They say some stress can be good for you.

Sure, if you’re moderately stressed it can help you prepare for future situations and improve your health. According to studies done in UCLA by colleagues and Professor Seery, they concluded, “People with a history of some lifetime adversity reported better mental health and well-being outcomes than not only people with a high history of adversity but also than people with no history of adversity” (Seery et al., 2010, p.1025).

What? In English please, was my initial thought after reading that quote. So basically, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?

While that may be true, many people are unsure how to handle the daily stressors in their lives. Perhaps it’s the enormous amount of work needed to be done or it’s the fear of failure that stresses us out … Unfortunately, we can’t make them go away; it’s always there because it’s our natural way of protecting ourselves from different problems. People can stress over work, money, sickness, or family but can’t do anything to alter certain events, to change them so they don’t happen. However, what can be changed is the way stress is dealt with. img source

Here are some ways to lessen that stress:

1. Manage your time

Heard this one before? I bet you have at least once. It doesn’t just apply to school but it applies to all aspects of your life: work, school, family, and friends. Managing your time is knowing how to organize all your activities and plan them appropriately to match your schedule for that day, week, month, or year. Don’t pick that Tuesday to work an 8-hour shift while you have to study for that final exam in your hardest class the next morning. gif source

2. Don’t worry be … happy?

It’s probably not the best idea to tell you not to worry, but stressing doesn’t mean you have to give off a negative vibe, right? Try to be positive even when you’re stressed to the max. It’ll do you some good, and it’ll make your day ten times easier. Trust me, other people won’t give you a hard time and add to your stress if you do the same. gif source

3. Take a break

The reason why you’re stressing is probably because you’re doing work nonstop, and you’re not even getting out of that chair to take a bathroom break. Seriously, stand up. Walk around. Stretch. Eat something to increase your blood sugar. Whatever it is, do something to keep yourself awake and alert. It’s also good for your brain and gives it time to rest and process new information.

4. Stop watching Netflix at 2am!

Honestly, it’s ruining your eyes and your health. If you want to binge all 100 episodes of a TV show, save it for the weekend. Leave work and other important tasks to be done during the weekdays. Also, when you have to wake up early in the morning, sleeping at 2am is probably not the best option. The stress will definitely decrease once you get enough sleep to go about your day. gif source

5. Listen to music!

Listening to some music is definitely on my top three list of things I love to do when I want to de-stress. Not only is it relaxing to just lay down with the soft tunes in the background but it gives you a moment for yourself. Sometimes, it helps to have some alone time to think about what you need to get done or reflect on your day. There are so many other benefits when relieving stress with music including decreased blood pressure and slower heart rate. gif source

Whether it’s planning ahead, being positive, taking a break, sleeping early, or jamming to your favorite song, relieving stress is the main theme. Everyone is different and deals with stress in their own ways, so this small list is just a guideline for helping you find the method of de-stressing that works for you. Keep in mind that you’re never going to be stress-free. There will always be something that stresses you out, but the important thing is to not let it overwhelm you. Step back. Take some deep breaths. You got this!