Dear Stress…Let’s break up.

Feeling stressed? Read on to discover my top 4 Stress Management Tips.

Some people believe that stress is an unavoidable part of life and can’t be escaped. I strongly disagree. Life is like an obstacle course; if you find a way to control your mind and to use positive thinking, you will have positive outcomes.

Do you feel stressed because you have to meet important deadlines or have to find a job after graduation or have an intense job with many responsibilities?

Stay calm, ease your mind, stress is manageable!

Practical effective management tips can help you eliminate stress and become more productive, efficient and competent in your life journey. Here are the top 4 tips for managing stress, that have personally worked for me:

1. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is great – it’s like an escape from overthinking and negative thoughts. Giving yourself some time of mindfulness is a crucial gift. When you feel overwhelmed with stress, take a break and do something you love. Some of my favourites are:

• Reading a book or painting
• Allow myself to day dream for 10 minutes – you’d be surprised how much this helps!
• Reminiscing about good memories and times in my life
• Listening to my favourite song (this changes every week, but that makes it more exciting!)
• Going for a run in my favourite spots, like The Phoenix Park.

When I’m feeling anxious, I love going for a walk on the beach in order to relax my mind and, simultaneously, my body. Looking out into the ocean and enjoying the view helps me ease my mind immensely – it’s an invigorating experience. So, if you live near a beach, I definitely recommend it.

2. Do some exercise.

Trusting your body and allowing it to speak allows the mind to support your mental health, not sabotage it.

-@the.therapist.who.moves.you

This is a motivational quote I live by, it’s one of my favourites. Mind and body are inextricable and learn to value one another – so it’s vital to take care of both.

If exercise is something you don’t do much of, perhaps think of changing this. It’s time for you to take a long walk, lift weights at the gym or take your bike and go out for exercise. Minding our physical body will do wonders for our mental health.

Important note: Don’t forget to drink water! Staying hydrated is crucial when exercising.

3. Avoid procrastination.

To be honest, as a student, I used to procrastinate a lot. I remember a moment from my first trimester of my master’s degree when I was attending a workshop all about time management styles. The professor referred to the type of people who leave everything until the last minute and they think that they work effectively under the pressure of a deadline. She called them the ‘cliffhangers’.

I realised, I was, in fact, a “cliffhanger” myself.

When I realised this, it became clear to me how this had been affecting me, and more importantly, how it was affecting my mental health. I was enjoying the long period of time before assignment deadlines too much, and didnt think about the consequences when the deadline came around. The stress and panic I would feel as a result was often unbearable.

So, I urge you – try not to be a ‘cliffhanger’. Organise your time, avoid putting things off, stop procrastinating. I found online timetable makers were an amazing asset to me. They helped me schedule, prioritise and avoid last-minut anxiety and panic.

4. Spend time with your friends.

Company is a priceless thing to me. Loneliness has often been linked to increased stress levels – I get stressed when lonely. So, I have found that calling my best friend and releasing all of my thoughts (both good and bad) makes me feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulders. Talking is powerful, and is a great way to make you feel better and alleviate stress.   

So, there are my top 4 stress management tips – all of which have worked for me! I would encourage you to try them, if you ever feel stressed and are seeking to feel better, and Be your Best🤍

What are your favourite ways for managing stress? Feel free to tell us in the comment section!

Stress steals the beauty from life

– Debashish Mridha

By, Konstantina 🙂