School, exams, uni admissions – the pressure we impose on ourselves can add up really quickly, causing us to get stressed. And unfortunately, stress can have tons of negative effects on our mental and physical health. Here are a few tips for students on how to avoid or reduce stress!
Identify your stressors
In order to stop getting stressed, you need to figure out what’s making you stressed. Think about times you felt overwhelmed – was it because of an exam? Homework? Personal issues? Alternatively, if you still can’t figure out why you’re stressed, try to track your mood throughout the day. Make a note of any significant events, and try to notice patterns for why you’re getting stressed.
Try out journalling
Journalling is a great way to get your emotions out and reduce stress. Journalling can be in a notebook or online, and you can find tons of journalling prompts online, such as on Pinterest! Make it a goal to journal for 10 minutes a day, and you’ll see how much happier you are!
Spend time on your hobbies
Spending time on your hobbies is a great way to take your mind off of your stress. Make sure that you spend at least one hour a day on something you enjoy. I know it can be tempting to skip this time and do something more “productive”, but try to prioritise your hobbies and interests – don’t skip this! Otherwise, it might lead to burnout.
Plan your days / weeks
Use a scheduling software like Google Calendar or create a bullet journal. Then, schedule in any appointments and any tasks you have to get done. This can decrease your stress by reducing uncertainty – you know that you’ll have time to get everything done!
Get things done asap
Make it a personal rule to do homework or other tasks as soon as they’re assigned. If you procrastinate, you’re creating a lot of unnecessary stress for yourself so by doing things as soon as you can, you’ll have less stress and more time in the future for fun stuff!
