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!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
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!
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!
Friday, April 8, 2011
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!
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!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
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!
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!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
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!
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!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Mind Wandering
Below is a comment from Silagh White, a follower of this blog who offers her own suggestions to stress relief.
"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!
"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!
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