We have all had this feeling before. Our muscles go tense from it, our bodies feel drained, and our minds go crazy. Yes, the feeling is stress. According to Merriam-Webster.com stress is defined as, "A constraining force or influence as a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation (2011)." As a college student I'm faced with all kinds of different stress. As well, most of you probably witness a little stress in your life too. Having to cope with stress as a student is not uncommon. A recent MSN article reports that the Associated Press conducted research on college student stress at many colleges throughout the United States.
Once at university, new pressures develop as students have to learn to manage independently with finance, new environments, a different approach to learning and the loss of their childhood comfort zones.Along with many other problems, it has been said that the major source of stress for university students are debt and having too little money. Around half of the UK's students work part-time to help pay their way through university. Most institutions advise not to work whilst studying and that if it really is necessary, to only work a maximum of 16 hours per week.
This is not healthy because aside from the physical harm such addictions present, there are also psychological problems this can cause. A person cannot learn how to naturally deal with stress if they always turn to their addictions for a release. They do not adequately learn how to cope with the knocks that life inevitably presents. Instead they grow increasingly dependent on their addictions as a means of coping, which often creates many other problems in the long run.
For example, a student who has being suffering financially may take on a part time job in a bar to help pay the rent. This brings a new realm into the student's life; they are meeting new people with different focuses and pastimes. Some of these will be beneficial to the student but there is also the chance that these new people will cause more of a distraction from the students main focus; the degree. Not only this, the job will take over time in the student's life that should be used for socializing, resting or studying.
People often become stressed due to excessive demands of life. Learning time management skills, as well as learning how to say 'no', can really benefit these people.Take a long look at yourself and ask if you are excessively stressed. If you are then take action now. Whilst you are living in this state you are wasting your time here on earth. We are meant to be happy and healthy. You cannot get this time back, so you must act now. Look at areas in life where you can make small, but important changes. It might be reducing overtime at work, taking adequate breaks throughout the day, avoiding certain people or situations, or even getting a new hobby. See the importance in your own stress management, and take action. Your long term happiness and health depend on it.
The first letter is "R". "R" stands for Recognize. We must first recognize the stress before we can cope with stress. Once you recognize the stress try writing what you are stressed about down on paper. This is a way to vent and analyze a better way to go about your situation. Also, some people just simply find writing very relaxing and it helps calm their nerves.The second letter is the letter "E". "E" stands for Exercise. Incorporate exercise into your life. Make it a daily routine. Set aside time to exercise because it is simply good for you, and it will help keep your mind off your worries. If you can learn to make a routine out of it, then you can start building onto that routine and get more organized. In time, you will be less overwhelmed and enjoy having a healthy routine.
Young people dealing with the stresses of student life can also be prone to developing eating disorders as a form of coping. Anorexia, Bulimia and over-eating are all ways to exert control of life when everything else seems to be chaotic and out of hand. Again, this will only cause the student further difficulties. It is very hard to overcome eating disorders and the disease has a knock on affect on all areas of the person's life. Eating three meals a day and having a healthy diet is very important for a healthy mind and healthy body.A recent survey of student mental health showed a drastic increase in the amount of students suffering with emotional problems, anxiety and depression. More and more students are seeking counseling for their problems and 10% of those students are suicidal. It seems to be a very dark statistic but it is important to highlight the seriousness of the issue. For many people, student years are the times of their lives, but for those who find it difficult to cope, it can be very very hard.
The fourth letter is "A". "A" stand for Attitude. When you talk about school or work do you often talk about how you will fail, or how you can't do it, or how it is too hard? Well, that is just being pessimistic and clearly having a poor attitude. You then need to step back, evaluate yourself, and adjust your attitude. According to Psychology Today, "Optimism is an admirable quality, one that can positively affect mental and physical health."
Coping with stress at work is primarily a psychological function that requires some practice. Different individuals may react with varying degrees of stress given the same situation and stress factors. Some people are easily irritable while others are more resilient. Regardless of the individual differences, effectively managing stress can be divided into three general categories.Attitude - Coping with stress will largely depend on individual attitude. People who are generally optimistic in their outlook in life can adjust better to the various challenges in life. As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Positive attitude can be learned and practiced. It is mainly about hope and good prospects, focusing on finding solutions rather than being burdened by problems.
Relaxation - When the situation becomes too stressful, simple deep breath exercise can help. It can increase blood oxidation and improve circulation. Relaxation techniques do not need to be expensive or complicated. Finding a quiet place at the office where one can collect composure, for instance, can help in relaxation. Listening to soft music may also provide some relief.Efficiency - Being organized and highly efficient at work can help employees coping with stress simply because the piling up of tasks will be avoided. Accomplishing the required tasks will also provide some sense of accomplishment. Efficiency at work can be achieved by eliminating procrastinations and by having well-defined daily plans.Social skills - People who are friendly and easy to like are less likely to experience stress due to uncooperative and rude co-workers, including bosses. Developing good social skills can also help employees move up in the corporate ladder and be given leadership responsibilities. Social skills are oftentimes more valuable than technical skills especially when it comes to large organizations.
