5 Ways To De-Stress Before Finals

By Shelly Greenstein on April 5, 2016

theodysseyonline.com

So lately I have been resembling the ever so flattering metaphor of the chicken without its head for a number of reasons.

In my first semester as a senior at Rutgers University, I decided it would be a good idea to take on 18 credits of classes along with the responsibilities that comes with the internship position I am currently in. On top of all of that, I also work full-time as a manager of a retail store with over 20 employees.

I have always been one to handle the juggling act of life comfortably and efficiently, but in the last couple of weeks my strength has been wearing thin.

With midterms coming to an end and finals around the corner, I felt the choking feeling that I wasn’t going to make it to the finish line this semester.

I felt as though I was spreading myself way too thin and this led me to realize that I was working too hard which made me forget what life was really all about.

After I came to understand that the stress level I was under was unacceptable for someone my age and in my position, I began to practice certain techniques in order to get a handle on my life again. This then allowed me to calm down and breathe when it came to the idea of my finals coming up.

Here are five ways to de-stress before finals that are really easy to practice and will guarantee a better experience for the end of your spring semester:

1. Make lists.

Something that always works for me when I am dealing with multiple projects and or deadlines is keeping track of anything and everything going on in my life in list form.

I personally always buy a new planner every year that consists of month to month as well as day to day pages where I can fill in everything I need to in order to keep all of my tasks organized. I literally write everything that I have to do down each day and cross off each one when they have been completed.

Doing this will allow you to compartmentalize what needs to be done and when in order to promote a more organized work-flow.

2. Make time for you.

I am all for working as hard as you can to get the job done, but sometimes you need to be able to take a break in order to produce your best work.

Even if you have a million and one things going on in your life, you still need to be able to make time for yourself in order to put the focus back onto your own well-being.

Whether it be yoga or painting, pick something that you enjoy and commit to doing it at least once a week. This will enable you to take a break from the chaos which will then, in turn, make you into a more centered and competent worker.

3. Disconnect.

This one may be hard to do, but I promise it will be worth it. What I mean by disconnect is to turn off your phone. That means no texts, e-mails, Twitter, Facebook, etc.

For 20 minutes a day, try your best to unplug from any and all technology which we have all become slaves to in our day to day lives. This will allow you to take a step back from the fast-paced life you are so used to and breathe. Even if just for a moment, this will give you almost automatic relief from your stress.

4. Don’t wait until the last minute.

I have learned the hard way that if you want things to be done to the best of your potential, you should not procrastinate any task ever.

When you push things off to the day before a deadline or due date, you work yourself up into a frenzy in order to get that thing done which then produces a half-assed result.

If your teacher assigns you your final in advance, start it early on in order to get the leg up on the assignment and to avoid workloads piling up.

5. Stay positive.

At the end of the day, your attitude is what guides you in life and if you maintain a positive one, your experiences should follow suit.

If you have a ton of work to get through before the semester ends, give yourself a personal mantra which enforces the idea that you can get through it successfully.

Wallowing in your stress will only get the better of you so take the necessary steps to nip it in the bud and you will go far not only with your finals, but in your life as a whole.

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