10 Ways to deal with Academic Stress

When we talk about stress many people think that stress is only for adults and not for school going children or young adults/college students because in their view there’s nothing in their life to stress about, they haven’t stepped into the actual struggling world. But the fact is, they are equally vulnerable to stress that might induce due to relationship issues, family issues, childhood trauma and most common among all is – “Academic Stress”.

So, what is “academic stress”?

‘Academic stress’ is our body’s response to the demands related to the students’ academics that outruns their adaptive capabilities. It affects the student’s academic performance, reduces their motivation, obstructs their academic achievement, lower grades, increased school or college dropout rates, and may lead to other mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, chronic sleep deprivation etc.

Behind every action there is something that triggers a specific behavior. The conditions that induce stress are known as ‘stressors’. A few stressors that trigger academic stress among students are – Public speaking (public/oral presentation), academic overload, taking examinations, lack of time to meet the deadlines, staying away from parents/family, competitive educational environment, financial concerns, family pressure, adapting to new environments etc.

Let’s see 10 ways that can help you deal with your academic stress:

1. Grounding Techniques

It helps you to be in the present moment and to help you focus on the current work that you are doing so that you can do it well. One of the most used grounding technique is ‘5-4-3-2-1 Technique’ in which you have be conscious and look around 5 things that you can see, 4 things you have to touch and feel the texture, temperature, and material of it, close your eyes and concentrate on 3 sounds that you can hear, focus and try to recognize 2 things that you can smell, and lastly try to recall a food taste (it could be the last food you ate or the taste of your favourite food).

2. Relaxation Techniques

It helps to relax your muscles and your senses that will help you to calm in stressful situations. One of the relaxation techniques is deep breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing in which you have to inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds and then exhale for 4 seconds. As a relaxation technique, you can also try any activity that helps you feel relaxed. It can be painting, crafting, listening to music, watching movies, walking in nature, talking to your friends/family etc.

3. Meditation

It helps to reduce stress, increase self-awareness, reduce negative emotions, increase tolerance and patience in stressful situations, focus on the present moment, increase creativity and imagination.

4. Exercise

Physical exercising daily or twice/thrice a week helps to keep you fit and it reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, negative mood. Also, it helps in improving cognitive functions (such as thinking, problem solving ) and self-esteem.

5. Get enough sleep

It’s very common for students to sleep late at night and binge-watch shows or to finish academic-related works while staying up the whole night. It’s also very common to see students study the whole night before an exam. But the fact is, you need enough sleep to think straight. If you get enough sleep, you’ll feel fresh and energetic the next day which will help you to do all your chores with a clear mind. Every student must get a minimum of 8 to 10 hours of sleep per 24 hours.

6. Eat healthy

We mostly tend to eat junk foods or processed foods which are not good for our health because we don’t get the required nutrients and minerals from it that are essential for a fully-functioning, healthy brain and body. Eating more fresh fruits or fresh juices, green vegetables, home-made foods and dry fruits will do the work.

7. Journaling

Writing down about your feelings and emotions helps you to sort out things and think clearly. You can draw or paint in your journals using different colours as well. Also, you can write down the strategies that you use in your daily life for stress and it will help you to go back to the previous strategies that you have used earlier to check whether it worked out or not, if not, you can try a different method/strategy for the next time.

8. Time Management

Creating a routine or making a list of pending works will help you to prioritize your work, manage and use your time efficiently as well as you can make your day productive. It will help you to finish your work on time and within the deadline.

9. Support Groups

You can create a support group of your own with your friends mainly focusing on mental health or you can join student support groups that you can find online or in your city. In those support groups you’ll come across people who are facing the same issues as you are and it will help you find solutions of your own.

10. Talk to a Mental Health Professional

Whenever you feel your stress level going higher and it’s getting too much for you to handle on your own, don’t hesitate to meet and talk to a mental health professional (e.g. psychologist, counselors, psychiatrist etc.). It’s totally okay to ask for help from a mental health professional as it will help you to get better by providing you different ways to manage your stress levels by using stress management techniques.

Get in touch with Psychologists and counselors at OnlineCounseling4U

OnlineCounseling4U offers the best counseling service for stress, whether it is academic or any other life stressors . You can find certified psychologists who speak your own language and that too while you are in your own comfort place, your home. You can have one on one sessions without breaching confidentiality. You can talk to the psychologists freely because in OnlineCounseling4U psychologists are non-judgemental, open-minded and accepting in nature. You can book your appointments for any time of the day. The psychologists are always ready to help you with your issues.

Call us to book a session today.

Contact us at +91 9811335150

Email us – info@onlinecounselling4u.com

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