Once at university, new pressures develop as students have to learn to manage independently with finance, new environments, a different approach to learning and the loss of their childhood comfort zones.Along with many other problems, it has been said that the major source of stress for university students are debt and having too little money. Around half of the UK's students work part-time to help pay their way through university. Most institutions advise not to work whilst studying and that if it really is necessary, to only work a maximum of 16 hours per week.
This is not healthy because aside from the physical harm such addictions present, there are also psychological problems this can cause. A person cannot learn how to naturally deal with stress if they always turn to their addictions for a release. They do not adequately learn how to cope with the knocks that life inevitably presents. Instead they grow increasingly dependent on their addictions as a means of coping, which often creates many other problems in the long run.
For example, a student who has being suffering financially may take on a part time job in a bar to help pay the rent. This brings a new realm into the student's life; they are meeting new people with different focuses and pastimes. Some of these will be beneficial to the student but there is also the chance that these new people will cause more of a distraction from the students main focus; the degree. Not only this, the job will take over time in the student's life that should be used for socializing, resting or studying.
People often become stressed due to excessive demands of life. Learning time management skills, as well as learning how to say 'no', can really benefit these people.Take a long look at yourself and ask if you are excessively stressed. If you are then take action now. Whilst you are living in this state you are wasting your time here on earth. We are meant to be happy and healthy. You cannot get this time back, so you must act now. Look at areas in life where you can make small, but important changes. It might be reducing overtime at work, taking adequate breaks throughout the day, avoiding certain people or situations, or even getting a new hobby. See the importance in your own stress management, and take action. Your long term happiness and health depend on it.
The first letter is "R". "R" stands for Recognize. We must first recognize the stress before we can cope with stress. Once you recognize the stress try writing what you are stressed about down on paper. This is a way to vent and analyze a better way to go about your situation. Also, some people just simply find writing very relaxing and it helps calm their nerves.The second letter is the letter "E". "E" stands for Exercise. Incorporate exercise into your life. Make it a daily routine. Set aside time to exercise because it is simply good for you, and it will help keep your mind off your worries. If you can learn to make a routine out of it, then you can start building onto that routine and get more organized. In time, you will be less overwhelmed and enjoy having a healthy routine.
Young people dealing with the stresses of student life can also be prone to developing eating disorders as a form of coping. Anorexia, Bulimia and over-eating are all ways to exert control of life when everything else seems to be chaotic and out of hand. Again, this will only cause the student further difficulties. It is very hard to overcome eating disorders and the disease has a knock on affect on all areas of the person's life. Eating three meals a day and having a healthy diet is very important for a healthy mind and healthy body.A recent survey of student mental health showed a drastic increase in the amount of students suffering with emotional problems, anxiety and depression. More and more students are seeking counseling for their problems and 10% of those students are suicidal. It seems to be a very dark statistic but it is important to highlight the seriousness of the issue. For many people, student years are the times of their lives, but for those who find it difficult to cope, it can be very very hard.
The fourth letter is "A". "A" stand for Attitude. When you talk about school or work do you often talk about how you will fail, or how you can't do it, or how it is too hard? Well, that is just being pessimistic and clearly having a poor attitude. You then need to step back, evaluate yourself, and adjust your attitude. According to Psychology Today, "Optimism is an admirable quality, one that can positively affect mental and physical health."
Coping with stress at work is primarily a psychological function that requires some practice. Different individuals may react with varying degrees of stress given the same situation and stress factors. Some people are easily irritable while others are more resilient. Regardless of the individual differences, effectively managing stress can be divided into three general categories.Attitude - Coping with stress will largely depend on individual attitude. People who are generally optimistic in their outlook in life can adjust better to the various challenges in life. As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Positive attitude can be learned and practiced. It is mainly about hope and good prospects, focusing on finding solutions rather than being burdened by problems.
Relaxation - When the situation becomes too stressful, simple deep breath exercise can help. It can increase blood oxidation and improve circulation. Relaxation techniques do not need to be expensive or complicated. Finding a quiet place at the office where one can collect composure, for instance, can help in relaxation. Listening to soft music may also provide some relief.Efficiency - Being organized and highly efficient at work can help employees coping with stress simply because the piling up of tasks will be avoided. Accomplishing the required tasks will also provide some sense of accomplishment. Efficiency at work can be achieved by eliminating procrastinations and by having well-defined daily plans.Social skills - People who are friendly and easy to like are less likely to experience stress due to uncooperative and rude co-workers, including bosses. Developing good social skills can also help employees move up in the corporate ladder and be given leadership responsibilities. Social skills are oftentimes more valuable than technical skills especially when it comes to large organizations.
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