Minimizing Stress
6 tips to try before any task
With midterms coming up before Christmas break (just a week and a half left!!), stress is present in many of my thoughts. Twice a year, students deal with two of the most stressful tests — tests requiring hours of studying and minimal sleep. But it isn’t students alone who deal with this kind of stress — it’s everyone. Whether it be a job interview, the job itself, trying to clean the house, or even meeting a deadline for an article, stress is prevalent in all our lives.
This is why it’s crucial to have a plan to deal with stress, whatever the source of it might be. With finals coming up this week, I thought I would share my plan to minimize stress with the hope that others might find it helpful, too.
1. Make a schedule
This one might vary in helpfulness from person to person, depending on if they like planning that far ahead. But personally, making a schedule to plan my time always allows me to feel more prepared. It keeps me from procrastinating because I only have a certain amount of time to complete the task before me.
To make this more effective, I always add short breaks in between tasks. This is another motivator to stay within the time increments given in the schedule — that way I always have a guaranteed break.
2. Exercise
I’m not the most athletic person. I struggle with making time to work out — I struggle even more with finding motivation to do it. But I can say without a doubt that I have never regretted spending just a few minutes moving my body — whether that includes a quick stretch, a brief workout, or even a walk outside. Although doing this takes time, it will clear your head and minimize anxiety, allowing you to finish the task quickly.
A variety of sources say:
“[Exercise] relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy, and enhances well-being through the release of endorphins.”
“Exercise can improve your sense of control, coping ability, and self-esteem.”
3. Keep the overall goal in mind
Whether this task will help you be an intelligent person, a more wealthy person, or a better writer, etc., keeping the goal in mind will motivate you to finish the task. Whether you write the goal(s) down beforehand or simply picture them in your head will make a huge difference in improving your mindset.
4. Have someone to keep you accountable
This one explains itself; it’s hard to ignore someone you respect when they’re telling you to do a task you know is good for you.
5. Create a space you feel comfortable in
I can’t work in a dirty room, or a place where there’s a lot going on. So I normally find a clean, quiet space to study and do my work. Taking the time to clean your space is so worth it — it will not only minimize distractions, but it will also give you the motivation to continue being productive after you’ve just spent some time cleaning.
Also, you should always get rid of any distractions — your phone, the book you’ve wanted to read for weeks, and anything else that might distract you from the task. This is an obvious suggestion, but probably one of the hardest things to do — at least for me. I know I’ve always struggled with forcing myself just to put the phone away.
6. Always make time for God
Spending time in God’s Word and in prayer will help you focus on the overarching reason we, as Christians, should do all things — to glorify God. It is through Him that we have the strength to do any of what we’re doing. Is it not fitting that we should then actively make time to be in His Word? Psalm 46:1–3 says:
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
God promises that He is our strength and will continue to be even when the earth gives way — surely He will be our strength in the task before us.
My history teacher, without fail, always begins the class with a prayer. Even if he has a long lesson planned, he knows that prayer will reorient the class to focus on the lesson ahead. Especially before a test, prayer calms the nerves of the class and helps the students to think clearly. This is a lesson I’ve learned from him and one that I hope will help you as well.
These 6 things are what I plan to do for the next week — I hope they help you as well. Procrastination is probably one of the biggest contributors to stress, but sometimes waiting to start the task in order to devote time to God and move your body a little will make a world of difference in the long run.
In this article, I hope that the main take-away you make is this: as we struggle through the stresses of life, we should:
“run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1–2
