Being a student in college can be really stressful, especially if you don’t have the tools to manage your stress correctly. Students have to manage classes, assignments, jobs, and social lives as the demands of college life keep increasing. A small amount of stress can be encouraging, but too much stress can cause anxiety, sadness, and burnout.
Developing effective stress management skills is essential to succeeding in college. These useful methods can help students stay calm and focused throughout their time in college.
Take time for yourself
In order to manage stress and preserve general wellbeing while attending college, it is crucial that you make time for yourself. It’s very important to take time out of your day to spend time with yourself doing things you enjoy. Regularly taking a break from obligations enables you to recharge both emotionally and physically. While stress, burnout, and emotions are all enhanced when at school, practices like meditation or just taking in a calm moment can guarantee that you can face obstacles with a new perspective. Making personal time a priority is not a luxury; it is an essential tool for flourishing in the demanding college environment.
Go outside
Although during the winter months going outside doesn’t seem enjoyable, it can still be beneficial to spend even just a short amount of time grounding yourself outside. Just taking a deep breath or going on a short walk can drastically improve your mental state by giving you a stress-free task when trying to clear your mind. The beneficial effects of the outdoors might help you refocus your thoughts, emotions, and generally improve your mood.
Practice gratitude
When you practice gratitude, you’re focusing on the good things in your life. You then shift your mindset to a better place to be calmer. Spend a few minutes every day thinking about the things you have to be thankful for, such as family, a good friend, academic success, or even just your own survival. Gratitude practices may lift up your mood, make you more resilient to stress. Over time this will help you view setbacks as chances for personal development rather than overwhelming challenges. You begin to make your problems feel smaller the more grateful you are for the good things in life.
Limit social media use
In college it’s so easy to get caught up on using our devices to relax and unwind after a stressful day. Although sometimes that might help, it’s important to switch it up sometimes by actively limiting time on your phone and using social media. This will lead to being more productive in other areas of your life and reduce the stress of being on your phone too much. Setting screen time limits may help as well as engaging in activities you enjoy such as reading a book or drawing.
Stay organized
When being organized consistently becomes a part of your routine you can develop a sense of control that helps aid with stress. You’re now more able to stay on top of assignments, due dates and obligations. Prioritizing your work, dividing difficult activities into smaller step to avoid procrastination are all ways that organization may help you avoid excessive stress. You may concentrate better and reduce the mess that frequently causes worry when everything is in its proper place.
Saying no for your wellbeing
It’s easy to fall into the habit of saying “yes” all the time, especially at college. Burnout, however, can result from overcommitting yourself. It’s important to understand your boundaries and use caution while saying yes to obligations. Saying “no” is a sign that you value your time and mental well-being. Don’t be scared to decline things that might overwhelm you, instead prioritize the things that are most essential to you.