Stress

Last Updated on Monday, 15 March 2010 14:26

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Stress is something that all of us have probably felt at some point in our lives. In fact, it is very easy to feel stressed out during certain points in your life.

For example, during exams, when relationships with people in your life start to go wrong or become confused, and even just during times when you have a lot going on.

Some stress can be good and can act as a motivator towards achieving goals. However stress can also be bad and can make us feel tired, run down, and can stop us from functioning properly.

It is important to learn how to manage stress, as it can affect the relationships we have with friends and family, it can affect the way we perform at school or work, and it can really bring you down and make you feel lousy.

There are some things you can do that can help to ease stress, and it’s a good idea to try some of the following, to work out what will work for you:

Take a break- sometimes stress is caused by trying to take on too much, so if it starts to feel like it’s getting on top of you, take the time to stop and breathe.

Plan your tasks- if you are feeling stressed out because you have lots of homework, plus rugby after work, plus that job that you do twice a week and on the weekends… then make sure you plan your week so that you fit all these things in, but also make sure you schedule in some down time. If there is no time to just relax in your schedule then maybe consider dropping one of your commitments. This may seem like a big step at the time, but trust us, it’s much better than burning out completely!

Chill out with friends- sometimes all you need to de-stress is a couple of hours out with your mates. Go to the beach, talk about other stuff that’s going on in your life, and mostly, have a good laugh. It is surprising how much something as simple as laughing can ease the tensions you may be feeling!

Exercise- Going out for a run or a walk, and getting out in the fresh air to clear your head is often a great way to ease stress and any other unwanted feelings you might be having.

Don’t sweat the small stuff- things are always going to go wrong. Let’s face it, there’s often a lot that happens that’s just out of our control! Don’t be too hard on yourself when these things happen.