As the year progresses on for a college student, the stress continues to build. The weather gets colder, the days get shorter and the homework piles up. When you find yourself in a situation that is stressing you out, it’s important to deal with it in a healthy way. Oftentimes, we put aside stress reducers saying we don’t have time, but that’s no excuse. Each day you should set aside time to do something that will give you some time away from work and to come back to a mindful state.
1. Wake up earlier
When it comes to the morning, sometimes it’s better to give yourself some extra time. Everyone can agree that sleeping in is an amazing feeling, but it sometimes leaves one feeling stressed and scrambling to get things done. Waking up earlier allows you to get things going, and have more time in your day.
2. Keep an agenda/planner
Keeping your thoughts organized is one of the most important stress reducers. Whether you get an agenda to organize your thoughts, or you build your own planner, this is crucial to keep up to date. Having the tasks at hand written down also helps so that once completed, they can be crossed off. It’s much more rewarding to look at a list and see tasks are being eliminated from it, then just keeping a tally in your head.
3. Watch a funny movie or tv show
Sitting down to watch something comical is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Even if you just watch a video online that’s a minute long, a laugh is a laugh. If you are going to watch something longer, make sure you prioritize your time so that you don’t end up stressed because something isn’t finished.
4. Smile
If you are somewhere in public, take the time to smile at someone. You never know how much a simple gesture can mean to someone, and it might even lift your spirits as well. Often a simple gesture like this helps one realize their stress or burdens might not be as bad as another’s.
5. Take a break from social media
The biggest problem with social media is that there is always something to see. If you find yourself in a stressful situation or cramming to study for an exam, set your phone aside and focus. Whether it’s focusing on your breathing or just focusing on what your task at hand is, make sure your phone is not in the picture. Social media can take up way too much of your time, and often lead to more stress because of the FOMO.