Managing Study Stress
Small amounts of short-stress don't hurt us, so don't stress about being stressed just before a big performance, like an exam. Focus on breathing deeply and slowly, concentrate on relaxing your muscles, and imagine yourself doing well. But if you find yourself getting cranky with those around you, losing touch with friends and with things you enjoy, sleeping badly and waking exhausted, feeling distressed or depressed, then stop! These are symptoms of prolonged stress. They can interfere with your studies, and with your quality of life. And with one, two, or more years at uni, it's important to manage study stress. So before stress takes a toll on your health and you find yourself lurching from one crisis to the next, try these stress busters. Seven tips for managing study stress1. Get active – Physical activity boosts endorphin levels, your 'feel good' hormones, and is a great way to beat study stress. Short bursts of activity between chunks of study will not only help you feel better, they will help you work longer and concentrate better. So don't fool yourself into thinking you don't have time; get moving! Do what you like best: run around the block or stroll down the river, do group sports or work out at the gym. What you do is up to you; the important thing is to take breaks between periods of mental exertion. Building activity into your day will also help you sleep better at night, which will also help you beat study stress. 2. Eat well – Fresh fruit and vegies, cereals, grains, nuts and proteins are good for your body, brain and blood sugar levels. Eat lots of them to help you feel good, and drink plenty of water. Eating and drinking the right things before you get too hungry or thirsty helps keep your blood sugar and hydration levels in balance and your stress levels under control. Avoid junk food, alcohol, drugs (except those prescribed by your doctor), sugary food, and too much strong coffee or chocolate. And when you eat, relax: allow yourself time and don't eat and try to work at the same time. 3. Get connected - Students who are well connected at uni tend to out perform those who are not, and they have a lot more fun too! So keep in contact with your family and friends, and build social activities into your timetable. Join a club or society, and remember: there's more to life than uni, and more to uni life than a degree! Social activities help you keep perspective, and are vital in keeping study blues at bay. You can also combine social activity and study by setting up or joining a study group. 4. Study smarter, not harder - Regular planning will help you manage study stress. Use a semester planner to note major deadlines and a daily planner to enter tasks for each day. Be realistic about what you can accomplish: major tasks like writing an essay or preparing for exams are best broken down into small step-by-step chunks of activity that you can spread over several days. Schedule in recreational and social activities, and work and family commitments, and allow for plenty of 'down time.' 5. Ask for help when you need it - Remember that old saying: it's the squeaky wheel that gets all the grease? Well, be that squeaky wheel and get help when you need it. There's lots of people on campus who are there to help you manage study stress. Lecturers, tutors, supervisers, course coordinators, student faculty advisers, guild education officers, equity and diversity advisers, doctors, chaplains, counsellors, disability officers, learning skills advisers, housing and finance officers, careers advisers, diversity and transition advisers, and other student services staff are there to assist. Make use of them! 6. Rest before you get tired - Strange as it may sound, the best kind of rest to get is the rest you get before you get too tired or run-down. Allow yourself plenty of it! If you are having trouble sleeping at night due to stress, try deep breathing, meditation and positive self-talk, and set yourself a routine bedtime that is just a bit earlier than usual, with activities beforehand to help you unwind: music, reading (but not study notes or books!), massage, a bath, a hobby you enjoy (but not something that's hard to stop once you get started - like computer games or surfing the net!). 7. Keep perspective - Good grades do not necessarily lead to career success or to personal happiness; your personal qualities have a much greater impact on your career and your connection with others on your happiness. Grades don't measure how good or bad you are: you are not your grades! Aim to be a 'good enough' student rather than a 'perfect' student (there is no such species). And remember that the best results don't always come from the most amount of effort, and what might seem most urgent is not always what is most important. PodcastManaging study stress (Elaine Lopes, 97 seconds) LinksThe Health Promotion Unit and Fit For Study UWA Counselling and Psychological Services Study Smarter: Learning, Language and Research skills UWA Sport and Recreation Association Robin Winkler Clinic, UWA School of Psychology Resources outside UWAWA Mental Health Crisis Team: Lifeline: Crisis Care, 24 hour crisis line: Samaritans Suicide Emergency Service: Psychiatric Emergency Team: Bentley Family Clinic: Stress Management Brochure - University of Texas at Austin Managing Stress - University of Canberra ReviewWylde, P., Levitt, B., Wadell, B. and Crawford, G. (2005) Stress Less: Where's Your Head At? The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA: UWA (Adapted from Staying Sane on Campus, The University of Melbourne). This easy-to-read booklet contains great tips on managing stress, including chapters on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and getting connected at UWA. It gives tips for studying when the pressure is on and practical things you can do when the going gets rough or you feel overwhelmed. It also discusses mental health, counselling, discrimination and your rights. And, best of all, it's free! So pick up a copy or borrow one from the Learning Resource Centre at Student Services 2nd Floor Guild Building. You can also find this book online at http://www.stressless.uwa.edu.au/welcome |
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