As a young student (or just in general) it is easy to find ourselves overwhelmed and stressed out. I know, I am guilty of this and I know many other people who are as well. Not only can stress be detrimental to our mental health - it can be damaging to our overall health. However, I understand telling anyone to "stop stressing out" can be very insensitive and almost impossible. As it can be almost impossible to live a completely "stress free" life. But, it is important to take care of yourself.
If you find yourself stressing out over all the things you have to do this week, even if it's 5 minutes, set aside some time for yourself and do something for you. Whether that means making yourself a nice hot cup of tea/coffee or going for a short walk. It may sound naive or redundant, but the smallest of things can often have a pretty big impact.
I often have to remind myself of this (I'm no where near perfect about it myself) but, by putting this into practice when you do find yourself starting to stress, you will be able to manage it and give yourself some time to recharge and regroup.
Next time you find yourself feeling stressed or starting to break down, take a deep breath, and take some time for yourself. Set your phone, school work, laptop all aside, and do something for you - whatever it is, as long as it's something you enjoy. Once you begin to feel yourself starting to relax, then take on your responsibilities. Time to clear your head can be tremendously helpful.
Stress can be our biggest motivator or our biggest enemy. We have to remember when it is okay to take a break, and then let what stress we do have left to push us to meet our deadlines and goals. I know it may be easier said than done but, learning to take care of yourself; especially in times of stress will make all the difference.
