Ok, it’s week 4 and I’m already stressed out. Who’s with me? Exams, work, social gatherings, and your roommate who leaves dirty dishes in the sink for weeks on end. So many responsibilities and so many things to keep track of.
I’ve got one word for you – OVERWHELMED!?
Stress, when you perceive it to be within your coping abilities, can empower and motivate you to perform your best and get things done. However, when you perceive things as being beyond your coping abilities, stress can derail your efforts and performance can tank.
It’s crucial to find ways to stay at a happy medium – enough stress that you’re motivated and challenged, but not so much that the wheels fall off.
There are a number of different ways people choose to manage their stress, and it’s important to find a couple strategies that work for you. No single strategy works for every person. Below are two techniques that have helped many manage stress levels. Make an appointment with a UCAN health coach to talk through what other strategies exist and what might be possible for you to move from #overlystressed to #blessed.
1. Physical activity. You’ve heard it time and again: physical activity is essential to your health and well-being. Within the myriad of health benefits that physical activity offers is stress reduction. Not only does physical activity reduce your body’s stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, but it also stimulates the production of endorphins (chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators).
Plus, keeping your body busy and moving through physical activity can distract your mind from stressful thoughts, and help clear your head. There are so many options for physical activity; don’t limit yourself to the gym or running or any other exercise that makes you miserable. Find your fun and enjoy the time you spend being active! Sweating and de-stressing at the same time? Who says humans aren’t good at multi-tasking?
2. Make a plan. And stick to it. Organizing your schedule can help relieve some of the pressure of your long to-do list. Sort through your tasks and responsibilities, and prioritize them. In addition to scheduling study, work, and extracurriculars time, remember to include time for family and friends.
MOST importantly, make time for your physical, mental, and spiritual health and well-being.
Pencil (or type) in time for self-care when you plan your schedule. Spread out your responsibilities on a day-to-day basis to make it more manageable and less stressful (Go-go time management skills!). There are many different options nowadays for someone looking to get organized, such as:
A good, old-fashioned paper planner, or a calendar.- A digital planner or calendar on your smart device.
- An AI assistant such as Cortana or Siri can help you set reminders, write lists, and more.
- A mobile app to make a plan. Apps like Smarter Time help you determine how you’re spending your time, which is useful for organizing yourself.
Play around with different stress management techniques and figure out what works best for you. If all else fails when encountering a stressful situation, try to slow down and breathe. You have overcome many obstacles in your life, and you will continue to do so. You’ve GOT THIS!!
Dulce Jimenez, Health Coach