The title of this blog might be a bit misleading, the things I’m talking about aren’t going to instantly cure your stress, but my intention is to talk about quick and immediate things you can do to help you calm down a bit when stress does come along.
You should try and find other long term solutions to reduce your stress over time, but especially as a student, stress is going to come sooner or later.
These aren’t “cures” for stress, or even ways to overcome it, but they’re ways to…. Refocus, give your brain a moment, and maybe adjust your perspective on your situation.
1) Write it out
When there’s something that’s specifically bothering me, I find it really helpful to write it out. You can do this on paper, or on your computer, or in a text message to a friend. I’ve always found that writing about the thing that’s stressing me out helps me get better grasp on my problem and makes it seem a lot less “big”.
Alternatively, you can talk it out with someone, or to yourself, which is the same idea.
Personally, I like writing things down, this way I can read it over which helps me find perspective, and I find the physical motion of writing something out helps to calm me down as well.
2) Soothe your senses
This is one of the things I do most often to deal with stress I’m experiencing.
There’s many things that fall into this category, including listening to music or calming white noise, eating a piece of food or candy you really like, using a hand cream you love the scent of, or using color pens, rather than black ones.
My favorite ways to relieve stress usually fall under the “tactile” category. I’ll often wear a necklace with a smooth pendant that I can touch if I’m feeling stressed, and I find it helps calm me down. There are many things that you can do that fall into this category, and experiment using different senses to calm your mind. You’ll find one that works best for you.
3) Play a “brain” game
Find an activity or a game, a small one, that requires you to use your brain. Focusing your brain on something else forces it to take even a brief break from your stress, which can help you calm down and refocus.
Recently I’ve started playing hitori puzzles on an app on my phone and found its a good distraction for my brain.
Find an app for a game you can pull out and play for a few minutes when your brain needs a distraction. Sudoku is a classic, or you could try a crossword puzzle, or even a game of solitaire! You just need to find a game you enjoy and that engages your brain.
Not all of these methods will work for you, but hopefully something on this list will help you out when stress comes your way, or maybe give you your own ideas for things to do to help you manage your stress.