Hey y'all! It's been a very hectic week or so since I've last posted and I thought I would update you guys on what has been going on. It's officially week two of college classes and although I'm already far ahead on my schoolwork I've been feeling this pressure to keep getting more and more work done. When it comes to school I have always placed an insane amount of pressure on myself to work hard and stay ahead but sometimes it's important to pause and take care of yourself. Obviously school isn't the only cause of stress,,, so that's why tips and thoughts that I'm about to share can be applied to a variety of situations whenever you are feeling overwhelmed.
1) Take a break
Sure, this seems like a basic obvious one, but I mean seriously pause and take some time to mentally recuperate. A five minute sit on your phone break really doesn't count, make sure you take this time to do something that will relax you and allow you to focus intently on your work after your break. For me this could include eating a good snack, playing with your dog (if you are at home), making a coffee, or taking a moment to just close your eyes and breathe. This break is obviously different for everyone but it is important to shift your focus from your work to a happy and peaceful state. I would definitely try to avoid your phone and other sorts of electronics though because shifting your attention too far from your work (or whatever it may be) can leave you feeling distracted afterwards rather than refreshed.
2) Have a happy playlist
Music really can affect your mood. I find that having a playlist with all happy songs can really brighten my day and distract me from my stress. Music is a really great coping mechanism and is very easy to listen to nearly anywhere (with headphones of course)! I personally have two playlists, one being instrumental so I can focus while studying and the other having really fun upbeat songs (like the ones you would sing in the shower :) ).
3) Gaining something from your stressful situations
There is really something to be learned from the things that make us feel overwhelmed and stress. Use these situations to your advantage and discover more about yourself or the world. Find the good in bad situations. What are you gaining from them? For example, my philosophy class has been leaving me quite a bit confused but rather than groaning and complaining about the situation I have been trying to take this class as an opportunity to learn more about the world and apply this subject to my life. Not only am I fulfilling a general education requirement, but I'm killing two birds with one stone and teaching myself something about society and what it means to live.
4) Have a grounding technique/Therapy
Sometimes stress can be too much and you can find yourself stuck in panic. It is important to have a healthy coping mechanism or grounding technique. There are so many different kinds but my favorite is finding 5 things you can see, next 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This healthy distraction really helps me to overcome panic attacks. This isn't the only way and there are many other grounding techniques (such as a safe object or reciting something) that I encourage you to look up and find one that suits you. If needed, talking to someone like a therapist can be really helpful to teach you to calm down. There is no shame in needing extra help! Trust me, therapy is a blessing and I recommend it if you are struggling (cause I've been there before).
5)Plan, don't procrastinate (and give yourself a reward)
Planning ahead can save you so much time and stop stress a lot of the time. Use a planner or google calendar religiously, it is really a life saver. Look ahead into the near future, what can you get done with your extra time? You could be really busy in the future and not know it yet and end up being so grateful that you got that one task done in advance. I know this seems like such a simple tip that is very obvious, but so many of us spend too much time distracted by our phones, Netflix, etc. that we don't even realize that we could be productive. Your future self will thank you for being ahead of the game now and this could really help prevent tasks from piling up (which can be really stressful). Motivate yourself to get up and do it. Give yourself incentive. This could be as simple as finishing a task and buying yourself a coffee or maybe an hour of scrolling through instagram. Treating yourself for completing tasks ahead of time will not only rewards your current self, but your future self too when you have lots of free space in your schedule.
I hope these tips and tricks help!
-xx Hailey
