Stress is part of life. However, how you respond to it makes all the difference. If you are wondering how to manage stress as a student, you are in the right place. In this article, I share seven practical strategies to help you take back control, build resilience and move forward with confidence.
“You do not have to be at the mercy of your feelings or impulses. Responding wisely rather than acting blindly will help you thrive in all situations.”
Glen Gerreyn
Stress is universal. The student stresses about taking a test. The teacher stresses about grading it. Someone else stresses because they have too much work. Another person stresses because they do not have enough money to pay their bills. No matter what is going on in your life, there is always something that can cause stress.
The good news is that you can harness stress to work for you instead of against you. Similarly, you can learn specific tools that make stress manageable. Here are seven strategies that explain how to manage stress as a student, teacher or busy parent.
1. Be Mindful
Mindfulness is important because it helps you overcome emotional distress. When you feel stress, you need to stop and recognise it. That recognition is your first step to preventing stress from taking over your life.
Author Matt Fitzgerald writes in How Bad Do You Want It?: “Psychologists use the term ‘coping’ to refer to a person’s behavioural, emotional, and cognitive responses to discomfort and stress. In a race, the job of the muscles is to perform. The job of the mind is to cope.”
Just as you train your body to stay fit and healthy, you must train your mind to handle the stress that comes at it. Once you start recognising stress, work on overcoming it. Take some deep breaths, write a list or do some stretches. Importantly, be proactive and work through your tasks without letting yourself get distracted.
2. Get Physical
You literally have access to a chemist within your own biology. Every time you contract your muscles, you secrete chemicals that reduce stress, anxiety and inflammation. Furthermore, when you are active, you can access deep-seated feelings of wellbeing such as self-expression, social connection and mastery.
In her book The Joy of Movement, Kelly McGonigal explains that people who take fewer than around 5,000 steps per day are more likely to experience anxiety, depression and reduced life satisfaction. We all need to get moving.
Therefore, there is no need to push yourself through stress with the false solutions of coffee, alcohol or other substances. Instead, head outside and do some endorphin-releasing exercise in the fresh air. Specifically, even a 20-minute walk can shift your mood and reset your mindset significantly.
3. Avoid the “B Word”
People often say, “I know you must be incredibly busy.” However, I try to avoid that word entirely. “Busy” implies you are out of control and have no sense of priorities.
Sometimes people like to say they are busy because it implies they are important. It is nice to feel needed, of course. But the blanket term “busy” is a cop-out. Instead of rushing around every day feeling too overwhelmed to get anything done, think clearly about your priorities.
Moreover, instead of saying “I am too busy,” try saying “I cannot make that a priority right now.” This small shift will help you focus on what truly matters. Ultimately, managing your time well is one of the most powerful ways to manage stress.
4. Manage Your Emotions
Psychologist Dr Susan David said, “Emotions are data, not direction.” You do not have to be ruled by your feelings or impulses. Responding wisely rather than acting blindly will help you thrive in all situations.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, interpret and regulate your emotions in positive ways. When you are aware of what is going on in your head, you can relieve stress and anxiety, communicate effectively, empathise with others and overcome obstacles.
Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi describes two common responses to stress in his book Flow: The Psychology of Happiness. A positive response (what he calls “transformational coping”) turns stress into fuel. A negative response (or “regressive coping”) allows stress to spiral. Indeed, it is up to you to control your thoughts so you can use stress as inspiration rather than an excuse.
5. Get Organised
Have you ever felt so stressed that you could not think straight? From assignments to presentations, those days when deadlines are looming and you have not made any progress are the hardest.
Unfortunately, stress is often caused by disorganisation. While sometimes things happen that are out of your control, being prepared ahead of time helps you sidestep at least some of the obstacles life throws your way.
Before you go to bed, think about your priorities for the next day or week. Write them down and schedule them in your calendar. Specifically, this simple habit stops you lying awake at night wondering how you will get everything done. Once you have a plan, stress has less power over you.
6. Put the Phone Down
Too many people today are living in a heightened state of anxiety and stress. In contrast to earlier generations, social media gives us the potential to see alarming updates constantly, not just locally, but from all around the world.
This puts your biology into a state of emergency because your brain does not know how to calibrate all the information or which threat is worth worrying about. The result is chronic low-level stress that drains your energy and focus.
Therefore, set clear boundaries around your consumption of news and social media. Personally, even switching your phone off for one hour each evening can dramatically reduce your daily stress levels. Focus on what is important today, not every alarming thing happening globally.
7. Help Others Feel Good
Where did we get the idea that if we make people feel worried and stressed, they will change? Consider that tiny stress fractures can lead to a total breakdown of the bones. The same applies to people.
Soothe your own stress by being mindful of it, not passing it on. Create the environment you want to live in and others will follow your lead. Stress is invisible. You cannot see or touch it. However, stress is indiscriminate. It affects the old and the young alike.
Stress finds you regardless of your background or circumstances. We are all vulnerable to it. So remember that you are not alone in feeling the pressure. Do what you can to support others on their journey through worry and anxiety. Of course, helping someone else is one of the fastest ways to lift your own mood.
Final Thoughts: You Are Stronger Than Your Stress
Many of us feel stressed because of the pressure to always perform at our best. However, no matter what is going on, you can transcend your current situation. There is more to you than has yet to be revealed. You are not going to exhaust your potential in your lifetime.
If you voluntarily confront the things that stress you in a manageable way, you will get better at handling this area of your life. If you turn around and face what is scaring you. Instead of always trying to escape it, it will get smaller and you will get bigger.
You feel better because you become more brave, not less afraid. Do not try to get rid of stress entirely. Instead, master it so it does not become crippling. Here is what one student said after attending a presentation on how to manage stress:
“Today you spoke at Sacred Heart and it was the single most inspiring 80 minutes of my life. I left your seminar so inspired to do the best I can. Everyone was listening to your words. Today was my turning point.”
Year 12 Student, Sacred Heart College, Adelaide
Ready to bring stress management strategies to your school?
I deliver powerful, life-changing presentations to students across Australia. Book a school presentation or visit The HopeFULL Institute to learn more about what I do.