April 26, 2016, by Emer
5 Things To Do When You’re Having A Stress Meltdown
As exam season rolls around once more stress levels around campus are rising. With coursework deadlines and looming exams it’s easy to become overwhelmed by your workload. Here are some quick tips to help reduce your stress.
- Make a list (but don’t get distracted!)
Having a to-do list really helps me to prioritise what I need to be working on and what’s relatively unimportant. Be careful not use it as procrastination though – if you find yourself colour-coding, something’s gone horribly wrong!
- Tidy Room Tidy Mind
Your study environment is really important for your state of mind. If your room is messy that can add to your stress. A quick hoover and a tidy round, or even just clearing your desk space (can boost your motivation by a surprising amount.
The pure joy of a tidy desk is unreal
- Find a chill playlist!
Everyone’s got different styles, but personally I hate working in silence! Your study playlist is a big choice – if it’s too exciting then you’ll end up not doing any work at all (I’ve learnt the hard way not to put my jive playlist on while studying – all dance and no work!) My favourite music to study to at the moment is the ‘Spring Acoustic’ playlist on Spotify.
- Change of environment
A change of environment can really help to clear your mind. Maybe you’ve been sitting in Hallward for five hours straight and you can feel your motivation draining away. Recently I’ve been going to places like the CLAS study area in Trent Building and the café in Broadgate Park to work and my productivity levels have through the roof!
A local cafe can be a good place to study
- Take a break
The most important thing to do when you’re having a stress meltdown is to recognise when you’re bashing your head against a brick wall. If no information is going in then it’s time to take a break! Obviously you do have to get your work done, but recharging your batteries will benefit you in the long run: go for a walk or go talk to a friend. If the weather’s nice then why not take advantage of our beautiful campus and go chill by the lake for half an hour!
A view by the lake outside Portland Building
If you’re finding it difficult to cope with stress at any point, remember that the university is filled with people you can talk to. Nightline is a confidential, student-run organisation ready to listen to your problems via phone, instant messaging, text and email 365 days a year. The university also runs a counselling service and if you’re not sure who to talk to, your personal tutor will be able to point you in the right direction.
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