransmitters, which in turn makes you feel happy.
4. Manage, organize.
Allow yourself to manage your time. Take 10 to 15 minutes at the end of the day to plan out your time for the following day. By doing this, you can decide whether to allow time for what you want to do and what you need to do. This also gives you the time to take care of things that are urgent . Organizing your to-do list and managing your time can make your life easier and help your day go smoothly.
5. Balance.
It’s so hard to make time for everything in our busy lives: family, school, work, etc. However, it’s important to look for a balance between it all. Although it’s not easy, start looking at things you don’t need to do and don’t want to do and eliminate that. Take a few breaths when you’re feeling overwhelmed and look at your priorities. Feel a little stressed a school? Take some time to call your mom. Feeling unmotivated at school? Take the time usually spent hanging out with friends to study.
6. Positive thinking.
It’s difficult to think positively when overwhelmed with stress. Whenever you’re feeling yourself entering a mental breakdown, take a minute to breathe. Take at least 10 minutes to focus on your breathing and the present moment. Everyone has different ways to relax and allow themselves to enter into a positive environment. Whether that be a long bath, a good book or a short walk, you should set aside some time for this. Meditation or yoga can also help encourage positive thinking and relaxation.
I hope that this advice gets you through the rest of this semester. Don’t give up, now. You are almost done. Best of luck during finals!
