Be smart. Stay healthy.

After spending all day researching and writing and studying, you'd think I would come home and gladly crash for the night. I know that's what I want to do, but somehow I always keep myself awake. Not smart.

Now my immune system has decided to show me a lesson, and I'm taking antibiotics galore in addition to a couple more health center remedies for all of my illnesses I'm currently trying to get over. I'm complaining, but really it's my fault. I neglected sleep, so now I'm paying for it. From one inconveniently sick student to any healthy people: GET SLEEP.

Location, location, location

As students push through the end of the semester and work piles up just as warm weather approaches, you want to optimize productivity and minimize stress. To do so I advise being particular about the location in which you work.

If you're a student, choose wisely where you study. Be conscious of how easily distracted you are and whether you absorb more in a group environment or solo. Personally, I prefer to study alone in the presence of some background noise. Even the quiet hum of the library or consciousness of other people around me doing work helps me concentrate. Every now and again, one group of chatty girls will get situated next to me and throw off my flow. This is a distraction in the library, but if I'm doing less tedious work in the Bookstore, this is expected and I don't mind at all. For reasons like this, determine the amount of focus you need to put into what you're doing when choosing a location to dive into work.

Maybe you're the type that needs complete silence to be most productive. If you're easily distracted or just like the quiet, try to find a couple good locations to rely for silence because it's not always the easiest to come by. Plenty of libraries have "quiet rooms," and I know this room at my school is eerily quiet. So quiet I've felt bad clearing my throat in there, but maybe that it just what you need. Depending on your living situation, you might be able to find silence in your bedroom. Or try turning to an unassuming building on campus or in the area that most overlook during final exams. Freshman year a posted up at a table in the lobby of one of our buildings and the only person I saw each night was a member of the cleaning crew.

If you're obligated to work in an office or the like, do you best to make yourself comfortable. Whether that means decorating, rearranging furniture or playing music, do something to keep yourself at ease while you work. This environment isn't always the most encouraging or flexible, but at least try to make the location feel more your own. Think about how difficult it is to do work you're not particularly fond of at the moment in a place you don't want to be. Do your best to stay physically and mentally comfortable by remembering the significance of location, location, location!

Focus Under Pressure

Again, a post addressing that time of year: final exams, projects and papers. Of course this kind of advice can also be applied to any situation in which your feeling some pressure. Being under any kind of pressure requires focus.

I suggest achieving it by listening to music while you work. After you actually motivate yourself to embark on whatever feat is facing you, turn on some Vitamin String Quartet, specifically. Personally, it helps me focus by distracting me in a good way. It keeps my spirits up kind of subconsciously. I get to enjoy music I recognize without the disturbance of words, while I accomplish some work in the mean time. I've also heard music stimulates one side of your brain while studying stimulates the other. If this is true, that could explain why music distracts you but doesn't detract from your focus.

So take the edge off of under-pressure stress by staying focused with some motivating music that keeps your spirits up. And keep in mind that music like that by Vitamin String Quartet is great for this!

Under Pressure

The next few posts will include a few methods to handling life under pressure. Whether you're wrapping up a the semester and facing term papers, projects and tests, you have a heavy work load in the office or you're working on a looming deadline, my advice is to pace yourself from the beginning.

Allot time to put a dent in your work far in advance, so you have time to mentally prepare. When that time approaches, you can think back to when you scheduled it and why you wanted to get it done at that time. Even with a few weeks to get through a task, don't push it off. Pace yourself. Spreading your work out will certainly minimize stress as the due date approached, as well as offer the gratifying experience that comes from being ahead of the game or stepping up to a personal challenge.

If you need motivation to start making progress a process over time, think about instances in which you've pushed something off until the last minute or misjudged how long it would actually take to complete at you best ability. Think about the stress that brings. Pacing yourself, although it might be difficult at first, is definitely a good habit to fall into. It could also allow for a consistent amount of free time during which you can relax or get other things done. This, rather than a bunch of free time for a few weeks during which you worry about the task at hand until you really stress yourself out while scrambling to get it done last-minute.

With multiple papers and projects due at the end of two weeks from now, pacing myself has helped me through the early stages of my work. Now I just have to challenge myself to stay on track as I really have to bring everything together. My planner had notes and assignments written in it weeks in advance throughout the past month so that I'm reminded of how much I have to do, but also that it is doable.

Give this tactic to avoiding stress a shot, and wish me luck until the end of the school year!

Become one with nature

Maybe that's a little dramatic. How about just enjoying or noticing it? This falls under the general stress relieving method that is distraction. Focus on something pretty about your surroundings, or take note of something interesting out there that you never took the time to appreciate before. If you're surrounded primarily by bricks, steel and cement, and wildlife to you is the occasional bird or maybe squirrel, step out of your element when you get the chance. Go somewhere where there's enough nature to get absorbed in, even briefly, that is actually serves as a pleasant distraction.

One of my friends and I take full advantage of our surroundings at school by going on walk on and around campus. Walking was initially the stress reliever in the situation. We reached points where we just wanted to get away from school work or out of the house, so walking was our solution to physically get us away from those things. Eventually, we realized one of the reasons our walks even work is because of what surrounds us. Our campus is on a steep hill in a pretty forested area at the south end and a more urban one at the north end. Believe me we've walked everywhere possible, and the more relaxing stroll usually immerse us in nature, not traffic and buildings. When we started appreciating the beauty of our surroundings, walking became even more enjoyable and stress relieving. When we pay attention, we usually notice something different out there, even when we take a typical route, or we notice a new path to take. Walking takes my mind off of daily stressors I have to address by letting me take in my surroundings. I wold regret not appreciating the nature on my campus if I graduated without taking advantage of it.

