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If you’re not stressed out about something, are you even in college? Stress is a natural part of life – a little stress can be helpful when it comes to kicking yourself into high gear to complete a big project or paper. Too much stress can overwhelm though, preventing you from focusing on getting one task done because you’re too worried you won’t get anything done.
But there’s good news – there’s a lot you can do that will cut down your stress levels! If you integrate a few of the tips below, you’re sure to reduce your stress almost instantly.
Be Proactive
This is the best way to cut off stress before it even starts. It’s really easy to put off starting an assignment because it’s not due for a few more weeks (or hours), but procrastinating on an assignment until the very last minute is a huge ball of stress that’s easy to avoid. If you start the assignment sooner rather than later, you’ll avoid stress and feel great about yourself each time you work on it … because you’re being responsible. It’s a legit thing that feels good. That’s not to say that as soon as you get assigned a paper you crank the whole thing out that first night, but just do a little every day.
Make A Plan
Regardless of how proactive you are at getting your work done, you’re still going to run into weeks during the semester where Literally. Everything. Is. Due. To be honest, we are 95% sure professors meet in secret and make sure that their projects are all due during the same timeframes. Diabolical. The best way to beat the professors at their own game is to make a plan about when things are due, and when you plan on completing them by.
Exercise
A little bit of exercise can go a long way for the brain (and body). If you ask any health professional, they will tell you that exercise is a huge stress reliever. If you’re not huge into the idea of going for a run, try going for a long walk. Does the mere idea of struggling through an exercise stress you out? Just focus on how good you’ll feel afterward. Any kind of exercise will help decrease stress, keep you healthy, and improve sleep.
Get Enough Sleep
It is possible. It won’t be easy, but it’s possible to get sleep.
While getting more sleep when you’re already stressed out is easier said than done, sleep is crucial for resetting your brain and keeping you moving. If you’re having problems falling asleep, you can try listening to soothing music, white noise apps on your phone, chamomile tea, and making sure you have all other distractions put away.
Take Breaks
Like Ross and Rachel, sometimes you need a break. While it seems counterintuitive to stop working to get more work done, sometimes it’s the best thing you can do for yourself. Would you rather angrily stare at your computer screen for 15 minutes with writer’s block, or would you rather take 15 minutes to go grab yourself a snack?
