The mid to end-of-semester stress is real. Personally, in the past, I found myself overwhelmed and unsure of what I could do to make stress more manageable. Over the years, I have developed some skills to reduce my stress that may work for you, too! Here are four ways to shrug off that stress:
Journaling
Journaling has become a really therapeutic way for me to not only reduce my stress but also understand it. Writing down how I feel and the emotions attached to a stressful state of mind can help me unravel the things that stress me out and be proactive when I feel that same stress creeping in later.
Meditating
A big hobby I picked up recently is meditating. I never thought much of it, but I reached a point where I was willing to try anything and everything and decided to take up meditating. I found it to be one of the most beneficial ways to reduce my stress. The best part about meditation practice is that I can search for specific stressful topics that there are meditation tactics for. The world of meditating is so versatile and there is definitely some type of meditation that works for each and every person.
Exercising
It’s always been said that moving your body is crucial in maintaining a healthy, happy body. I never really saw exercise as a stress reducer until a couple of years ago. One of my favorite ways to reduce stress is to go on a long walk. It’s a low-pressure way to relieve my stress while also moving my body too. Whenever I feel stress creeping in and weighing on my conscience, I get myself moving.
Breathing
It sounds obvious—we unconsciously do this anyway, but really focusing on my breathing helps. I inhale a big breath and exhale with my mouth open. I find this key in bringing my heart rate back to normal and helping with my inconsistent breathing patterns when I find myself in a stress-induced panic. There are also guided breathing videos to help if you don’t know where to start, and I highly recommend them.
Overall, focusing on creating a healthier, more clear headspace is key in reducing stress. Everyone deals with stress differently, but if you’re anything like me, I think these four tips will really help you!