Another more dedicated way to enjoy nature is to go camping. I've gone camping with my family in the Boundary Waters on routes my dad mapped out forgetting we're not all pros at that kind of stuff... However, even my mom who was basically kind of irrationally concerned for our well-beings the whole time, we all sincerely appreciated the opportunity to experience being a part of those surroundings. It's a difficult scene to do  justice with a quick explanation. Despite the soreness that resulted from long portages, I'd say none of us felt any stress out there. An easier method might be getting a couple friends together and go to a lake for a weekend. Good company and the beauty of nature are a guaranteed stress reliever!

Drink Up!

Water, that is.

I think the health benefits that come with staying hydrated really contribute to a healthy lifestyle that is helpful in minimizing stress. I've mentioned my theories on living healthy when I posted about exercising and getting enough sleep. It's just one less thing to worry about and a good self-confidence booster. When you feel good physically, you feel good mentally.

Dehydration causes things like muscle cramps, constipation, dry skin and headaches. Another common result of thirst is mistaking it for hunger. As an honest food-lover who already eats just to eat regularly, I guess I don't really need to eat when I can just drink. Try to take note of this physical hungry feeling next time, and realize if your mind is actually just tricking you. These are all really annoying disruptions in your day and some of those little stressors you don't even realize are ruining your mood. In addition to a hectic schedule or a weighing decision or dilemma, you don't also want to be constipated...

Drinking water is so important, the Department of Health and Human Services created a "drinking water week" a few years ago.

This is an easy enough way to stay feeling physically fresh from day to day, and it can also help you out to mentally tackle the work day. When you're feeling particularly bogged down during the day, take a water break, like an athlete but for some different reasons. Use this time to gather your thoughts and organize the rest of the day in your mind before embarking upon the nest task. Or don't think about what brought you to that water break, and make it a brief separation from an overbearing boss or term paper.

There are a ton of reasons to drink water and stay healthy, and one is to relieve some stress. So drink up!

Be selfless

Next time little stressors in life become too much to handle, try doing something good for someone else. My freshman year of college was a pretty hectic time in my life, not taking into account adjusting to college life and taking care of school work. Needless to say I was stress out. After a while, an opportunity came up to go to a local middle school to hang out with the kids after school. So I went without really thinking too much of it. I like kids and I wanted to get off campus. We helped a few kids with homework then played basketball before their parents came to pick them up for the day. Two of the boys took a liking to hanging out with me and got excited when I would go back. I certainly didn't making any kind of lasting impression upon their lives, but I learned a lot about them and they got to have a fun afternoon. Even after the first day, I felt a little better in general.

I think I can attribute this to thinking more about the kids I was with than about myself. In my previous post, I mentioned the ideas that there is more out there than whatever's stressing you out and things will improve. I say I experienced this my freshman year. I was so wrapped up in what was going wrong in my life and causing me stress, I forgot about possible solutions in everything else that was going on around me.

So the stress reliever I want to stress in post post is to think about other people and take a break from getting lost in your own thoughts. Of course it feels good to help others out, but doing so partially for the selfish reason of trying to shake your own stress can be okay, too. Keep in mind the amount of people that benefit from selflessness... it can include you!

More than one right answer

Stress can result from hard decisions, let downs or mistakes, which are probably hard to shake from your thoughts. Things like this are inevitable and happen to everyone. For instance, I just missed a meeting with a professor because I mistakenly thought I scheduled it amongst the rest of my week's meetings I scheduled for Friday, not Thursday; one of my friends was just informed he did not get the one internship he really had his eye on; and my brother recently struggled with deciding upon one of two schools at which to attend high school. These are a few of the vast amount of stressors that occur everyday. I'm sure you can think of a dozen of your own right off the top of you head.

Think about how many hard decisions, let downs or mistakes you've faced and how often. Now think of that amount as a number of accomplishments. Your whole life you've ultimately successfully conquered all these stressors that probably drove you crazy at the time you dealt with them. Even when you feel like you don't have options or made the wrong decision, it's never been the end of the world. This is when it is time to think through your options. Rarely if ever is there only one right answer. Look at whatever situation you're facing from as many angles as possible. Recognize that the future might bring changes and more options. It is certainly difficult to step back from a stressful situation and think completely rationally, but sometimes this is the best stress reliever. It might remind you that you've been in this position before, and everything has always improved or worked itself out. Learn from the stressful moments of your past.

One way to think rationally in the face of stress is to make lists. "Lists relieve stress and focus the mind. 'Lists,' sociologist Scott Schaffer told The Oregoniannewspaper, 'really get to the heart of what it is we need to do to get through another day on this planet.' "

Or prepare for these obnoxious stressors by recognizing your situation and practicing solutions. In this case practice stepping outside of your stress and remember there is always more than one right answer.

Mind Wandering

Below is a comment from Silagh White, a follower of this blog who offers her own suggestions to stress relief.

"I used to be a runner. Since my knees have deteriorated, I swim when I can (dang, limited Lehigh pool schedule) and do a lot of baking. Many of my experiments don't work. But it's the handy work that helps me relax. Just taught my daughter how to make basic bread by hand yesterday. That turned out a lot better than muffins earlier in the week.

"I think it's the repetitive motion that focuses thoughts. I have also found great opportunity for mind wandering while gardening, knitting, sewing or crafting. Some of my friends enjoy making art as stress relief. Classes at Banana Factory are great for that. And also drumming circles are very effective."


