When life gets stressful (which is much of the time!), there are many ways to help manage it. We can’t always decrease what is happening around us but we can focus on the things we can control. This can help us manage our emotions when life seems overwhelming. Whether it is school, family, friends, world events, or the many other things that affect us-use these 10 tips to help manage your stress.
1. Practice focusing on the here and now.
Many things that stress us out are things that have already happened or may or may not happen in the future. Practicing being in the here and now can help increase mindfulness which can lower stress levels. Focus on the 5 senses-what are 5 colors you see, what can you hear, smell, feel and taste? Take some deep breaths while you do this. This is a great exercise that can be done anywhere, anytime.
2. Move your body.
You don’t have to work out for a whole hour or run a marathon but when you move your body or exercise, it naturally lowers stress hormones which can then help you feel better. Take a quick walk, do some stretching, vacuum, dance-whatever you enjoy.
3. Sleep!
This is always a tricky one but a stress buster for sure. Try to go to bed on time and get enough sleep. It is always tempting to stay up late doing fun things but being sleep deprived throughout the day makes stress worse.
4. Make time for creative outlets.
Finding hobbies and activities that are fun and creative can help you stay in the present moment as well as give you joy. You don’t have to be a concert pianist to do this. You can bake, cook, paint, garden, dance, or just about anything that gives you a sense of creativity and fun. These activities can help you feel good about yourself, connect you to something other than school and help you express feelings.
5. Schedule ‘worry time’.
It may sound silly, but if your stress and anxiety are becoming tricky to manage, it can help to set aside some scheduled time to worry. Every day at a set time, set a timer for 5 minutes or so and write down all your worries or say them out loud. Let your brain go and get it all out. When the timer goes off-all done. When a worry thought comes across your mind outside of the worry time tell the thought that you will think about it at the worry time but not now. This can really help you start to take a bit of control over your stress.
6. Grateful practice.
Stress can make us focus on the worst or hardest parts of the day. Negative thoughts and emotions often feel more “loud” in our brains. Purposefully list 3 things you are grateful for every day. It can be big things or small things. Examples can be: “I am grateful for a hot shower in the morning” or “I am grateful for seeing a hummingbird out the window” or “ I feel grateful for these yummy french fries”.
7. Build in nutritious snacks.
Eating habits can be a tricky thing to navigate with busy schedules. Planning ahead a bit can help a lot. Ask your parent or whoever does the grocery shopping for the things that you know you enjoy and can grab in a hurry. Try to find some balance of protein and fruit and vegetables. Try to create balance and be mindful of not skipping meals. Getting enough nutrients can help your mood, energy and stress levels.
8. Break down overwhelming things into small steps.
When feeling overwhelmed and stressed, take a very small step. Need to study for a math test? Look over one practice problem at a time. Need to do a book report? Figure out the first step-picking the book. Want to exercise but don’t feel like it? Put on your tennis shoes and do 5 minutes of movement. Breaking a task down to smaller steps can help it feel more manageable and less likely to avoid it.
9. Limit screen time.
This is a challenging thing to do for teens and adults alike. Screens aren’t the enemy but our lives are built around them so often. Take a screen break on purpose. If it feels hard, set a timer and take a 20 minute screen break. Pick up a book, put some music on, start a craft, etc.
10. Ask for help!
You do not need to have everything figured out on your own. Ask a family member, friend, counselor, or teacher for help. Most likely they will want to help you. We are social creatures and do best when we have people around us. Let them support you!
