The semester is dwindling down to the end and I cannot be more relieved. It honestly has been a drag and I am so ready to ditch my current classes. However, there are many hurdles to get past along the way; projects, presentations, and final exams. It seems like professors just love cramming everything towards the end and having their students reach maximum stress levels! That being said, I thought I would share how I reduce stress in these kind of situations.
1. Try and get enough sleep. I know this is incredibly hard to do as time runs out. There is simply so much to be done and unfortunately, our sleep tends to suffer. However, I try my best to squeeze in a decent night’s sleep and often treat myself to sleeping in one day during the weekend. Being well rested definitely makes a difference in how you feel throughout the day and brings your stress levels down. Even if you have a lot of work, if you are falling asleep through it, chances are there will be a lack of quality. Make it a point to catch some Zzz’s!
2. Aromatic therapy. I always study in my room. I find that suits me best because in public places, even the library, I tend to get distracted by my surroundings. That is why during finals week, you will find me holed up in my room and only leaving for journeys to the kitchen (haha). As a blogger and a girl, I love candles. I cannot get enough of them. Whenever I study, I always have one burning and I found it makes your surroundings more soothing. So find a candle with your favorite scent. I find the especially calming ones are scents like clean cotton/fresh laundry. If you are into more of the husky scents, think about trying some incense! It is much more of a potent smell and the sight of the smoke wafting through the room is equally as calming.
3. Tea/Coffee/Hot Chocolate. Depending on my mood, I like to make a warm cup of something to sip on as I work. Tea is a given and you can get a special blend that is specifically made for relaxing (Chamomile, etc.). I am a coffee addict and you can most always find me drinking a cup. If you are having a late night snack craving, make yourself a cup of hot cocoa! You can even go crazy and add some marshmallows. It satisfies your sweet tooth and did you know that chocolate is a natural anxiety reducer?
4. Music. I am addicted to music. I start my routine with it and end my routine with it. Music accompanies me as I shower, walk to class, and go to sleep. If you are feeling super stressed, make a playlist with music that calms you. Throw some headphones on and zone out for a couple of minutes. It is like music meditation and works like a charm! Or if you can listen to it without getting distracted, put it on as background noise as you study. To study I cannot get enough of these playlists by Ta-ku. The “Drive slow, homie” and nujabes tribute is beyond amazing. As for relaxing, I have been loving the Otis Redding and J. Holiday stations on Pandora! I live for old and new school R&B!
5. Plan ahead. I live by my planner. As soon as I get assignments, I open it up and jot it down and make sure to mark the due date on my calendar. I admit, sometimes I can be so forgetful and certain things just leave my mind. By physically writing what I have to do down, it is embedded in my memory more and I can keep track of everything I have to do in relation to each other. By planning ahead, especially as all the work is due at once, it takes a lot of stress off your shoulders. You know when everything is coming and can plan accordingly. Plus, I am the type of person who likes to get things done A.S.A.P. and often times I have assignments done way before they are even due. This is definitely one of my strengths as a student and I am proud of it!!
Those are my 5 tips to reducing stress, especially at the end of the semester! Shout out to all my readers who are currently in school too! Balancing work, a blog, school, and whatever else you have going on in life can be quite the struggle. If you are feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and focus on yourself for a moment. I am hoping that at least one of these tips can help you reduce your stress levels! I would love to hear your own stress reducing tips. Leave a comment below!
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Enclothed Cognition 