I strongly agree, and have previously mentioned, the idea that repetitive motion or thinking can serve as a successful means to distraction, thought organization or a general pick-me-up if the repetition involves something you can actively enjoy. One article mentions four my previous suggestions: journaling, meditation, exercise and music. Logic games like sudoku also offer the opportunity to focus your thoughts on something that's not stressing you out.

Baking is a good idea because, in addition to preoccupying yourself, you can end up with a tasty reward. Baking or cooking also lets you create and go through trial and error, which can be an emotional release for some people. I actually tasted one of Silagh's baked concoctions, and it was a delicious muffin! This stress relieving tactic can improve another person's day, as well!

Heed some of Silagh's suggestions and find the "mind wandering" experience that best suits you!

Journaling

Yesterday's post about avoiding distractions and clearing your mind enough to get a good night of sleep is motivation for this post. I inspired myself to finish up the rest of my day efficiently and to think about tomorrow when tomorrow arrived. It was great to fall asleep right away and not wonder if I should get up early in case I forgot to get something done. It was a much-needed mental and physical rest that I probably wouldn't have achieved without writing my previous post. For this reason, I encourage you to journal.

Writing down your thoughts may open you to a new kind of organization that completely internalizing might prevent. Being able to view your emotions on paper could give you a new perspective on what's stressing you out or how to deal with it. Or, like my post, use journaling to encourage yourself. I didn't realize I was doing it, but writing my post  yesterday provided the motivation I apparently needed to de-stress enough to sleep well.

I consider this to be a pretty personal experience, so try a few different methods of writing down your thoughts or feelings until you find one that suits you  and your schedule.

Need. Sleep.

Tonight I'm going to write about the need for sleep because that is exactly what my mind and body is feeling right now. I have been a little stressed about the amount of stuff I have to get done, but I haven't been committing to any all-nighters or being overly active or anything. So I don't exactly know why I'm exhausted, but I am. Unfortunately, I have to admit that it might have to do with some petty distractions that I have just succumbed to every time lately. My work will be complete for the day, then I'll stay up until odd hours doing useless things or talking to whomever I run into in my house. From past experience, I know this will catch up with me when I do have a long day of work and I don't have the energy to do it to full potential. Then, that will stress me out.

There is probably a number of solutions depending on the distraction, but heed some advice if you ever feel like you have found yourself in this habit of delaying going to bed. Women, take Harvard's advice as motivation to just end your day. In addition to the obvious feeling of lethargy, lack of sleep can slow your metabolism and weaken your immune system. And, like I've said before, letting yourself fall into poor physical condition probably isn't going to improve your mental or emotional state. This would just be another thing to worry about. College students, I know we've all pulled all-nighters and it feels inevitable at times, but you don't feel too pleasant the next day, right? Avoid it when possible. Try following some of these tips, and remember, "College students who pull “all-nighters” are more likely to have a lower GPA."

In general, here's what I should try harder to stop doing: constantly snacking at night, watching too much TV, joining whatever conversation comes my way for far too long and just thinking too much to actually let my brain rest. Most of my distractions are things I should just avoid, and others can be attributed to lack of organization and an increasing lack of energy for obvious reason.

So just remember how important sleep is, even when you have a million thing on you mind or encounter a Real Housewives marathon. STress is definitely more likely when you're not well-rested!

Let Go

Get mad, cry, yell or do something that you think might allow you to just let go of your emotions. Sometimes I think this stress-relieving tactic is the hardest is the hardest to accomplish.

I know I feel like things are easier for me when I don't get too wrapped up or too emotionally attached to things. I prefer not to dwell on difficult situations or misfortunes and address them in the quickest or simplest way possible. People take note of grand displays of emotion, and I’d rather not consume that much spotlight. However, I bet my tendencies foster stress to build up at times, even after I feel the issue has been addressed. The result of this stress build-up is usually a bad-mood-for-no-real-reason kind of attitude. Then, that provokes a good shower cry that lets you come out feeling a fresh and relaxed.

I highly suggest you let yourself have a good shower cry next time you feel stressed enough to do so. Just do it when your alone and nothing will distract your from really letting go. If you’re not in a crying mood, maybe try yelling as loud as you can. Also, I’ve read several times that swearing serves as a stress reliever. Don’t offend anyone, though. Just say out loud (or shout) what you’re feeling.

You know when you’re frustrated that you walk around all day feeling like you want to clench your fists and yell. So just do it!

Take Time to Recharge

I'm going to suggest what might seem entirely unimaginable to a lot of people: go sans technology for a day. Turn your phone off, shut down your computer and unplug any other gadgets you use.

This idea came to me when I was without cell phone for some time after its unfortunate submersion in liquid. Of course, I panicked at first (NO TEXTING??). Then, I got used to it but still found myself complaining. Eventually, I realized how liberating it was to not have my phone in hand at all times. It's a bigger distraction than most probably realize, and I in a way I feel like it creates more responsibility for me. Phones, especially smart phones, pretty much cause their users to multitask at all times. This could be unknowingly stressful.

Don't ignore all technology in your life at the expense of a job or schoolwork. Pick a day when doing so just means not thinking about the petty, but constant, responsibilities that come with it. Relax with 24 hours to yourself. There's no need to be reachable 24/7 and actually communicating with other people for much of that time, and see if you can ignore the unnecessary distractions that come with the capabilities of technology. How often do you sit to watch TV or check your e-mail only out of habit then get consumed for a good chunk of time? Let yourself think without interruption.

