As school truly begins for everyone (looking at you, colleges that only just started while I've been in class for three weeks), stress is returning from its summer nap. Projects, tests, extracurriculars... it can all be somewhat overwhelming at times. What do you do when life really needs a pause button? Here are 11 ideas for ways to de-stress.
1. Take a nap.
Naps are not always the best way to deal with exhaustion, but a quick power nap can do wonders for your productivity. It is best to nap at 90-minute increments, because that completes a full sleep cycle and prevents you from waking up groggy and disoriented.
2. Listen to music.
At any moment in time, I have one to three albums that I have recently discovered and am listening to on repeat constantly. Take fifteen minutes to curl up in a blanket and listen to an album you've always wanted to listen to but haven't had the time to find.
3. Make some coffee (or tea, or whatever your vice is).
Coffee has always been a comforting drink for me- why, I have no idea, so making a cup of coffee generally helps me feel better. Other people drink tea to calm down. A warm drink is incredibly helpful for de-stressing, even during the summer.
4. Talk to your pet.
If you don't have a pet, talk to a stuffed animal or your mirror. Venting your negative emotions has been proven to help decrease negative physiological reactions to stress. Plus, pets and stuffed animals are fuzzy, and fuzzy things are comforting.
5. Watch an episode of a TV show.
My go-to show is Criminal Minds, which admittedly is not a relaxing show on its own, but simply taking 45 minutes to watch a single episode helps calm me down and get my mind off of schoolwork. Binging Netflix to avoid responsibilities will not help, but one episode? Go for it. Treat yo' self.
6. Study with your friends instead of by yourself.
Yes, you might be less productive, but crying over math with people is always more fun than crying over math alone. Having your friends as a resource for questions can help too; teamwork makes the dream work.
7. Go to bed.
If you are tired, go. to. sleep. Contrary to popular belief, staying up to study when you can barely keep your eyes open does more harm than good. Your brain won't remember what you studied if it's too tired, so at a certain point, you're better off just going to bed and carving out time the next day to finish your work.
8. Invest in an agenda.
As your neighborhood INTJ, I rely heavily on Google Calendar (which syncs with my phone calendar) and my agenda. I even have my events separated by personal and school and then color-coded. Even if you're not an organizational enthusiast, take some time each day to write down what you have to do that day and what you need to do on long-term projects to stay on top of it. Time management requires planning a few days ahead.
9. Make time to eat.
As a college freshman, I am guilty of forgetting to eat and/or putting off going to dinner until I finish part of an assignment. Just like how your brain can't function on too little sleep, your brain can't function if it has no energy to run off of, and you get energy from food. Take some time to get a salad or a sandwich or even just a banana. Your brain will thank you.
10. Take care of your health.
I know it's tempting to ignore possible sickness in favor of going to class just so you don't miss something. Don't do that! Sickness rarely gets better without some kind of change, even if all you do is buy some cough drops and get an extra half hour of sleep. Be aware of your body's needs.
11. Plan for fun.
Yes, you have time to go have fun. That's why the weekend exists! Go watch a movie with friends or go mini-golfing with your cousins. Do something that is completely unrelated to work or school or extracurriculars. Work-life balance isn't just for working moms.
