My accounting teacher in school used to have a Stress Reduction Kit. It was simply a piece of paper on a wall that said 'Bang Head Here'. Effective? Perhaps... until you get a headache! But that kit was something I desperately needed this week!
The last month has been stressful - and that's understating it a bit. I don't know why I let myself get this busy. I begin the semester with such good intentions - go to all my classes, do all my relevant tutorial reading and begin my essays early. And yet, come December, I'm swimming in essay deadlines, struggling to get my required tutorial papers handed in, getting calls left, right and centre to meet up here, fill in there, do this, do that. And lectures... wait, what lectures?
If you know me, you know that I find it seriously difficult to relax. I could take an evening off to reset and still find myself wide awake at two am struggling to get to sleep. I'm not complaining about my busy life, I do prefer it over the dull nothingness of the summer holidays but I keep thinking that there must be a better way to deal with it. It wasn't until I met two friends yesterday, who I hadn't seen in forever, where I felt the stress begin to lift a bit. We caught up, we laughed, we had a good chat. We knew each other so well that there was no effort to be someone that we weren't. I genuinely felt that everything was okay in the world again. And that is a feeling that no hot chocolate or energy drink or Stress Reduction Kit can give you.
I've put together a list on how to beat stress, some things inspired by yesterday and some that have been tried and tested by one of Ireland's most notorious stress cases (me!)
1. Laugh.
Do what I did. Go meet, call, Facetime, Whatsapp friends who you haven't spoken to in awhile. People who you can be 100% yourself around. Share your late night stories, share the funny things that have happened to you lately and just laugh. If you have to pretend you're not stressed, then do. Fake it until you make it really does ring true here. If that's not an option, stick on the comedy channel or find some of the funniest Youtube videos. Laughing is an amazing stress reliever.
2. Change how you think
A lot of us are stuck thinking that what we think is truth. That if we think we're bored, we must be bored, if we think something's not working, it's not working. The trick here is not to get frustrated, it's to simply c
hange your thoughts. You see, much of what we think comes from a preconceived idea we have about it. Instead of thinking 'this is not working', find one good thing that is and focus on that. If you find yourself being annoyed by someone, listen to their words and think neutral thoughts, act engaged and soon, you may find yourself becoming less frustrated and heavy hearted. By simply thinking changing your thoughts, you produce positivity which is the best antidote to high stress levels.
3. Learn how to say 'no'
This is one I still have to learn. I have huge problems with saying 'no' and even bigger problems with the anxiety I get when I do. Remember, there are only two reactions you can get if you say 'no' to someone, they'll either be fine with it or annoyed. But neither of them mean that the world is going to end. If you get told off for turning something down, don't stress. It is not a bad reflection on you as a person. It simply says that you are putting yourself first and acknowledging that if you said yes, you'd not be doing the best job you could do. If the person on the other end doesn't understand that, that's not your problem. We as human beings are so wrapped up in ourselves that I guarantee you five, ten, or fifteen minutes down the line, that person will have moved on to something else entirely.
4. Do what you want, how you want it
Conforming is a major source of stress that tends to go under the radar. It relates somewhat to learning how to say 'no'. Don't force yourself to do something or not to do something just because it is expected of you by someone else. You may be in a group of friends that might not go out much, which is totally okay, but that doesn't mean you have to confine yourself to that typecast. Don't restrict yourself to a certain image or way of being and don't let someone make you feel bad for breaking the norm either. Very often it's because they don't have the confidence to do it themselves. Alternatively, don't go down a certain path just because someone encourages you to do so, or thinks you should because they see it as a part of your image or character. Remember, you are living for you, not for your friends or your family or that really hot guy you see on the college couches sometimes, but for yourself. Do what YOU want to do. And if that means joining the Zoology society or getting a job in McDonalds, then do.
5. Headspace
My GP recommended this to me and it is brilliant for those little moments when you feel there's too much going on. It's a series of ten day guided meditations that you can download onto your phone or tablet. Seriously, this thing changes lives. And the animations are pretty cute too!
Have you any ideas on how to keep stress at bay? Sure, let me know!
Sinead
