As the school year is winding down, the work is piling up and seems never ending; a stressful situation, to say the least. On top of school, you must balance work, friends, family, extracurricular activities, your overall wellbeing, etc. Regardless of if you're maneuvering your way through the end of the school year, or it being anytime of the year, stress is unavoidable. It cripples many of us and leaves us breaking down and doing things like binge eating, drinking, abusing substances, procrastinating, and many more bad habits that end with us being ashamed of ourselves. Although, the main point here is that these so called "coping strategies" or actions we turn to do absolutely nothing to help us, if anything they are hurting us.
What exactly can you do to help yourself when stress seems to take over and dominate your life? Well, everybody has different things that help them. After all, no two people have the same life and same triggers of their stress. Although, certain coping skills seem to affect us all similarly and help with certain situations. Please utilize the guide below the best you can full of suggestions and tips on how to handle an immense amount of stress. Say goodbye to that crappy feeling, the overwhelming anxiety to get everything done, and the list of things to do lingering over you head.
1. Make a list!
The amount of tasks in your mind may seem never ending. After you list out everything that must be accomplished, on paper, or, I guess, your phone if that is easier, (sorry I'm old school) everything is laid out for you right in front of your eyes. You can then make a game plan on how to approach and tackle the never ending tasks. The best part is when you completed the task and are able to do the most satisfying thing in the world, place a check next to it, cross it out, highlight it, etc. The second you notice that you are making progress it gives you the drive to keep going and with every check mark you feel a little bit of stress being released from your body and a little more hopefulness that you can get everything done.
2.Workout, go to the gym, take a run around the neighborhood!
Exercise is the best stress reliever, quote me on this one. Nothing screams "lower your stress" more than a kick ass, sweaty, long workout. That workout leaves you feeling refreshed with a clear mind and a ready-to-go attitude. You will know exactly what I mean once you give it a try.
3. Prioritize...but sometimes prioritize badly.
I know, confusing right? I'm telling you to prioritize because when you truly are cramped for time, it's crucial to know what to tackle first. This way, you can get everything done in a timely manner. Although, when you have a little bit of time to spare I suggest prioritizing badly. By this I mean setting high standards and goals. So, instead of working on that assignment that is due tomorrow afternoon, work on the assignment that is due in two days. This will force you to get more done because that assignment that is due tomorrow will still need to get done, and at the end of the day you can say you are ahead of the game. It will feel freaking amazing.
4. Give yourself some "me" time no matter what.
It isn't human to go-go-go and never catch a break. We would just run ourselves down and it would end with us being down in the dumps. No matter how little time you have to spare, it's pivotal to do something that you enjoy. Reward yourself after finishing so many tasks or after completing so much studying. After all, if we don't give ourselves these simple pleasures, the time that could have been spent on them will go towards twiddling your thumbs, procrastinating, and thinking of all the things you would rather be doing.
5. Don't Procrastinate.
We are all guilty of procrastinating from time to time. It's one hell of a bad habit that seems impossible to break. Although if you want something bad enough, you must work for it. This goes with breaking the bad habit. It is a pain in the ass to break because there is no easy way of doing it. You simply must push yourself for a few weeks to not procrastinate and to do that homework assignment, essay, or project as soon as you get it. You will quickly realize how much easier school has become and how much free time you have. It'll make you realize that you never want to go bad to that bad habit.
6. Utilize every minute you have.
I know it's easier to tell yourself that "you only have ten minutes" and it doesn't make sense to study, do homework, or do literally anything. Although, time adds up. That 10 minutes could be spent starting that essay (we all know starting is the hardest part). By doing this, you can easily save the half hour that you would have spent staring at a blank computer screen. When you're waiting for your friends or family to finish getting ready to go, pull out your index cards because even the littlest bit of exposure to information can go a long way.
7. Reward yourself!
This goes along with my "me time" point. Rewarding yourself is a great tool as long as it is not over used. You must set hard to reach goals so you are truly working your hardest for those rewards. Rewards also don't need to be elaborate, they can be as simple as heading over to Starbucks and treating yourself to your newest obsession.
8. Music or whatever soothes your soul.
We all have something that puts us at ease and comforts us during stressful days and situations. Whatever that may be for you, make sure you pinpoint it because it makes all of the difference.
9. Have a "power through" day or night.
This one isn't for everyone although I find that sometimes it can be very helpful. If you choose one day or one night dedicated to tackling that heavy work load or tasks that need to be completed, you feel productive as can be. Yes, that one day or night may suck, but I can promise you it is so worth it because it allows you to have that many more laid back days.
10. Give yourself a healthy amount of rest.
If you are fatigued, your focus and productivity drops tremendously. You may not realize it but to deprive yourself of sleep and then try to get work done never works out in your favor. It is of better use of your time to rest up, get a good nights sleep, so you can start fresh the next day.
11. Focus on yourself!
When your are overwhelmed with an insane amount of work to get done and the stress keeps growing stronger, you have no time to focus on anyone but yourself. I know you want to be there for your friends or not miss out on certain activities but right now the most important thing is for you to focus on yourself. You spend every other day being a people-pleaser you deserve a day or two to please yourself by tackling those tasks that have been lingering in your mind for days on end.
