Identify your triggers
We can't always avoid stressful situations, but working out what triggers your feelings of stress and preparing yourself by managing these pressures can help you to reduce stress.
Triggers could include:
- Something you regularly worry about.
- Future events that are on your mind (e.g. exams, presentations)
- Ongoing events that keep reoccurring that are difficult to manage (e.g. deadlines)
Take a break and relax
You don't have to meditate or practice yoga—there are plenty of other relaxing activities to try. Just taking time away from your normal routine can help to reduce stress levels.
- Take a long hot shower or bath, bake a cake, listen to music or play a game.
- Try a change of scenery and go outside for a walk or to a café for a break, even if it's just for a short time every now and then.
- Whatever activity you know helps you to rest and relax, make sure you put some time aside to do it.
Maintain some balance
You may find that one part of your life is taking up most of your time and energy.
- Although it's not easy to do, if you find that this is the case, try to focus some of your time and energy on other parts of your life, like family or friends or time for yourself.
- Maintaining some sort of balance will reduce the chances of feeling overwhelmed.
Self-care
Taking steps to look after your health and wellbeing can help to lessen the impact of stress.
- Get a decent amount of sleep—between 6-8 hours per night.
- Be physically active.
- Eat as healthily as possible.
- Forgive yourself. Everyone makes mistakes and we do not always achieve what we hoped that we would. Trying to live up to expectations that we and others place on ourselves can create extra stress.
Talk to someone
Friends, family, your Tutor, a Student Wellbeing Service Coordinator or a Student Union Welfare Officer, a colleague, your line manager or our Employee Assistance Programme can help if you are feeling overwhelmed and your stress levels are increasing to an unmanageable level.
- Bottling things up isn't going to help you manage and achieve your goals.
- Prevention really is better than a cure, so get some support before your stress levels get too high.
Reward yourself
Being kind to yourself can help to reduce feelings of stress.
- When you have finished a piece of work, revised for an exam or even made a decision about something, it's important to recognise your achievement—even if you feel like there are still lots of other things that you need to do.
- If you can– reward yourself with something you like to do or something that helps you to relax.
Organise your time
You may feel more able to handle pressure if you feel in control of your time, so making adjustments to how you organise your day may be useful.
- Are you a morning or evening person? By identifying what time of day you have the most energy, you can do the tasks that require the most concentration or that are most important during your 'high energy' time.
- Prioritise your to do list. Focus on the tasks that are most urgent first.
- Some tasks will be more enjoyable or interesting than others. Vary and balance interesting tasks with the more mundane and stressful ones.
- Break down each task into manageable chunks and take breaks when you have completed a 'chunk' of a task.
- When you're stressed, taking a break may seem like a difficult thing to do but it can make you more productive.
Socialise
It's tempting, when we are stressed, busy or feeling like we are not coping very well, to isolate ourselves. However, being around others can help to reduce stress.
- Spending time with friends can help you to feel more positive, making you more productive.
- There are a variety of student clubs and societies that you could join in order to meet people.
- The Chaplaincy also runs events to help you to meet new people.
- Any chance to laugh, smile and chat will help you to feel less stressed. Smiling and engaging with others will also produce hormones that help you to relax