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Wednesday, 23 April 2008 |
Taking care of emotional, physical, spiritual state helps with stress
Has the past week or so been the worst week of your life? You’re not alone.
Probably every friend, acquaintance, and teacher I have has muttered something along those lines recently. Even I have fallen victim of the worst-week-ever-syndrome that seems to occur at the end of the spring semester.
It’s that time when school, work, and social life collide in a crazy mess leaving you confused, desperate and of course –stressed.
At least five people I know have mentioned falling behind in school.
Three people I know have complained about balancing their job and are having trouble showing up to
work.
Ten of the people I know have gotten tickets, suffered ill effects from drinking, started drugs, and even
broken up from relationships.
And that’s all within the past month.
What do you do when your life feels like it is completely falling to pieces and there’s nothing you can
do about?
Easy. Do something about.
Sure, we can’t control every situation. We can’t change the fact that your massive research paper is
due Monday even though you have to work all weekend or that your latest relationship has been
strained by exam prepping stress.
Still there is always something you can do to take hold of your life and become at peace with yourself.
After all, if the entire world is against you, then at least one person needs to be on your side. Might as
well be you.
Do something that helps you find your “Zen”
For me, doing pilates on the floor of my dorm or going grocery shopping
late at night when the aisles are slightly empty of crowds helps me
calm down. Do something you like that’s calming, even if it is weird,
to reorganize your thoughts.
Take care of yourself
Just because exams are coming up, that doesn’t mean you can ignore your
basic needs. Make sure you eat more than just microwaveable burritos
and get more than two hours of sleep at night. Pushing yourself too
hard can bring your immune system down resulting in sickness, which is
the LAST thing you need.
Focus on religion/beliefs.
If you practice some religion or have some sort of spiritual beliefs,
take time to refocus your life on what you view as really important.
It’s easy to get caught up in other things that are important. For me
though, when I take a moment to focus on God, I find peace in the fact
that I believe he is in control of my life. (Which is good because
around exam time, I know I’m sure not).
Don’t procrastinate.
If you’re stressed about approaching dates and deadlines, do something
about it! Start now instead of putting it off. The more you put off,
the more you’ll have to do at the same exact time which will only add
to your stress.
Make time for people.
Believe it or not, people care about you. Sure that extra hour in the
library may help and sure you may just want to lock yourself in your
room and cry over some issue or the other, but really the best thing
you can do is be around the people who care about you most. Make time
for even an hour of chatting or eating a meal with a friend. It’ll
remind you’re not alone in the world as you vent about your stresses.
As the end of the semester approaches, stress will also increase. Take time to
focus on yourself though. Find your inner peace and don’t forget what
makes you happy. Taking care of your emotional, physical, and spiritual
state will make all the difference once exam time really hits.
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