Do you find yourself stressing over the lack of free space on your calendar? Is your blood pressure rising as midterm season begins? We all feel the stress, but when it starts to take over it becomes time for a calming intervention. First of all, it is important to realize that it will all be okay. Those papers, midterms, projects and internship responsibilities will get done and thinking about them all at once is never a good idea. Here are some important steps to take to make sure you don’t turn your real major into a serious major in stress.
1. Take control of your schedule, don’t let it control you.
Is this your reaction when you wake up and look at your busy schedule for the day? I feel you. I would be lost without my Google calendar because that assortment of colors and dates has become my life. It is too easy to let the schedule control how you feel and what you do. One thing we easily forget is that we control the calendar. Those appointments and meetings are things that we schedule, so instead of never letting yourself have “me” time make sure you pencil it in because that time to ourselves, where we can sit back, paint our nails and take a breather, is hugely important in lowering our stress levels.
2. Get off of Facebook and turn to calm.com
I say that literally. Get off the time-draining Facebook and take a few minutes to meditate to the sounds of www.calm.com! Whether you just want to sit back and relax to the sound of waves or rain, or you prefer a guided meditation, the site has it all. All it takes is a few minutes.
3. Don’t overwork yourself.
This is like telling an AU student to not breathe. On this campus it seems almost impossible to not be involved in everything going on. But do you really need to be a member of 5 clubs, president of your sorority, RA, member of every organization, all on top of holding a 20-hour-a-week internship? There is only so much a person can handle and it’s time you gave yourself a break. Focus on what you really love to do and devote your time to those activities. You will end up being better at what you focus on and you will have time to yourself every once in a while. I know it’s hard, especially on this passionate and over-achieving campus, but you owe it to yourself to not get too involved.
4. Make a to-do list and actually check things off.
For those of us who are type-A, we’ve already got this step down. But for those who aren’t, it’s time you did yourself a favor and write down a list of everything you need to get done. Whether it is a weekend to-do list or a list of things to do on a particular day of the week, it will really benefit you in the long run. Not only do you get that happy feeling of accomplishment when you check something off the list, but you also can better visualize the work that is ahead of you. This will help with budgeting time necessary for work and give you a bigger picture of your goals for the week, month, semester, etc. Give it a try, I promise this can’t hurt you.
5. Get sleep even if you have work to do.
Sleep fuels your mind and makes you healthier. Not only does sleep help improve your memory, help you live longer, improve your grades, sharpen your attention and help maintain a healthy weight but it also helps decrease stress. Don’t believe me? Read the facts. If you are too tired to complete your work then nothing that great can really be accomplished. I encourage you to swap that all-nighter for an early morning riser instead.