12 Smart Ways to Manage Stress at School

reading at school
Photo by Eliott Reyna

If you’re a student and you can’t seem to properly handle school-related stressors, then this article will help you figure out just what to do. The truth is, many students like yourself often have problems in trying to do everything right. Sometimes, the stress that you experience from schooling can even affect your overall physical and mental health.

Here are the smart ways to manage stress at school and help you accomplish more tasks without feeling overworked and overwhelmed.

1. Look at things from the right perspective.
You won’t be able to do anything right unless you look at things from the right perspective. In fact, the following pieces of advice won’t even work if you’re coming from a pessimistic and doubtful side of the spectrum.

The first thing you have to do to smartly manage stress at school is to change how you look at your situation: being a student and studying is not a tiring role and an exhausting responsibility. It is a privilege and an opportunity to help you create a brighter future for yourself.

2. List down everything that you need to do.
Now that you have realized how important education and schooling is, you’ll finally have a clearer eye (and a clearer head) to take the proper first step: make a to-do list. It’s the most basic step but it’s also the most important.

Your mind needs to get a picture of every single thing that you should accomplish in a particular period of time – or you’ll spend days and nights blindly worrying about the things that you should do. Moreover, a list, visible and written, will eliminate overthinking which leads to over-worrying.

3. Create an effective time management plan.
Manage your time well and create an effective schedule. You don’t have to live your time worrying about school-related tasks. You should live it and enjoy the things outside of it: for your social life, family fun, and even for your hobbies.

Set your schedule and find a balance among all of these aspects of your life. Doing so will help you “organize” your everyday affairs and will give you the feeling that you are in control.

4. Do not exaggerate or over-think the situation.
Overthinking is both unproductive and unhealthy. It leads to unnecessary worrying about the future – even if you know too well that if you just really try your best, you wouldn’t even think about them as problems in the first place.

DO NOT exaggerate the situation and stop worrying about how big and challenging your home works and assignments are. Just take on them, one task at a time.

5. Prioritize easier tasks first; deal with more difficult ones last.
Easier tasks are lighter – and take faster to be accomplished. That is why it’s a smart idea to work on them first. Aside from the fact that doing so can help you check off more items on your to-do list fast, taking on these easier and less demanding tasks first will serve as a warm-up and prepare your mind and body for more challenging assignments.

6. Stop procrastinating and just do what you have to do.
Don’t set aside a task that you can accomplish today just because you’re feeling lazy. There is a big difference between “relaxing” and neglecting your duty as a student. While procrastinating can feel good, realizing that you made a mistake will only come just right when it’s already too late.

7. Take things slow and manage tasks one at a time.
Don’t try to finish everything in one go – especially when it comes to tasks that involve focus and concentration. Correcting your mistakes from a rushed assignment is more stressful than actually doing that task properly in the first place.

Don’t overwork your mind and body and just take things one at a time. If you know how to manage your time well, you won’t even have to deal with this problem.

8. Learn to courageously accept constructive criticism.
Most of the time, the stress from school comes from the fear of criticism either from an authority figure like your teacher – or from your classmates. However, it’s important to develop the courage to accept constructive criticism not only to help you become a better student but to also help you avoid doing the same mistake in the future.

9. Ignore unproductive comments from other people.
Learn to accept criticism with an open heart – but beware of unproductive comments from people who don’t even matter. Bullies and negative personalities will always be present in school scenarios. Do not let these people ruin your focus and more importantly, don’t listen to them.

Be with the right people and only take advice from those who have the right credentials and good intentions.

10. When it comes to your health, do everything right.
Never take your mental and physical health for granted – especially if you’re a student. Sometimes, stress comes from neglecting your health by not eating right or on time. Other times, your stress and anxiety may come from a deeper and more serious place such as failing mental health.

Know when to seek help and listen to what your body truly needs.

11. Take a break and make sure you get enough sleep.
Get enough sleep because that is one way of helping your body get ready for the day ahead. Sometimes, stress is caused by your body’s inability to properly function because it did not have enough time to relax and reboot.

12. If all else fails – try again.
It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to fail – but make sure that you come right back up stronger and wiser. Don’t let these things make you feel that you don’t have what it takes to be a good student. In fact, the best students know how to learn from their mistakes – and most importantly, they know when NOT to give up.

You don’t have to be a perfect student just to prevent yourself from feeling all tired and stressed out. Focusing and only wanting to be perfect can even be one of the reasons why most students feel more overwhelmed than they should be.

Just do your part as a student by accomplishing your tasks on time, managing your schedule well, and most importantly, by taking care of yourself. Just remember these things and everything will follow.

ALSO READ: 9 Ways to Overcome Challenges in School

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Charm Villalon
Charm is a writer and a student. She is currently completing her Graduate Degree in Language Studies while refining her creativity and related skills through the visual arts: drawing and painting.
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