ARE YOU STRESSED? - MANAGING STRESS

This information is taken from: Cottrell (2008): 11: Revision and exams.

Don't forget fresh air and exercise.

1. STAY RELAXED
  • Sleep properly – 8 hours a day (more or less can tire you).
  • Take breaks – give yourself regular breaks in whatever you are doing.
  • Stop – let yourself stop everything for a moment. Breathe slowly or count to 100.

2. MONITOR YOUR STATE OF MIND
  • One aspect of stress is the attitude we take towards challenges. One person’s panic may be another person’s excitement. 
  • Listen to the voice in your head – change ‘I can’t’ for ‘I can’.
  • Question your way of thinking – is there another way of looking at the problem?
  • Am I being too perfectionist?
  • Am I expecting too much of myself (or others) in the current circumstances?
  • Am I getting things out of proportion?
  • What is the effect on me of having this attitude?
  • Am I blaming myself for things that can’t be helped?
  • What can I do to improve matters?

3. MANAGE YOUR TIME
  • Be organised – organise yourself to avoid stress. Make timetables and action plans to avoid predictable crises.
  • Set priorities – work out your priorities and when you will do each of the tasks. Work out what can wait – and let it.

4. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY
  • Get exercise – walk, run, swim, play a game, clean a room. Get rid of pent-up energy and excess adrenalin.
  • Have a healthy diet – check what you are putting into your body and try having less coffee, nicotine, alcohol and chemicals. 
  • Have more healthy food and water.

5. RELAX
  • Treat your self – take a long bath.
  • Put some time aside every day just to enjoy yourself or to do nothing – try to have at least 20 minutes on you own in quiet.
  • Celebrate success – reflect on your achievements over the day or week – and reward yourself.

6. A RELAXATION EXERCISE 
  • Lie on the floor or sit on a chair.
  • Close your eyes and breathe out slowly several times.
  • If your mind is still racing - count to 100.
  • Notice if and where your body feels tense.
  • Clench your toes tightly, count to 3 and then ‘let go’. Repeat several times.
  • Repeat this with all of the muscles you can, working from your toes up to your neck.
  • Pull your shoulders right up to your ears and let them drop. Repeat several times.
  • Screw up all the face muscles then relax. Open your mouth into a big yawn.
  • Imagine yourself in a peaceful, beautiful, safe place. Listen for sounds and look for colours. It can be any place real of imaginary. This can be a safe ‘retreat’ in the mind for you to go to when stressed.
  • Breathe calmly.

7. AFTER RELAXATION
  • Sit or lie comfortably. Close your eyes. Play relaxing music.
  • Imagine that you are breathing in calm and tranquillity with each in-breath, and letting go of stress with each out-breath.
  • Think of one word you find soothing and repeat this in your mind.
  • Do this for about 10 minutes.
  • If you find that difficult – just stay still and be quiet. Listen to the sounds around you.
  • Meditation classes may also be helpful. (Cottrell, 2008, pp.322-323).

REFERENCE

Cottrell, S. (1999) The Study Skills Handbook. Basingstoke: Macmillan.