Despite what some people say, high school can be a very stressful time for a lot of people. You have assignments, tests, folios not to mention exams! It’s easy to get consumed by the weight of deadlines and grades but there are ways to lighten this load. You might think that you can push aside emotional needs and piling stress and just ‘push through’ the school year but, trust me, you will do a lot better if you are happier. So it’s worth taking the time to invest in your own happiness. Since anxiety is also a main factor in the well-being and performance, it’s important to have strategies to deal with anxious thoughts and stress.
Here are some helpful ways to get your mind through the school year.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of focusing your awareness on the present moment by calmly acknowledging your own feelings, thoughts, surroundings. Mindfulness is becoming increasingly popular as mental health and self-awareness become more prevalent issues in society. Mindfulness can not only help you de-stress but also help you to make the most of your present experiences. It’s not so much a technique but a way of approaching life, and this can be helpful. We don’t live in the past or the future, but the present. Exercising mindfulness can help us take our minds off of the future and past and focus on our present life. You could try small exercises like closing your eyes and focusing on all the sounds you hear for a few minutes, or pick an object in front of you (like a pen or a piece of fruit) and use all your senses (except maybe don’t taste your pen) to fully acknowledge its existence. You can also practice this on yourself, by focusing on your own body. By practising mindful techniques like this, we can better focus on tasks at hand.
Building on the idea of mindfully finding release, meditation can be a powerful tool to help focus your mind and practise mindfulness. The exercises previously mentioned are some easy meditations you can take yourself through. If you are religious, you may already have your own form of meditation such as prayer. Engaging in prayer during busy times in your life can help you develop mindful thinking as well as perspective on life. Even if you’re not religious, meditation can be performed without prayer as an awareness exercise alone.
There will be some resources listed below like apps and websites for this, including more detailed instructions on mindful exercises. Give it a try!
Find a release
Find a way to release yourself from stress and channel how you are feeling. You could try keeping a journal to record all your thoughts or more artistic methods like creating art or music. Creating something positive from potentially negative emotions can be very beneficial to processing. Another way to channel your emotions and stress is to find hobbies. Again, things like art and music are good examples. Exercise is also a great thing to invest in since you’re also getting the de-stressing benefits of endorphin release. You don’t have to be ‘good’ at something to enjoy doing it so I’m sure you can think of something that you love to do!
Releasing your emotions through talking through them can also be helpful. Finding someone you trust that you are able to talk to about things in your life is crucial. Consider setting time aside weekly or fortnightly for just one hour to talk about your week(s) with someone about how you’re going in life. It can seem like overkill but knowing you will have scheduled time in your life to express your emotions is a great thing. It’s okay to lean on others for support, that’s what they are there for.
Look after your body
We tend to separate the body and mind, often forgetting that one affects the other. One of the best ways to make sure that our brains are functioning to the best of their abilities is to give them the right environment by looking after them. Looking after your body means that you listen to it and care for it. More often than not, your body will tell you what you need. All our bodily functions pass through the brain and most of our ‘cravings’ and some ‘feelings’ are based on what your body is telling you it needs. For example, if you’re hungry, you should probably eat. That being said, it’s not sensible to answer every craving mindlessly. If you’re really wanting some fries, you might be low on fats or salt, rather than fries themselves. Think about what you’re putting in your body, as it can impact your wellbeing. It seems like common sense but how many times have you ignored your own body’s cry for sleep to finish assignments or study for tests? Compromising your health is never a viable long-term strategy and so learning to take care of your body through stress is vital, even if this means starting study a little earlier or making plans to do a bit of that assignment every day instead of the night before.
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These are three simple and perhaps obvious examples of ways to decrease stress during school. If you have any other tips that have helped you to be less stressed at school, leave it in the comments!
Perhaps something you’ll need to organise in advance is your school’s year 12 jersey. Contact us now so that you can get a good sleep tonight knowing we’ve got it all sorted for you!
Resources
Websites:
mindful.org (Basic mindful exercises)
Taking care of your body
6 steps to living in the moment
Meditation Apps:
Headspace
Smiling mind
If you or someone you know is experiencing extreme stress that seems to be beyond the help of this article please seek professional help. This can seem quite scary and serious but it’s completely fine to ask for help if you’re worried. If you cannot access anyone locally, here is a link to an online counselling service.
