Feeling Stressed?
I personally think these past few weeks need to be canceled. Boy am I tired of EVERYTHING! At the beginning of the semester, I was soo energetic and ready, but 3-4 months in, I’m just done. The concept of resting and managing stress has been on my mind lately, so I want to share a few things that can help you manage stress. Things that have worked for me of course :)
1) Take breaks: Yes, you! You need it, we need it. To be honest, the concept of taking breaks may sometimes feel odd. You can take a few hours in a day off (maybe plan to start working after 1:00 pm), you can take a few days in a week off, or you can take one/two weeks in a month off. If you don’t take a break, your body will force you to take one and you really don’t want that. Sometimes, when I take some time off, I get really bored and don’t know what to do with myself. I use this time to update my website, binge a show, go shopping, etc. You could also just stay in bed and do nothing lol
2) Pack your stuff and leave: I have found that traveling or spending the night somewhere else aside from my apartment helps me with feeling less stressed. Traveling works better for me because I sometimes need a change of scenery, which means leaving the whole state of Georgia. Save up and go visit a friend in another state, go visit family, etc.
3) Make time for things you enjoy: I honestly wish I could say exercising, but if that’s you, good for you. Aside from exercising, there are many other things one can get involved in. Like a hobby. Please don’t let the 4/5 years of graduate school fly away without investing in at least one hobby. P.S: you should exercise, it’s good for you and me.
4) Surround yourself with good friends: I have come to discover that when I hang out with my friends, I actually feel more energized. Tip: Make sure you’re only hanging out with people who aren’t adding to the stress.
5) Give yourself grace: As humans, we sometimes expect too much from ourselves. Not only this, but we tend to beat ourselves up when we think we “failed”. I am so guilty of this. However, I have learned to embrace my mistakes and take each day one step at a time.
You got this!