HDSB Mental Health and Well-being

HDSB Mental Health and Wellbeing Subcommittee

How To Manage Stress

A student’s guide to handling everything from tests and exams to extracurricular activities

Let’s make one thing clear out of the gate: school is tough. The balance between homework, surprise quizzes, exams and overall pressure can sometimes make it hard to handle. Stress is common, and though there;s no way to make it completely disappear, there are a number of different techniques that can lighten the load and make it easier to manage. 

Taking care of your well-being is a big part of reducing stress. By focusing on taking care of yourself, you’re thinking about you, and you are very important. Many people find taking care of themselves can reduce stress. Even small things like taking a bath, listening to music, or taking a walk has a huge impact on your well-being. When you take care of yourself, it makes you feel good. When you feel good, stress seems a lot more manageable. By eating healthy, meditating, sleeping well, and integrating other beneficial activities into your daily routine, stress will be a lot easier to handle. 

But what else can you do? Though stress can seem unbearable at times, there are many ways to take the load off your shoulders. Take a look at the list below: 

• Break it down - For example, there’s a huge test coming up and you are stressing out. Try breaking down the task into smaller, more manageable sections. Maybe review vocabulary one day and label parts of a microscope the next. 

• Time management - Do not pile tasks all into one day. When you have tons of work and no time, it’s bound to result in stress overload. Instead, avoid procrastination and spread things out evenly by using a calendar/agenda to plan out your schedule.

• Sleep - Sleep is one of the most important things, EVER! Sometimes we are so overwhelmed by work that we forget to take care of ourselves. Working off no sleep will fog your focus and will make your work very difficult to complete. Some believe that taking a nap is an unproductive activity, but a power nap can really boost your concentration and help you work better.

• Organization - Due dates are stressful! That’s why you should always keep your important work organized. Try to prioritize tasks that need to be completed sooner first, and you can work on tasks that you have more time to complete later.

• Let it go - Sometimes it’s possible to be too organized which can result in stress. “Oh dead, my schedule isn’t perfect!” is the mindset of a perfectionist, which isn’t a bad thing, however, it can impact our stress level. It’s important to find a good balance between going with the flow and having your priorities in order.

• Breaks - Work hard, but don’t overwork yourself. Overworking can result in reduced sleep, interrupted focus and lack of concentration. Separate your work into parts and remember to block off periods for breaks. You deserve time away from work. Try taking a walk or doing something that makes you feel happy instead of using your phone.

Using these strategies can help reduce stress in our busy lives, and if they don’t work for you, it’s important to reach out to a professional for support. Family, friends, teachers and professionals will always be there to help. When stress has you feeling trapped, remember to ground yourself and focus. It’s important to not turn to drugs or alcohol. It can severely impact your health. Remember to reach out, stay safe and try your best. 

The importance of stress management stretches beyond individual mental health and well-being, it affects everything from productivity to relationships. Stress makes an appearance every day for people all around the globe, and people of all ages. But stress management is absolutely essential for students in and approaching high school. This is the point in their lives where school work is overflowing and social lives seem vital. This is when stress management is key to not being consumed by stress, so try some of these strategies!

Stress can never completely stop, it’s something that you can’t control. But it’s normal and human nature. It’s also something we can learn to cope with using various techniques and methods like the ones we went over today. Stress can seem scary at first, but with these numerous strategies to help, we hope stress will be more manageable.