Talk to people just for fun about things other than work or whatever is on your mind that’s causing stress. Take this time to do something you and friends always want to but are too exhausted or distracted to get done. Or do something on your own. Even if it’s just going for a walk, I guarantee this is an opportunity to clear you mind. So unplug everything and embrace it!

Back from Break!

I'm finally back from spring break and ready to continue thinking up some ways I wish I was relaxing. I'm going to expand upon my previous post about treating yourself to something special with reasons why you should pamper yourself, too. I'm also going to dwell on massages and manicures and such because I these are things I'm starting to wish I indulged in over break.

I've gotten a few massages before, all of which I went into hesitantly. It just seems weird and unnecessary as I'm waiting to get called into a small back room with dim lights and soothing music. But if you were to ask about my uncertainty afterward, I probably wouldn't even be able to recall why I ever felt uncomfortable in the first place. The feeling you're left with is one of unmatched physical relaxation in what feels like every muscle in your body.

In addition to this feeling of bliss, massages offer physical and therapeutic benefits. According to one website, soft-tissue manipulation techniques applied during a massage improves circulation and is intended to reduce stress and fatigue. Benefits like these still occur whether you partake for therapy or leisure reasons. Many types of massages exist and address different issues. For example, deep-tissue massages can improve muscle damage through more forceful strokes. Other techniques are intended to prevent injury or energize you, and others are geared toward athletes, pregnant women or specific ages. In any case, the receiver of the massage is likely to feel less stiff and more physically and mentally relaxed.

A Newsweek article mentions some specific benefits of massage therapy and its credibility found in Chinese history. The article notes that immunity may be improved and blood pressure regulated through this method of relaxation. That’s quite a plus for those in need of such medical needs.

After you treat yourself to the overwhelming relaxation of a massage, think about further spoiling yourself at a salon or spa type of place. Some guys may lose interest here. Consider letting yourself get your nails done, a high end hair cut or just spending little more on taking care of your appearance, so you can really enjoy it instead of feeling like you’re taking care of chores. This isn’t some I do regularly at all, but when I do have to really get myself together for something formal, it always feels good. I imagine getting pampered for no reason every now and then would be even more of a pick-me-up. Choose a day one weekend when you can go get all this kind of stuff done, and do it! Or be really bold and take a day off if you can… I think the resulting relaxation would be worth it if you’re really feeling stressed.

Yoga

Just like my previous aromatherapy post, I've decided to write about something else I hear about and know people rely on but have never committed myself to: yoga.

I've heard about the wonders of yoga from teenagers, college kids, parents, men and women. My friend goes to classes at a public park district and raves about it, so don't assume it's only for people who are willing to pay for expensive sessions. She's also not very athletic or meditative, like I assumed yoga practicers are. The music is usually a little "zen-ish" as she called it, but that might help relax you if you don't find it too irritating.

I've actually gone to a class with my friend, where I discreetly positioned myself in the back of the room, of course. Hiding wasn't even necessary though because it was a beginner class, which I highly recommend starting in. I've seen people doing higher level things and it looks more stressful and strenuous than anything if you're not accustomed. Some of the beginner's moves were even a little uncomfortable, but I could tell those who had been to more than one class were definitely enjoying themselves. One other minor issue that distracted me we the names of the positions and and how they kind of described the strange body movements only through color or animal or adjectives not usually applied to humans. Maybe I was just easily distracted that day. You make up your mind about this. Anyway, by the end of my first and only class, I was a little confused but feeling good.

While yoga looks like just stretching, it's definitely a good workout physically, in addition to mentally. (Note a couple mental and emotional benefits of staying physically healthy in my previous post!) Feeling fit and relaxed after a good workout is probably why most people left that yoga class with a smile on their faces. It offers so many good things. If you're not the type breathe methodically and center yourself, just try it as a workout option that leaves you feeling limber and toned. If you are the type to go for a source of meditation, great! You get the bonus of a workout. Either way, based on my single experience and the more extensive experience of others, yoga is definitely a good way to relieve stress and relax mentally, emotionally and physically.

Check out another post oddly appropriately titled A Workout for Unwinding. (My blog is called Time to Unwind. Get the coincidence?)

How to clear your mind

Most of my suggestions for stress relief involve distracting yourself from stressors with something you can enjoy. Clearing your mind before you even try to relax could definitely make de-stressing more effective, and it's just not health to let stressful thoughts fill your head all the time. There is no need to forget about or neglect those thoughts, but there is a need to think about other things in life.

My first recommendation is to go on a good run. Take a look at another blog about running/jogging, and read further about how you can use exercise to manage stress by following the link at the end of Christine Luff's post. The information is interesting and sensible. Simply put, healthiness increases happiness. In addition, running manages hormones that contribute to stress and can give you a "natural high". Also, as the Exercise and Stress Relief article states, "research suggests that physical activity may be linked to lower physiological reactivity toward stress." Not only will running enhance your mental and physical state, it will prepare you to better naturally react to stressors is the future.

Other methods of clearing your mind are available to those who don't intend to throw on running shoes any time soon. Try focused meditation. It lets you think about what you want and not what you feel you have to. Constantly thinking about the list of things you have to get done at work around the house or at school won't make you accomplish them any faster. So don't waste time thinking about that stuff when you can focus on something enjoyable, then think about any stressful responsibilities when the time comes to address them. You can learn how to practice focus meditation and some of its benefits by researching, or you can just let go of any restraint and try it a couple times. Maybe it's just the solution you need at the end of the day!

