Five Ways To Manage Stress
Author: Mariia
My name is Mariia and I’m a Ukrainian student in the International Dual Diploma program. I am also a Hudson Global Scholars Student Ambassador, spending my time leading clubs and activities for our community. Next year, I will be graduating from high school and dealing with final exams, so I know quite a bit about managing stress!
Here are some tips that might help you if you’re struggling to manage stress, so enjoy and remember that your mental health is very important!
Find a Relaxing Activity. This can be painting, diamond mosaics, simply listening to music, or watching movies. This activity may be different for everybody, but the most important thing is that it distracts you from the object of your stress and cheers you up.
Try Journaling. Write your emotions or thoughts down, then think, “What is the point of this stress?” and try to solve it or reduce it. This is the best first step as it helps you analyze your feelings and move closer to solutions. You can try writing in a journal, as a text, or even writing a poem. When you know what you’re feeling, it’s already so much simpler to deal with stress!
Talk with Friends and Family. Your close ones are people who are always there for you and ready to help. If you don’t have close friends or people you can rely on, you can use a helpline or speak to a trusted adult or teacher.
Reduce Caffeine Intake and Get Moving. If you are a coffee lover (like me) and have been feeling stressed, try to reduce your caffeine intake. Research shows that caffeine may increase blood pressure, thereby exacerbating the effects of stress. I would also recommend trying some easy exercises daily to reduce stress and increase your immunity.
Eat Frogs for Breakfast. Sometimes we’re feeling stressed because of overwhelming tasks and deadlines. The “eating frogs for breakfast” method recommends starting each day with the task you want to do the least so the rest of the day will be free for more pleasant tasks.
Remember, the most powerful tool for dealing with stress is yourself. The main thing is to set your thoughts in the right direction, as they influence the emotions on which our behavior depends. If you find yourself constantly thinking about worst-case scenarios, then stop and focus on something else. Try to set realistic expectations and strive to accept situations that are out of your control. I hope these tips are helpful to you, and that you can achieve all your goals with reduced levels of stress!