Sorry I did not post anything last week. It is the final few weeks of my last term of university and it has been crazy. Last week alone I had a midterm, a collective bargaining simulation, and about five other assignments due!
When work for school or life in general gets crazy I have a few things I do to keep the stress from getting to me and I thought I would share a few of them:
1. Music and Tea: these two things are very simple but the small things can make a huge difference. A caffeinated tea can help give you energy and an herbal one can help calm you down if you start feeling stressed. I personally like a strong mint tea if I feel the beginnings of a tension headache start to form. Music works the same way; create a playlist for how you want to feel. You can create your own or go to a website like Songza that has many great playlists already available.
2. Work at a Different Location: Sometimes looking at the same four walls can make you feel stagnant. I like studying at cafes because there is always something going on. People watching can be a great study break. An added bonus is that you are motivated not to people watch for too long in order to avoid seeming creepy. I find that I am less likely to spend too much time browsing the internet because of the feeling that people might be watching (and judging) me. Although in psychology this is referred to as the Spotlight Effect and is proven not to be true it can still serve as a source of motivation. The trick to this is finding a place with the right amount of action so it is not too distracting.
One of my favorite places in Waterloo to study is Cafe 1842 in the Huerther Hotel on King St.
3. Fuel Your Brain: The human brain requires an enormous amount of energy. While it is best to eat food that is high in nutrients in order to supply the brain with this energy sometimes it just feels really satisfying to eat that grilled cheese sandwich you may have been craving. I say go a head and have it but try to balance it out with a side salad. I find if I have too many dense greasy carbs that I get tired and feel sluggish with is not conducive for effective studying.
You can also use food as small rewards for studying. If you set yourself
the goal of studying for an hour straight allow yourself a short break
afterwards with a small treat such as a mini cinnamon bun and Chai cider.
4. Allow yourself some fun time! No one can study or work constantly for long without feeling burnt out. Allow yourself one or two big fun things that enable you to blow off some steam. I went with my friend, Erin, to see the Danny Bhoy comedy show the Friday before all of my projects were due. I have been a fan of Danny Bhoy since high school and was so excited to see him live! Afterwards Erin and I continued our girls night with wine, episodes of the Mindy Project, and an impromptu dance party. That night left me refreshed with my emotional batteries fully charged to face the week ahead. I had so much fun that I did not mind that I had to miss out on St. Patrick's Day festivities due to a midterm and projects due the next day.
We had really close seats for the Danny Bhoy show.
My gorgeous friend, Erin.
I hope my tips for reducing stress can help!
Just Jacklynn
