Stress seems to be inevitable these days. We wake up stressed, stay stressed all day, and go to sleep stressed. We stress about the smallest of things, the largest of things. We stress about everything! But I'm here to tell you that some of that stress can be removed from your life, with the help of a couple of key tips.
1. Prepare the night before
If you know you've got to be up early in the morning, prepare your things the night before. Lay out your clothes, pack your bags and shower the night before. This way, you not only get more sleep, but you also don't have to scramble to get things together when you're in a rush.
2. Write things down
We've all had it happen: walk into class just to find out there's a quiz you didn't realize was for today, and you didn't study. That feeling of your stomach falling into your butt because you really can't afford to do poorly on a quiz. Yes, we've all been there, but this too can be avoided! Write things down. Invest in a planner and the minute you find out about assignments, due dates, events, etc., write them down in your planner. Another way to do this is to invest in a dry erase calendar. You can reuse it, and never forget things again!
3. Exercise
So many people leave things bottled up inside, including their stress and they just get piled up. Exercise is a great way to blow off some steam when you're feeling angry, sad or even stressed out. Not only are you letting your trouble away, but you're helping your body while you do it too!
4. Confide in people
Often times, we allow ourselves to stress over things that we probably should never stress over at all. Talking about things that are troubling you is a great way to relieve stress. Set up a time to meet with a friend and talk, or just give em' all. Taking a few minutes to talk to close friends or family can make all the difference in the world when you're feeling drowned with stress.
5. Eat better
A poor diet leads to more than just weight gain; it can contribute heavily to an unhealthy mind. Eating tons of sugar and junk food can wear your body down and make you feel sluggish. The mayoclinic.org states that "Several studies have found that people who ate a poor quality diet — one that was high in processed meat, chocolates, sweet desserts, fried food, refined cereals and high-fat dairy products — were more likely to report symptoms of depression. The good news is that the people who ate a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish were less likely to report being depressed". Stress and anxiety are large risk factors when it comes to depression. Eating better and staying active can not only help you physically but mentally, with your stress.
6. Take some "me time"
It's so difficult these days to just drop everything you're doing and do something nice for yourself, but when you're feeling overwhelmed with life in general, it can help tremendously to reduce the stress you're feeling. Take a couple hours to go do something you love: grab a coffee, catch a movie, go shopping, or heck just lay in your bed and watch some movies. Taking some time away from "real life" is great, and it will give your body and mind some time to relax and recuperate from the struggles of everyday life!
Stress sucks, but we all have it. I've found that stressing and worrying are just a part of growing up and beyond. But sometimes we find ourselves stressing over things that aren't even worth it. Using simple tips such as these can really help to eliminate tons of unnecessary stress from your life, and lead to a healthier and happier you, which is the best kind of you there is.
