How to Lessen Stress During FINALS!
written by Emma Bartley
Summer is almost here! But that means that finals are just around the corner, which means lots and lots of
While this may be a very stressful time of the year, there are ways to combat this stress! One of these ways is mindfulness. Mindfulness is “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.” Not only does mindfulness help reduce stress, but it also has many other benefits.
Studies have shown that mindfulness helps reduce:
- Agitation and getting easily annoyed
- Getting defensive with friends
- Restless sleeping
- Low levels of energy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Headaches and migraines
Studies have also shown that mindfulness leads to:
- Lowered blood pressure
- Lowered heart rate
- Increased clarity in thinking and perception
- Experience of being calm
- Better memory
With all of these benefits to mindfulness, it is clear that it should be something to add to your daily routine! Here are some ways that you can easily do this.
Stretch in the morning. While you are stretching, do some mindful breathing. It will help you wake up feeling energized!
Chew your food slowly. Enjoy the taste! Recognize the satisfaction in your food. It will help you to be more grateful for the little things.
Practice some mindful breathing. For just two or three minutes a day, take some time to sit down and just slowly breathe in and out. Don’t focus on anything but your breathing. It can be hard to do at first, but with practice, it becomes much easier and more beneficial to you!
Write down your top three priorities for the day, first thing in the morning. This will keep you on task throughout the day and more mindful of how you spend your time.
Pray! Pray before a test or when you have a moment of quiet time. Prayer can be very calming and can release stress.
Journal. Journal before you go to bed about how your day went and what you liked and disliked during the day. Write down any lessons you learned. It will provide a valuable perspective to be able to look at your past later in life.
And finally…
Put your phone down!
I know this can be hard. It is definitely one of the hardest things to do for me. BUT, if you try to spend one day without your phone, you cannot imagine the world of a difference it can make. When I put down my phone, it makes me more present during the day, more aware of my time, and more free to do more productive things. Putting down your phone can help you in so many ways!
I know that this time of year can be especially stressful, but try just one or two of these practices, and see what a difference it makes! Just remember that not everything might work for you, and that’s okay. Just keep trying until you find what does work. Mindfulness can benefit both your physical and mental health, and I cannot recommend it enough.