Safely shop away stress

First off, I am not suggesting acquiring any kind of tendency toward extreme indulgence or oniomania! What I'm getting at with the idea of shopping away stress is just making yourself happy with a slight dose of retail therapy.

The 1986 Christmas Eve issue of the Chicago Tribune first put the idea out there: "We've become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing our psychic ills through retail therapy." This is clearly unhealthy. Don't measure your life by shopping bags.

I've implemented retail therapy and it definitely served as a pick-me-up! This is saying something because I don't like to spend money on anything but food. In fact, it feels good to spend extra for a meal I know I'll really, really enjoy. Even though my presents to myself are usually of the food variety, I recommend buying yourself something you want, but don't need, and will get use out of. My most recent session of retail therapy resulted in a pair of Steve Madden boots I wear almost everyday in the harsh weather of my hilly campus, and I still get excited that I own them every time I put them on. Sure, I could have bought a cheaper pair of boots but this pair was just what I really wanted. Also, I might argue that the extra cash spent pretty much bought that little sense of joy I get whenever I wear them, and now it feels well worth it.

At the end of a week of feeling overworked, shopping for your family, dealing with an overbearing boss or pushing through a never ending grocery list, you owe yourself a personal favor. So think of a present to yourself that is something you've always wanted, but you know there are better ways to spend that money. Might not be worth it if you feel like ultimately you've wasted money, so think about after the fact and choose something that would REALLY make you happy to have. You know my suggestions: food or shoes.

Recap

I've decided it's time to post an organized list of reminders of stress relievers I've suggested thus far. Here's the gist of it:

Organization

Optimism

Making yourself laugh

Good food

Good friends

Chai (my favorite)

Stress balls

Relaxation

Staying healthy

Good music

Straying from routine

Sudoku

Time management

Aromatherapy

Going with the flow

Getting a pet

This can be thought of as a contribution to your life's organization and time management. Realize when you look at this list that none of those ideas are difficult to achieve. Sure, time management is hard to manage at times, but sticking with it has proven well worth the effort, right? Other than that, most of the suggestions I've posted about are just enjoyable things, even if you're not trying to relieve stress.

I'm going to turn this in to a motivational post, in addition to a recap. I'm also going to reiterate that practical thinking and not stressing about being stressed are really important! If you let day-to-day annoyances get to you, you'll have a problem when something beyond a typical stressor affects your life. So try to manage everyday stress if you can. Look at how easy the suggestions listed above are! If you can end the day happy and relaxed by trying out methods as simple as those, do it! Then you get to wake up happy and avoid stress mounting throughout the week. It just makes sense to give everyday stress relief a shot. 

If anything, just take a moment to mentally organize. Might seem kind of unimaginative, but think practically about the common phrase "It could be worse." Everyone says it, but people don't usually really put in into perspective. Maybe it will motivate you or remind you that you might not need to be as stressed as you feel.

The perks of pets!

This is probably one of the stress relievers that comes with the most fun. Get a pet! (Dogs are my preference, but to each his own.) Check out one Newsweek article that describes some of the benefits:

"Pet ownership is good for your health both physically and psychologically," says Connecticut psychologist Herbert Nieburg, author of "Pet Loss: A Thoughtful Guide for Adults and Children" (HarperCollins).

I was never really too much of an animal person until a few years ago. When I left for college my family got a dog with the first couple weeks I was gone. Clearly I was easily replaced, right? But I've definitely come to love my replacement. She really does have a presence and, oddly enough to say, kind of a personality. The companionship she offers is obvious, especially when I watch my dad or brother interact with her. Even seeing other people love a dog is uplifting! It also feels great to get such an enthusiastic greeting every time I walk in a room and especially when I go back home on breaks. My dog has come to be one of the things I miss most when I'm at school, which is surprising of some who has never been an animal person and doesn't really take an unlikely sentiment to any kind of extreme.

In addition to some good company, pets offer a physical benefit, as mentioned in the Newsweek article. Just getting up and moving or exercising with a pet will improve your physical state. Playing with a pet is a good time and physical health perk. And, of course, when you feel good physically you'll feel better mentally and emotionally. Coming home from work to a pet ready to play or just lay on your feet is definitely a stress reliever after a long day.

Also, a WebMD article notes another important benefit to having a pet: they're date magnets! Dogs draw attention on walks, and pets are great conversation topics. A good date probably lets you feel the opposite of stress. So if a lacking love life is causing you stress, try using your pet to relieve it.

Chance

Today, I explored a store called Home & Planet I've passed dozens of times right off of Lehigh's campus but never entered. It is an eco-friendly, artsy-but-practical store that sells pretty much everything, all made from recycled materials. I thought it was be a typical hipster store with the obvious handbags and crafted jewelry and stuff, but I was proven wrong. Everything seemed to be pretty high quality and came with an interesting back story. A few pieces of furniture caught my eye when I walked in, and turns out material from the historic Bethlehem Steel Mill just down the road from Lehigh contributed to those pieces. I love Bethlehem's history, so I happily wasted some time learning about other pieces from the friendly owner, who seemed almost as interesting as his products.

This quick adventure made my day, which followed a nearly sleepless night due to a heavy workload, which followed an episode of food poisoning the previous day. Needless to say I was stressed and in an all around bad mood. But my mood has very much turned around and I attribute this to my enjoyable visit to Home & Planet, which was made possible by one of the assignments weighing down on my mind a little. Maybe it was the art I look at, the conversation I had or that the place seemed like something my mom would like. Not exactly sure what cheered me up, but it worked!

