Being a student is a real headache, that’s for sure. Every day students are being exposed to a whole range of problems, challenges, and other matters that inevitably lead to increased stress levels. The issue is real. According to surveys, over 50% of students report feeling increased stress levels. And the biggest problem is that none of them knows what to do with it.
If you are also experiencing stress, luckily, you’ve landed on the right page. Here are the eight best ways to avoid stress at college:
Delegate your assignments
First of all, to ensure your well-being and get rid of stress, you will probably need to take a break from your everyday tasks and take some time to unwind. Often a large load of academic assignments turns out to be the major source of stress for students. Thus, finding online paper writing services can be a good starting point. It will let you reduce the tension and find more time for yourself, which is also important for your mental health.
Get enough sleep
Enough hours of healthy sleep is known to reduce anxiety and stress, boost brain function, and protect your mental health. Thus, to find your path to well-being, you must get enough sleep.
But, how do you get more sleep when you are loaded with schoolwork? Look back at the previous point. If you have a reliable academic helper by your side, you can let professionals take care of your homework while you get enough rest.
Avoid unnatural energy boosters
Coffee, soda, and energy drinks can all make you feel a boost in energy levels for a short period of time. Students often use such energy boosters to pull out an all-nighter and get ready for exams or get their assignments done. However, not many realise that using these unnatural ways to boost energy levels can result in making you more vulnerable to stress. Thus, if you want to protect your mental health, be sure to avoid such things in your everyday life.
Exercise regularly
According to studies, physical activity can help you reduce stress. Even 20 minutes of exercising can make a change. Therefore, if you want to ensure well-being while being at college, don’t neglect the importance of physical activity. Join a sports team, go to the gym, or start doing some basic exercises at home. It doesn’t matter what exactly you choose. As long as you do it regularly, even a 30-minute walk in the fresh air can help fight stress.
Have enough of ‘me’ time
When you are loaded with homework and have plenty of other things going on around you, it can be extremely hard to find even a bit of time for yourself. However, it is hard to undervalue the importance of such ‘me’ time for your mental health.
This can be pretty much anything. For example, you can create a morning beauty ritual, an evening meditation session, allocate a few hours of every day to your hobby, etc. Anything will work. Just make it a rule to devote at least a bit of time to yourself, and you will notice how your overall mood improves.
Eat well
One more factor that has a significant impact on one’s mental health and overall well-being is the food one consumes. Irregular meals, skipped breakfast, lack of vital nutrients, and junk food can all affect your stress levels and lead to a variety of health issues. To avoid this, become pickier in terms of what you are eating.
Pro tip: To feel results quicker, include in your menu foods that have been proven to reduce stress and anxiety. Some of such foods are chamomile, dark chocolate, eggs, brazil nuts, fatty fish, etc.
Get on a schedule
One more tip to help you reduce stress is to get on a fixed schedule. We all know how hard it can be to keep track of all the tasks, deadlines, and other stuff, but if you don’t keep track of them, you are being exposed to larger stress levels. To change this, start planning your time. With a fixed schedule, you will ensure that all your tasks get done on time and will avoid unwanted rush and stress.
Don’t bite more than you can chew
Lastly, our final tip for defeating stress is not to overload yourself too much. One common mistake students make is trying to bite more than they can chew. They undertake too many classes, get involved in too many extracurricular activities, get jobs, and, at the same time, try to leave some time for their personal lives. Though it is possible to keep up with everything, it can be too much for you to handle. Living at such a fast pace can eventually lead to burnout, stress, and even depression. So, if you want to avoid this, make sure you are not overloading yourself!
The bottom line
Many of us believe that being a college student has to be stressful, though it doesn’t. Indeed, this period of our lives is often associated with lots of hardships. But, the good news is that you can make it easy on yourself!
Follow the tips we’ve shared with you to boost the quality of your life and protect yourself from stress.
David Tobin did his degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. He is interested in mental health and well-being.
