ReachOut Blog

Final Countdown: Managing Stress and Work

by Meredith College, Mental Health, School

It's about that time for most students. You know, late-night study sessions, gallons of soda or several cups of coffee (for some), and perhaps your head is a little more devoid of hair as you approach and go through your finals. Stress doesn't just happen at school though: something important at work or even an important relationship decision are sceanrios that can impact you physically AND mentally. Learn more about how stress affects your whole body

You may be saying, yeah, I know that already genius! The real question is: what can I do about it? Here are some tips from our factsheets and stories that will help you manage feelings of stress or anxiety and get things done!

Learn effective study habits. Many people feel overwhelmed at exam time. Relearning a lot of information in a short period of time or not understanding course material can be a big stress. Possible distractions like texting on your phone and keeping your computer screen open are things to avoid while studying. Check out Exam time: tips for effective studying fact sheet for more practical advice on effective study techniques.

Keep your routine outside studying and take regular breaks. It’s important to have regular study breaks and time for relaxation and exercise. Going for a walk, run, or to the gym is not a waste of time—it’s a great way to clear your head and help you study better.

Don’t abuse. Caffeine from coffee, No Doze pills and energy drinks, as well as other drugs like speed or cocaine can give you a short lift before causing you to crash and burn. They can make you feel sick and keep you from sleeping well or concentrating properly. You’ll actually study better with regular breaks, lots of sleep and regular exercise.

Manage expectations. External pressures surrounding exams and grades can be huge. It might be hard to deal with these pressures, especially with family and people you respect, but remember that you’re in control of your life and your grades. Here are some tips to help you manage these pressures:

• Base expectations on your past performance and doing the best you can do;
• Put the exam in context.  In the scheme of your life, how important is it? If you don’t do as well as you’d hoped, there are always alternatives. One grade won’t dictate whether you are a good or a bad person, or whether you are a success or failure. Exams can’t measure these sorts of things. All they measure is how well you can present the material asked for by the examiner—nothing more, nothing less;
• Take the pressure as a compliment. This can be easier said than done, but remember that the people putting pressure on you want you to do well, and think that you’re capable of achieving

Read more time and life-saving exam stress tips on our fact sheet. And remember you are not alone!

What are your positive tips for keeping the stress at bay when things get tough? Are finals getting the better of you or have learned how to keep the dragon in its cave?

Top photo by rileyroxx

WIN! Overcoming the Fear of Failure

by Meredith College, Mental Health, Relationships, School

Ask the average teen or young adult what they want to do with their lives, and they may have some ideas. Ask them what their parents, friends or anyone else in their life wants them to do and they probably have a much better idea. The pressure to look and act perfect, to get good grades and even the pressure to "figure out your life" can be overwhelming and can contribute to a fear of failure.

Emotions in times of failure or embarrassment can get very heavy. I know from personal experience that encountering these emotions can be enough to stop you from doing/trying something you really want to do in an effort to shield yourself from those emotions. But you can't run away forever.

Mistakes and failures are an everyday fact of life and many argue that "success" is impossible without it. So what can you do to become friends with failure and move towards your goals?

Make a Funny

“I didn't fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.” --Benjamin Franklin

Humor may be one of the oldest mental tools to that we have to deal with trauma. Joke around and play some video games with your friends or go see a funny live show or movie. This can dispel negative emotions around failure and give your mind a break to gain a different perspective on the situation. Confronting our weaknesses is a lot easier when we can make fun of ourselves in a light-hearted way.

Develop a plan of action

Dreaming of recording your own album? Want to get on the varsity team? Writing down what you want to do and setting goals to achieve will help you break the challenge into manageable tasks. Setting goals helps you challenge yourself and can be motivating to carry on your work. When goals are not met, it's an opportunity to learn what doesn't work or where you may need help. Read more about developing a plan of action.

"...I began to realize I wasn’t a victim of my circumstances or my emotions - I could control the majority of my feelings if I chose to think about a situation in a more positive light.  But with this understanding came a great responsibility…to overcome a seemingly overwhelming fear of the unknown." from A Fear of the Unknown

Get feedback

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." --Bill Cosby

Share your successes and your failures with people you trust--friends and family can help us learn more about our behaviors and actions than we could ever know by ourselves. You may find out new things about your friends and family that surprise you too. When you have overcome your fears, help others get through it by sharing your own story.

What helped you push past fear to trying (or failing at) what you wanted to do? Do you have a healthy attitude to failure?

Photo by nimbupani

Don’t Sleep on Getting Rest

by Meredith College, School

Did you know that the average teen needs more than 9 hours of sleep everyday, but less than a third actually get the sleep they need? Even if you did know this, getting all the sleep you need may seem impossible with the pressures of school, friends and obligations at home.

Personally, going to high school in the morning was a very depressing experience for me. I also noticed that if I didn't take the 30-minute bus-ride into school and got a ride instead, I was in an even worse mood when got to school!

Fortunately for many, a recent study has suggested that delaying school start time by just 30 minutes positively affected student's mood, alertness and overall health by allowing for more sleep. But what are the risks of not getting enough sleep? Is it just being sluggish at school, or can the problems be more serious?

• Not getting enough sleep may actually kill you Another study measured the correlation between delayed school start time and teen car crashes; the number of crashes over one year was reduced by over 15%
• More sleep can help you manage your weight A teen sleep study in Dubai suggested that teen girls struggling with obesity were more likely to maintain a healthy diet if they slept more than 7 hours a night
• Sleeping less may affect your grades Students who routinely reported C, D or failing grades slept less during the week and on weekends than their peers

Moreover, no two people's sleep patterns may be exactly the same. Studies suggest that differences in the amount of sleep you need may begin right about the time most people start high school.

Sleep Tips

The following sleep tips come from Web MD, and are a good tips to ensure you get enough sleep.

1. Make your bedroom a quiet place. Turn your computer off before you get in bed. If your home is loud at night, wear earplugs.

2. Take a hot bath or shower before bed to boost deep sleep. Then keep your room cool (about 68 degrees) to cool your body. One study showed that sleep happens when the body cools. Wakefulness occurs when the body temperature warms up.

3. If light bothers you, put blackout shades in your windows. Make sure your door is shut when you go to bed. Turn your clock with the face toward the wall, so you don’t check the time all night long. You can also buy a lightweight and comfortable sleep mask at most stores that will cover your eyes and prevent light entry. When you get up on school days, open your shades, and turn on your light. The early light of day helps to “reset” your brain to push your bedtime to an earlier hour.

Would you rather come into school later and stay later? What do you do to help yourself get the sleep you need?

Top photo: mcquinn

Bottom photo: nerdcoregirl