I'll get to my point now. I did nothing to get myself out of my funk, but it happened, just like it always does. This type of pick-me-up is something I usually forget about, and you probably do, too. Sure I'll have a bad day or even week, but something ALWAYS turns it around. And this something just falls into my lap more often than I realize. I've mentioned talking to a friend or watching a funny show in previous posts, but maybe you should just let your mood run its course and not stress about being stressed. The type of daily stress I'm trying to address with these posts doesn't last forever, even if it feels like it might. Things around you change, so your mood is going to change.

So expect the unexpected stress reliever that's not even in your control, and look forward to it!

Aromatherapy

A used up candle I just threw out inspires this post. It had an aromatherapy label on it that I never noticed before, so I guess I went through a little therapy session each of the dozens of time I lit it.

Intrigue led me to look up some aromatherapy information, and I decided I like the idea of it. There is a wide range of candles and oils to choose from and most allegedly serve several purposes, including anti depressant, anti microbial, anti septic, circulatory, digestive, nervous relaxant and a ton more. A few methods exist to make aromatherapy work, too. If you don’t prefer rubbing oils on your body, you can always resort to lighting a candle or burning incense. In oil form you can also eat it. I think the easiest option is to set an aromatherapy diffuser, sticks that sit in oil and diffuse its scent, on a side table and let it work its magic. I suggest looking into this cheap therapy because at the very least you end up with a room that smells good. Maybe that in itself would lift your spirits.

Specifically, I recommend jasmine oil. Several websites give it a five out of five rating on the aromatherapy scale, and it’s listed as a stress reliever. I don’t imagine it would be a very strong or obnoxious smell, and it is a scent easily combined with others.

Test out some scents, try out this really easy fix to feeling stressed after a long day!

Thanks Lehigh InSTALLment!

Lehigh University's Health and Wellness Center puts monthly flyers in the stalls of most bathrooms on campus that offer tips, trivia and facts intended to maintain, you guessed it, health and wellness. This month's InSTALLment included the "8 Time Management Skills for College Students" section found below, and looking over it I decided all of the eight bolded tips can certainly be applied to a broader crowd than just college students.

In fact, I've already suggested a couple of the InSTALLment's ideas as stress relievers, including organization and relaxation. Read through the list of time management skills. If you're not a college student just sub in aspects of your busy schedule where research papers and tests are mentioned.

These tips might seem simple and obvious, but how many of them do you actually live by? I've definitely gone through periods of great time management and others when I just neglect it. So trust me, these tips are worth practicing. Things like cramming and disorganization stress me out as a college student, but I've seen that affect my professors and parents at times, too.

I recommend implementing the "8 Time Management Skills for College Students [or anyone]" for a couple weeks. None should be too difficult to begin, and if it is, you're doing something wrong. After you get the hang of time management, I bet you notice reduced stress and an easier day-to-day routine!

SUDOKO

I'm a huge fan of sudoko as a life saving logic game as of about five hours ago.

I was perfectly fine with waking up for an early flight and excited to get back to school this afternoon. Within minutes of sitting down on the plan I fell comfortably asleep and expected to wake up if just a couple hours in Philadelphia, where I would board a 20 minute flight to Bethlehem, Pa. Didn't quite work out as planned.

I did indeed wake up in a couple hours, but I found the plane in the same spot I left it when I fell asleep. I didn't wake up to the first attempt at take-off, ice being sprayed off the plane or announcements about the delay. At least I got a good nap in. Unfortunately, this delay was just long enough to prevent me from getting the connecting flight to Bethlehem I initially booked. But I didn't mind at this point because I don't mind traveling and I was told I could just get on the next flight out. I did, however, mind when I got off the plane in Philly and realized the next flight to Bethlehem was just over five hours later. I had work to tend to that required notes that were in my room at school, I wanted to catch the Super Bowl, and I just wanted to see everyone I was away from for the weekend. I survived these little bothers, but what really got me was the boredom.

Maybe this doesn't count as an everyday type of stressor, but it was really annoying. After alittle while, I found a little book of sudoko games in my carry-on that had been left there from a previous flight, and I didn't know just how much I would appreciate it at that time. That game of logic actually preoccupied me for hours. It entertained me and distracted me from what would have been frustrating boredom that feel like a huge waste of time. Luckily, I enjoyed my delay of relaxing with a few boards of sudoko. Although it's not really worthwhile productivity, I boarded my short flight back to school quite content.

So. I suggest applying sudoko to stress. At the end of the day just focus on a game, and let me know if it's can be considered another stress reliever. After providing me such joy, I imagine it will be. You can also try solitaire or any other logic game that might provide some calm by distracting you from the day's stress.

Briefly relocate

I am currently at junior in college at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. Yes, these may very well be "the best years of my life," but that doesn't mean everything goes on without a hitch. Balancing the academics and social life offered at Lehigh is both a privilege and a feat. This, in addition to work, financial concerns, personal issues, internship applications, missing everyone studying abroad, thinking about the rapidly approaching future, etc., can definitely stress a girl out. My quick fix at school is usually something like a good work out or a long nap. 

With the vast majority of my close friends studying in Europe this spring, I correctly predicted that I would need a bigger pick-me-up than usual at this point in the semester. This is where I took the extreme measure of booking a flight home to Chicago, Ill. for a Thursday-Sunday weekend, and I couldn't be happier with my decision.

