Nowadays, students take everyday stress for granted. Homework, endless exam materials, project work, part-time work, and the often high expectations of family members are just some of the many stressors. Many students suffer from performance pressure, disorientation, lack of sleep, financial problems and many more.
Especially when the semester is coming to an end and exams are piling up, the stress is extremely high. Most students use the resulting pressure as an incentive to be more productive. You are often reluctant to do anything for the university all semester until exams are around and there is no way around it. This isn’t necessarily a bad tactic as long as you plan your time properly and don’t forget to rest as well. Because without it, the intense stress phase, which often lasts only a short time, can turn into a permanent state that has psychological consequences, in the worst case, even burnout.
Stressed people often try to compensate for their irritable mood by consuming cigarettes or alcohol. However, there are much more useful ways to combat stress.
Tips for managing stress:
- do sports
Exercise can reduce stress hormones. Even small exercise units, such as a walk, a few stretching exercises or dancing, are enough to activate the body and mind and thus also to manage everyday life better.
- Healthy eating
Often, when people feel stressed, they tend to eat unhealthy and consume large amounts of energy drinks or coffee. On the other hand, if you are in a stressful situation, it is better to drink a lot of water and eat healthy snacks that lower blood pressure and support the nerves. Fruits such as bananas, kiwis and watermelons are ideal for this, as well as legumes, nuts and raisins.
- schedule your time properly
Proper time management is essential during the exam phase. Stressful situations often arise from insufficient organization.
A good prevention method is to create a to-do list that records all tasks to be completed with dates or deadlines. In this way, nothing can be forgotten and the scope of the work to be prepared can be estimated. In time management, however, not only the planned work phases are important, but also the breaks that are subsequently necessary.
- learn relaxation techniques
To consciously face stress, you can learn various relaxation techniques and incorporate them into your daily life. They offer balance in stressful situations, to gain new energy or withdrawal. Examples of relaxation exercises for stress management include:
Dream journeys, stopping thoughts, progressive muscle relaxation or meditation
- Use breaks properly
Proper use of breaks between study sessions can go a long way. In addition to relaxation techniques, there are a number of other activities that you can choose as you wish. Some people like to listen to music, others like to exercise, but in between, taking a bath or reading a book can be very good. However, it is important that you get back to the work at hand afterwards.
- Let it out!
It is never good to always eat everything in yourself. If you realize that you are stressed, you should let your emotions run free. You can punch a pillow and throw it around or run up the stairs. Screaming or crying can also help. Stress hormones can decrease and the head will clear again.
- removal of disturbing factors
It is very important to get rid of possible distractions while learning. The ringing of the phone or just having a cell phone in your sight can be incredibly distracting. This takes away the time needed to learn and in turn causes more stress. So if you need to concentrate, you should first put your cell phone on silent mode or out of range. If you need absolute silence to study, the library is a good place for it.
- Realistic expectations
Students like to be influenced by their classmates. Every student knows someone who lets their studying slide for an entire semester, starts three days before an exam, and still gets a good grade. But be careful! It does not automatically mean that this short period will be enough for you. The best thing to do is focus on your own abilities and plan ahead to see what time frame is appropriate and realistic.
- Say no
When you have work but get invited back for a fun night, learn to say no. As they say: “Work comes first, then pleasure!” At the same time, it makes no sense to sit in front of books from morning to night when you can no longer concentrate. A balance between work and rest is key in managing stress.
- Positive attitude and self-confidence
When stress levels rise, so do self-pity and low mood. This is normal, but incredibly demotivating. On the other hand, if you approach your tasks positively, it also has a positive effect on the work done. Constant whining takes up too much time and takes away even the last bit of motivation.
Of course, all these tips and methods are no longer a secret and not only are they often read, but countless people already integrate them into their daily lives. They are incredibly effective and can work small miracles. So try them out for yourself during your next stressful time and see how they affect your perception of stress.