That aren't just 'take breaks.'
There are a million self-help tools out there that tackle dealing with stress as a student. While meditation, regular breaks, and breathing techniques are tried-and-true, there's some unconventional ways to reduce stress as a student out there. We'll take you through ways to streamline your work, incorporate mini-therapies, and adjust your lifestyle in meaningful ways you might not have thought of.
Life as a student is stressful enough. Read on for some tips that you didn't know you needed.
The mind-body link
While traditional advice often emphasizes the importance of sleep, diet, and exercise, exploring how the mind and body interact can offer even more powerful solutions. The mind-body link is very real (ever heard of placebo medication?) and tapping into practices that can trick you into feeling less stressed can work wonderfully.
Essentially, fake it till you make it.
Laughter therapy
Like smiling, the physical action of laughing activates a rush of dopamine in the brain. Try watching more content that makes you laugh, and avoid stressful media like horror films. Turns out your Instagram reels might be doing good! Just kidding, they're actively reducing your attention span. You win some, you lose some.
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)
Anything with an acronym sounds very official and scary, but you don't need to be a bodybuilder of a yogi to try this. Try it now: close your eyes and think about where you might be holding tension. Is it your neck, your shoulders? Or maybe your lower back or knees? Now isolate a muscle group, alternately tensing and relaxing it.
This can help you become aware of physical tension and learn to release it. After all, mental stress transfers to the body very easily.
Chewing gum while studying
Chewing gum has been proven to increase concentration. Tap into its effects when studying, and try chewing the same flavour gum when you're in your exam to connect the brain's memories!
Music therapy
Plants wilt when they listen to hard rock, and grow when they listen to classical music. We're just kidding; you're not a plant, and rock music might well help you focus.
The point is to notice that what you listen to has an effect on your mind and body, so pick your playlists with intention for more effective stress management. Lots of students like instrumentals or binaural beats to enhance focus and relaxation.
The “five senses” technique
Okay, this one's pretty popular, but we couldn't talk about the mind-body link without mentioning it. The five senses technique is a grounding exercise that reduces stress by having you focus on and acknowledge what you can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste in your immediate environment. Give it a go now, and see how you feel.
Cold water therapy
Exposing your body to cold water can stimulate the vagus nerve, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety. So, channel 2014 and get in that ice bucket!
Singing or Chanting
Singing or repeating calming mantras can slow breathing, stimulate the vagus nerve, and ultimately make you feel more relaxed. It can take you out of your own head for a bit, and focus on the body, the throat, and sound.
Productivity hacks
The best way to feel less stressed is to reduce your workload. Now, this isn't always possible, so the second best option is to work smarter, not harder.
Pomodoro technique (with a twist)
You've all heard of the Pomodoro technique (and if you haven't, where have you been?), in which you time yourself to work for 25 minutes, and rest for 5. Pomodoro focus is the best kind of focus, but remember to adjust the timings for how you work. Some people work best in longer bursts, for example.
Try adding in a treat (like a chocolate bar) to the end of those 5 minutes — anything to motivate you to actually end the break and get going again.
Progressive task reduction
Something the professionals call progressive task reduction. Start by identifying the smallest possible action you can take to begin the task, like opening a document or jotting down a note. Once you’ve completed that, the next step should feel just as easy. Gradually, you'll find yourself tackling larger chunks without the mental overload that comes with seeing the whole task at once.
This method helps trick your brain into feeling less overwhelmed, turning a massive project into a series of little victories.
Being kind to yourself is stress management
Treat yourself!
Little treats don't have to be expensive (and in fact they don't need to cost anything at all), but having that little dopamine rush of excitement is a good way to motivate yourself. Here are some of our favourite 'stress-less' treats:
A nice drink (we ALWAYS go for matcha)
A face mask
A chocolate bar
Nice socks (it makes such a difference!)
A bubble bath
A plant
Set a silly goal
Something slightly ridiculous and achievable, like 'find a nice place to study', or 'catch the 13:45 bus', or 'wear this pair of socks today,' and celebrate it. It will help feel like you're having small wins, because part of what makes studying so difficult is that it feels like relief is so far in the future. It's important to have (or artificially create, like in this case) a feeling of accomplishment in the day.
As exams and deadlines approach over the end of term, stress is an inevitable part of student life, but it doesn’t have to take over. At Avalon Education, we understand the pressure students face, and we're here to support you every step of the way.
If you're looking for academic tutoring that reduces stress, not increases it, get in touch with us today. Let's work together to make your learning experience not just productive, but enjoyable too.
So, go ahead and try out these stress management tips to take that extra step toward making your academic journey a little more enjoyable. You deserve it!
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