Back
to Counseling CenterStress Management
[Ten Tips For Management] [Progressive Muscle
Relaxation]
[Time Management] [Visualization
Reduces Exam Anxiety]
Once you have recognized the fact that you are under too much stress, your are well on your way to coping with it. Although there are no past answers, no instant solutions, no one day stress-off programs, there are a number of ways your can manage stress.
1. WORK OFF STRESS. If you’re angry or ready to blow up, physical activities are a terrific outlet. This is a time to vent that energy. Whether you go out and chop wood, take a run, wash the floor, or tackle a time and energy consuming project you’ve put off, chances are that you’ll feel better and also will have accomplished something useful.
2. TALK TO SOMEONE YOU TRULY TRUST. Confiding in another person and talking out your problem, even if there is no immediate solution, usually makes you feel better. If there is no one you trust, not even a relative or clergyperson, call on the reputable hotlines that operate around the country twenty four hours a day. They are staffed with counselors who can listen and discuss any problem with a great deal of understanding and compassion. Look them up in a telephone directory under such listings as Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Help.
3. LEARN TO ACCEPT WHAT YOU CAN’T CHANGE. Sometimes problems cannot be avoided or solved right now. Whether it’s a serious illness in the family, a divorce, an economic setback, or a death, simply accepting what has happened will lessen the stress.
4. GET ENOUGH SLEEP AND THE REST. Sometimes we are so busy we tend to cut down on things we need most. Sleep is a wonderful cure all, a time to recharge your body’s batteries and usually one of the first things sacrificed to stress. Keep in mind that lack of sleep makes you cranky and irritable. If you find that you can’t sleep, after a week or ten days, consult your family doctor.
5. TAKE TIME TO PLAY. All work won’t make you dull; its more likely to make you a nervous wreck. Working extra hours tends to be counterproductive past a certain point. Make the time to relax, even if it’s only to take a short nap. Schedule a sanity break. If you are too busy to take a weekend off, schedule mini-vacations during the day. Treat yourself to an hour or tow off whether it’s to play racquetball, shop for something personal, or take a walk around the block.
6. TAKE ONE THING AT A TIME. Sometimes we are so overwhelmed that we try to do everything at once—and nothing gets accomplished. Take a few minutes to make a list of what has to be done, establish priorities, and tackle one project at a time, the most essential thing first. Completing the most important, pressing project will give you a sense of accomplishment, relive some stress and give you the strength to dive back into your workload.
7. PLAN AHEAD. If you see a period of increased stress coming—a big project, holidays, vacation, moving, even a promotion—plan now to rest and be ready. Or postpone what can be delayed.
8. IF YOU BECOME SICK DON’T CARRY ON AS IF YOU’RE NOT. No matter how pressing your work, don’t be a martyr. Stay home. Get enough rest until you can resume your duties. If you go back to prematurely, you risk a relapse. If you don’t take time off, you risk a breakdown. If your work is so vital that nothing can function without you, have work sent to your home.
9. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SAY NO. If you are asked to do someone a favor, or complete an extra project, and it really is too much, say so. Taking on too much can in itself be the stress that breaks you down.
10. BE REALISTIC ABOUT PERFECTION. When there is a tremendous amount of work to be done, don’t dwell on doing and redoing it until its perfect. This isn’t to advocate being slipshod but to accept that a fourth of fifth draft of a report that was due yesterday is putting an unnecessary amount of stress on you.
In the technique called progressive relaxation, you lie on your back in quiet, comfortable surroundings with your feet slightly apart and palms facing upward. Before beginning the exercise allow the thoughts of the day and any worries to leave your mind. Then your are ready to begin.
1. Close your eyes; squeeze your lids shut as tightly as you can. Hold them shut for a count of five; then slowly release the tension. Notice how your eyes feel as they relax. Keep your eyelids lightly closed, breathe slowly and deeply.
2. Turn your palms down. Bend your left-hand back or at the wrist, keeping your forearm on the floor. Bend your hand as far as it will go until you feel tension in your forearm muscles. Hold for a count of five; then release the tension. Notice the warm, relaxed sensation that enters your wrist. Repeat with your right hand.
3. With palms up, make a tight fist in your left hand by tightening the muscles of the arm and fingers. Hold for a count of five; release the tension. Notice the tingling, relaxed sensation in your hand and arm. Repeat with your right hand.
