Stress: the one thing we hate that never seems to go away. As many college students have just completed or are just about to tackle midterms, there may have been or will be stress lurking around the corner. Even beyond midterms, there can be many things that cause us to get stressed out, whether it is a job, a relationship or a difficult co-worker. When the little stress factors add up, they can make us not think straight and cause us to have negative thoughts, which can ultimately have negative effects on us both physically and mentally. Luckily there are some simple tips to help remind us that stress is only temporary, as long as we are taking proper care of or thoughts and actions.
Bad times are only temporary.
We all have those times when life will run smoothly, and then out of nowhere there will be many factors that cause us to get overwhelmed, which will more than likely make us think irrationally. We may act out, become a little temperamental or even become a little discouraged, but we have to remember that the stressful times will only last for a little while, as long as we choose not to dwell on the little things. Because if you look back on it, you’ll realize that those minor things that you were worrying about do not matter after a long period of time.
Take some time to do something for yourself.
When we are constantly working on a project, school assignments or work assignments, we can get so caught up in what we are doing that we don’t take the time to do something to make us happy. We have to realize that balancing time for work and play really does have a great advantage on us mentally. If we constantly spend time doing things that add to our stress levels -- it might make us go insane. So the next time you are working on an assignment or project or even feeling the blues, take some time to do something for yourself, whether it is working on a craft for 30 minutes, watching an episode of your favorite show or exercising. Just for half an hour. I promise you’ll feel much better about yourself.
Sleep is a beautiful thing.
As we become too preoccupied with different tasks, we can sometimes forget that sleep can be our best friend. We will stay up all night to complete whatever it is we are working on or dwell on the crazy thoughts going on inside our head to the point that we may only get a few hours of sleep a night, which actually hurts us more. When you sleep, you are allowing your body to recover and charge back up so you’ll be able to function for the next day. Even in stressful situations, sleep can help clear your mind and make you think more logically compared to not getting enough sleep.
Find what keeps you motivated.
One thing that helps me the most when I’m stressed is remembering what my passions and dreams are, and using them as my motivation to get the simplest tasks done. Another thing that helps many stay motivated is when one focuses on making themselves better every day, as cliché as it sounds. If you take a minute to stop what you are doing and remember something that makes you happy, whether it is traveling, crafting or playing a sport or an instrument, it will help you see that the good things in life will outweigh the temporary stressful times.
You will survive.
A lot of the time, when we are too busy, especially if it is during a time of exams, papers and projects, we feel as though it is the end of the world. Whether we are stressed about meeting a deadline, maintaining a GPA, or dealing with an issue at home or with a friend, we have to realize that like everything else, this too shall pass. When we are stressed, we can make the situation seem worse than what it actually is, but when looking at the bigger picture, it is just one small time of stress compared to the many other wonderful moments.
