Now let’s be honest. Not everything in life can be easy going and perfect. Things happen that are completely out of our control and the moment we accept that, the easier we can eliminate stress from our daily routines. As a student, we juggle so many involvements that it can be challenging to complete each task without feeling stressed about the next one.
As a Sophomore in college, I have learned a lot about my learning styles and found the importance of how the time of day and the environment makes a huge impact on my level of productivity. For instance, if it is homecoming week, my mind is less focused on work and more entertained by the fun activities held around the campus. Therefore, the best time of day for me to complete any assignments would be early in the morning or late at night.
Trying to complete a quiz, for example, one hour before a major event would be a disaster. In this case, I was prone to rush and be sold on all the fun that would happen afterwards. Through the process of trial and error, I have been able to identify what small or big tasks I can squeeze in during times of having a busy schedule. This could be as simple as doing laundry, washing the dishes, and making a quick social media post to lessen the tasks that could grow on my daily to-do list. So let’s jump into the things you can try in order to feel less stressed this semester by being more intentional with the ways we view the small wins.
- Find the best times you have to study. Because it really does matter.
This one took me for a loop my first year in college because I was so used to having a rigid schedule in high school that I barely even knew how to manage all the free time I had when I entered university. Therefore, whenever I would try to sit down and study, my body was so used to being out and active with other people that it was hard to stay focused on what was right in front of me. Once I noticed this pattern, I found that the hours were around 2:00 P.M. -4:00 P.M. were the best times for me to study as events would typically finish on the campus and the sun would soon set. Leading me into the hours of dinner and winding down for the next day. If I used my energy more throughout the day when the sun was out, then it would be a lot easier for me to hunker down on my assignments later on. But of course, this all depends on my class schedule for the semester and other activities that would impact my schedule for that week.
If you are a night owl, then 10:00 P.M. might be the best time for you to complete any tasks you have since most people are already asleep or in their rooms getting ready for the next day. Thus, leading to less distractions and more time to ease into one thing after the next. And vice versa if you prefer to wake up at 5am. It is all about finding what works for you in the terms of your personal productive hours.
2. Schedule time to rest. Recharging is important!
We tend to put ourselves on the back burner in times of stress. We regress with our own self-care instead of progressing with our internal worth since many of the obligations we partake in hold us accountable for the work we do and not for the way we treat our bodies. Something I noticed this past semester was that I never took the time to schedule my own personal desires. This could be to have a mini dance session, paint outside, go to bed early or designate time to watch a movie when I need it most. It never even came to my mind that I would alway be jotting down what I was obligated to do as a student and rarely ever added time to do a facial or my nails in the same way I would tell myself to write an essay. Therefore, I recommend you to try and do the same. We are human and we need to treat our bodies with care. Stress, as we know, takes a toll on more than just our physical but also the mental and emotional status of our wellbeing. Even though it may be tough to find an hour of relaxation time. Even 10 to 20 minutes a day can make a significant impact on our level of productivity throughout the day or week.
When our cup overflows it is less likely for us to be easily irritated by stress. So I encourage you to be graceful in this time of experimentation to learn more about what you can in order to manage the stress we experience in our daily lives with a better intention ahead of us.