4. Focus your attention on your left leg; slowly bring the top of your foot as far as your can while keeping your heel on the floor. Notice the tension in the muscles of your lower leg. Hold for a count of five; release the tension. Repeat with your right leg.
5. Point the toes in your left foot away from your as far as you can. Notice the tension in your calf muscles. Release the tension slowly. Repeat with your right foot.
A major cause of college student stress is the sense that there's too much to do and not enough time to do it. Sense you cant make more time, the way to ease this pressure is to make the beset use of the time you've got. Here are some tips for time management:
Perform a time outfit: For at least 3 representative days in your week (a whole week is better), write down everything you do during each of the 24 hours. Make a chart. Identify "windows" of time that could be put to better use and alter your activities accordingly.
Be energy efficient: Schedule important activities for the times of the day when you are most alert and attentive. For example, if you're a morning person, take morning classes and study in between them. Schedule exercise and socializing for the afternoon. Night people might do the opposite.
Keep a to do list: At the beginning of each day, or the night before, write down all the things you have to do.
Prioritize tasks: First things first. Classify tasks according to there urgency and importance, and do them in these order: a) Urgent and important; b) not urgent but important; c) urgent but not important; and d) not urgent or important. Distinguishing the urgent and important tasks from the urgent but not important tasks is often difficult because urgency is a state of mind that makes everything seem important. Before prioritizing the items on your to do list, take a few minute to become mentally and physically quiet. This will allow you to place truly urgent and important items at the top of your to do list.
Don't sweat the small stuff: Eliminate unimportant tasks from your list. Don't do, worry about, or think about anything that doesn't match your most important values or long term life goals.
Control Interruptions: Discourage drop in visiting; don't answer the pager or phone (if its important the person will call back); stay away from TV, computer games, and the Internet.
Schedule time for you: Even if its only a few moment a day, take time for activities that you find meaningful, e.g., reading, prayer, meditation, journal writing, letter writing. This will keep you from burning out.
Schedule time for fun: Don't forget to play and socialize.
Sleep: Not sleeping enough is like overdrawing money from a bank account: eventually you have to pay it back. Furthermore, when "overdrawn" at the sleep bank, you function at 50% to 70% efficiency, which makes school work take longer and add to the sense that there isn't enough time.
Tame any tendencies toward perfectionism: don't try to make everything perfect. Every task has a point of diminishing returns--when the time and energy you put in is out of proportion to what you can reasonably hope to get back.
Understand any tendencies to procrastinate: Procrastination often grows out of the fear of failure or exposure (people seeing you or your work and judging it harshly). When you hear you litany of excuses for not working at a task, ask yourself to move ahead. Break the task into smaller parts and take them on one by one. reward yourself when each one is finished.
The following exercise can reduce the stress and anxiety of taking exams. It can result in improved sources and reduction in symptoms produced by stress.
1. Find a comfortable place in your house or room and a time when other people will not disturb you. Sit in a comfortable chair or lie down on a couch or floor. The main thing is to get physically comfortable. If music helps you relax, play some of your favorite music softly.
2. Close your eyes and ask your mind to recall a place and time where you felt contented. It might be a vacation time w, being with someone, or being along in a beautiful place. Use your imagination and memory to reconstruct the scene where you felt happy and healthy. Notice that you had no concerns there at the time. Let yourself become involved with the scene. The process is similar to having a daydream or a fantasy. While your mind is focused on pleasurable memories, your body automatically relaxes.
3. When you feel quite relaxed, refocus your mind on the upcoming exam. See yourself taking the exam while feeling relaxed and confident. Because your mind and body are relaxed and comfortable, your mind automatically associates the same feelings with the image of taking the exam. Visualize the exam room, the other students, yourself answering the questions; let your mind focus in as many details as possible.
4. Now project your mind into the future to the actual day and place of the exam. Notice how relaxed you feel as you take the exam; the anxiety you used to experience seems to have vanished. Continue with the visualization until you see yourself turning in the exam and feeling confident and pleased with your performance.
5. Do this exercise for several days prior to any exam that causes anxiety. You will be surprised at the absence of nervousness and stress on exam day. You will be even more pleased at the improvement in your grades.