I am writing this from my bed in Chicago, and I don't know where to begin with my explanation of how my family, my neighborhood, my home, my childhood friends were the perfect stress relievers. Although I live in Bethlehem about nine months out of the year, my home is still my home. 

This type of stress relief might not be found in everyone's house or hometown. Maybe you just need a location away from whatever you're wrapped up in to think about yourself in the big picture from a different perspective. This is a place that offers a sense of comfort and belonging like no other place can, even if you don't know the other people in this place. I'm reminded of how I've changed, how I've stayed the same, the reasons I've become who I am, my monumental mistakes and achievements, and I can go on forever about what my home represents. Thinking space can be found anywhere you're comfortable, and I highly, highly recommend using it.

This is hard to do when you let things build up or fall into a stressful routine. And, sure, I'm not happy about the cost of the flights between Bethlehem and Chicago, but I just felt an impulsive need (very unlike me) to go home, so I did. The opportunity to step out of what has become my norm and think about things from a comfortable place was well worth the money. I will get on my flight tomorrow morning excited to get back to Lehigh with a solid sense of self, organized thoughts and a refreshed motivation. Thank you, home, for clearing my mind and curing my stress!

Tune out stress

For plenty of people, a go-to stress reliever is music. No matter your understanding or experience of it, music lets you listen to something other than your boss, professor, fighting kids or your own thoughts. You can pick the emotive sound you want to hear: blissful, angry, religious, loud, soft, etc. A ton to choose from. You don't even have to drop everything your doing to let music relax you. Turn it on while at work, while you're doing homework or before bed. And keep in mind: Reasearch from the University of Maryland shows that hearing music you love can relax blood vessels and increase blood flow. Music can keep you calm AND healthy!


Everyone has a personal taste in music, and maybe you can find yours at these helpful blogs:

http://adrianmusicandtheatre.blogspot.com/
http://jaclynulmanj198.blogspot.com/
http://thinkingmanhiphop.blogspot.com/


I've personally relied on music in many a stressful situation, and I will probably mention the magic of "tuning" out stress again in the future. Try it! It's too easy to pass up.

Being sick sucks.

Everyone around me seems to have been hit by the flu or some other illness that always seems to strike at the worst time. Unfortunately, it's now my turn to get sick. My intended Sunday of productivity was inhibited by fatigue and mucus (gross, sorry), and now I'm starting to stress about what I didn't get done due in part to my inability to stay awake. This is not a good feeling. It is a mental burden that I don't sense contributing to my recovery or will to get out of bed. The feeling I have right now is one I want you to avoid.

Some common sense (that your mom may have already shared with you):
1. Get sleep! I sleep like the college student I am, and now I feel the repercussions. Try to set a regular bed time so that you don't find yourself watching just an hour more of TV or getting a little more work done that can be addressed in the morning. Also, only nap when it's really necessary to avoid not being able to fall asleep at night. Unfortunately, I can't say I stay true to this nap rule...
2. Take vitamins. I do it every morning, and it can't hurt efforts to stay healthy.
3. Vitamin C. I love citrus fruits, but now that I'm sick I've upped my intake to Airborne status.
4. Stay physically healthy. Exercise, eat right, drink magical herbal tea, you know.
5. Stay mentally healthy. Too much stress will affect your immune system, giving you more to stress about and probably making it harder to get better if you do get sick.

Number 5 is something I'd like to dwell on. It may take some conscious effort, especially if you're really busy, but don't neglect practicality, even if you're under a lot of pressure! Habits that contrast with those listed above will pretty obviously be detrimental eventually. Then, when lack of sleep does catch up with you, illness probably won't be something you welcome. Then, that illness becomes another source of stress and enhances previous stressors you can't address because you're sick. Then you can't focus on getting healthy again. Frustrating cycle. There's nothing good about ignoring the simple common sense required to stay healthy!

Pay attention to what stresses you out. This blog offers some quick fixes to regular, everyday stress so that you can go to bed at ease. But if you need more than a quick fix, look for it! It should take just slightly more complicated common sense to stay mentally healthy. Your health will affect your emotions, like mine right now as I sit here frustrated with a blanket only half on in attempt to regulate my feverish body temperature. But the effect can be greater than that, which is why it's important to stay healthy and avoid the stress, sickness, more stress, more sickness pattern. You know how to stay physically healthy... just use common sense or ask a mother figure. Now think about how you personally stay mentally healthy.

Time isn't wasted with relaxation

The end of the work week seems like a good time to forget about the stresses of the past week and look forward to starting a new in a couple days. Don't neglect preparation for any responsibilities of the upcoming week, but maybe just temporarily forget about them.

My personal solution to this was an afternoon of "Dexter." Maybe focusing on a sociopathic serial killer isn't the least stressful thing, but at least it distracted me from real worries and let me lay in my bed for a couple hours.

If you're not in the mood for the dramatics of a TV show like "Dexter," here are a few other recommendations:
- "The Wire" and "Treme"are both HBO series of a more serious note that are completely captivating (highly recommended)
- "Modern Family" and "30 Rock" are some go-to funny shows that don't require any previous understanding of the series
- talk shows can offer comic relief and let you get to know some stars if you're interested
- or there's  reality TV (for example, "Jersey Shore" and "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills") if you really want to focus on something far from reality

As a college student, I can also recommend exploring hulu and ch131 as a couple sources for more TV entertainment. Or just sit down and watch a movie (PLEASE look into "In Bruges") or spend an hour or so reading a good book ("The Devil in he White City" by Erik Larson). Taking the time out of your day to do things like this might seem like a chore in itself, but I really hope you can trust that it will be worth it. Relaxing after the success and failures that come with the work week feels especially good. And you don't have to take my recommendations... except to watch "In Bruges" at some point.

