Les Beaucoup Devoirs. Dealing with Stress.

(click on photo for source)

Since I've come to high school stress has been my best friend. Being involved in so many things puts me on a high performance level constantly with the ever pounding need to get another thing done. This week has started out as one of those extremely stressful ones. As the end of school comes near (and so do final exams) the water begins to rise and it is becoming harder and harder not to drown in a sea of freak-out mode.
To deal with all this I take on stress a number of different ways. The following are some simple tips that help me a lot.

Focus on one individual task. Don't look at your to-do list as a whole. 
I usually start freaking out majorly when I look at ALL the things I have to get done. This ends up wasting 20 minutes of either crying or being pissed off at my apathetic teachers instead of actually getting work done. It's good to just take one thing at a time. It feels more manageable without wasting time on all the extra huffs and puffs.

If you can avoid being on the computer, do it. 
A lot of my homework has to be done on the computer so a lot of time goes to being distracted by Facebook or Pintrist. My advice: STAY AWAY. I can get lost on the computer for hours then it starts to get dark and I look over at my work, still waiting to be completed, in dismay and the stress rises even more than had I just focused and got it done.

Each a healthy snack during and drink water. 
Eating some fruit and a good glass of water can really change your attitude and make you feel good. When you feel good you stress less.


Set goals and give yourself rewards.
Motivation is key when it comes to getting stuff done. Sometimes I get so stressed I just want to forget about it and not even do my homework. I subside these thoughts mostly (though some days it is very hard) by reminding myself of the goal of getting good grades and getting into a good college. Not your cup of tea? Somedays that doesn't work on me either so I set more tangible goals. Sometimes I just tell myself the quicker I get it done, the quicker I get to see the latest episode of my favorite show or get to bake up a batch of cookies for myself. Little rewards help relieve the stress and motivate.

Don't Kill Yourself. 
This one is pretty obvious, but take breaks. By dividing work up and taking breaks, the giant pile of work seems more like a movable hill. Don't kill yourself working. It's not worth it. Somedays I just have to tell myself "Sarah you need sleep". Teachers may not understand but sometimes you just need to stop before stress takes complete control.

Remember that tomorrow is a new day. 
Stress is very hard on the soul and the mind. As a result negative feelings and thoughts and doubts can arise. Just remember tomorrow is a new day and stress is not forever. It helps a little.


Listen to something calming with little to no lyrics. 
This one is totally a personal opinion. When I'm working I cannot focus if I hear music with lyrics or people talking, so I listen to classical music. It keeps me stimulated and brightens the mood without giving me a headache because my brain is trying to hear the words of the song and focus.

off to more work! 

xoxo. hope this helps. much love, Sarah.