Might seem like a waste of time, but who doesn't deserve just a couple hours of entertaining distraction?

When you feel like a ball of stress...

I've told my dad about this blog, and the suggestion he offered up today was a stress ball. For those who aren't familiar, this is a firm but squeezable ball about the size of a baseball. Squeezing or kind of kneading it in one fist is intended to relieve stress. I guess this is a pretty obvious relief to stress, but it's not the first thing I'd think of. Maybe he's more accustomed to seeing them around an office setting. I definitely see how it might provide a couple of outlets. The physical effort put into squeezing works off some stress, while the methodical action might allow mental ease or create focus.

So if this looks like stress relief to you:

Try it out!

Food, Friends and Chai

My first week of my second semester as a junior in college has come and gone, but not without a hitch. Throughout the week I stayed on top of my responsibilities, which included what seemed like an oddly large number of assignments for the first week of classes and extra shifts at work. All went well, and Friday came soon enough. By this time, due to some worthwhile organization (see previous post), I had almost completed one assignment and started another to avoid designating time to them over the weekend. Then, of course, the computer went down and my changes were not saved, meaning I'd have less time to work on other things I intended to get done before the next week started. I could feel my time frame shrinking. Stress.

Because I knew I'd be planted in my house at my desk doing work all day, I subconsciously turned to the stress-relievers that were right at my disposal: food and friends.

I went to bed concerned about how much I would have to get done by Sunday's end and woke up extra early and just as stressed. I had no game plan for where to begin or how to organize my day, so I went to the kitchen and prepared a breakfast that began as procrastination. Rather than my normal lack of breakfast or quick bowl of cereal, I made a nearly perfectly prepared egg sandwich and really enjoyed it. I felt a little less stressed than when I was lying in my bed dreading the next 24 hours, but I was still stressed enough to begin my work in a bit of a panic. The break I took a couple hours in let me recuperate and calm down. It merely included going to a common room, discussing a friend's story from the night before and laughing with (and partially at) her. Totally ready to get back to focusing. 

I strived to stayed focused because I couldn't shake the to-do list from deep in my thoughts. My stress was definitely increasing by the time lunch arrived. It took some convincing, but I took a break to get out of my house and eat at a friend's. We had typical conversation, and I ate a peanut butter and fluff sandwich, a common and comforting part of my diet. Nothing about this hour was out of the ordinary, but I realized it was a much-needed break. 

Then, I bought my routine chai latte and went to work behind the desk at the university gym. I felt prepared to get a good chunk of reading done but found myself more distracted by the job's simple duties than I anticipated. Unfortunate and slightly stressful. But a second chai on the way home made me feel better.

Chai number two brought me through some reading and to chai number three made from my single-cup coffee maker (yes, I really like chai). My third chai, which was just as delicious as the others, brought me through some more work to dinner. Although I still hadn't completed my to-do list at that point, I was feeling accomplished enough to relax and enjoy the pasta and the company. This further increased my will to stay on track because it just put me in a good mood. Now, my to-do list will be completed in a few minutes and I'll call my dad. The most stressful point in my day was definitely waking up. I barely realized it earlier, but food and friends kept me increasingly happy and as minimally stressed as possible throughout the day.

My stress-relievers during this long day included eggs, a good laugh with friends, a long lunch break with a friend, some peanut butter and fluff, a lot of chai, dinner with friends, and a future conversation with my dad.

Turn to the foods and people you know can comfort you.

Visit another blog for some stress-relieving culinary suggestions.

New Beginnings!

With the new year comes a new semester, the return to work after a holiday break, the fresh chance to fulfill resolutions and the right time to start your first blog ever (well, in my case). All definitely great opportunities for success and self-improvement... until you start to feel the pressure of new classes, looming projects, increasing responsibility, the potential for failure. But now is not the time to let nerves or an overwhelmed feeling bring you down. That would be wasting some ideal opportunities or at the very least valuable experiences. Now is the time to minimize the stress that comes with the excitement of new beginnings and take full advantage of the circumstances.

Get organized! But try not to think of it as another task to add to the list. Of course sooner is better, but not necessary. Organize at your own pace, so this doesn't become part of the daily stressors you're trying to avoid. Organize to stay on track or even ahead of the game. Organize so you have time to schedule in fun and relaxation if you feel like it's currently lacking from your day. This in itself could feel like an accomplishment, and just wait until organization lets you smoothly coast through the activity of your day, week, month and so on!

Stay optimistic! What positive effect could self-doubt or constant worry bring, especially so early on? If you already feel behind, go ahead and stress about the issue. Then take a deep breath and deem that moment a new beginning from which you can look forward to the future. Might be easier to maintain optimism if you don't have to worry about a disorganized lifestyle, too...

Finally, laugh! Do something funny and unrelated to whatever is stressing you out, even if you feel like you don't have time. It takes only minutes to hold an entertaining conversation and laughing shouldn't require any conscious effort, right? If you don't feel like talking, watch a funny show, read a funny book or just think if the last thing you laughed really hard at.

These tips are meant to relieve some of the stress that builds in everyone's daily lives thanks to things like under preparation, overbearing authority or just not enough time in the day. I hope to help you breathe easy, even if just for a few hours. Keep an eye out for more suggestions! Some will be specific, funny, encouraging, mentally or physically invigorating, and definitely apply to you!