Summer is close at hand; you can smell it in the fragrant breeze and feel it on your skin, tingling with warmth and anticipation. If you're anything like me, you wish you could just fast forward past exams and get to the beach already! The end of the school year can be such a stressful time, more often than not you have to stuff a couple more units in your brain and review everything else on top of that, which can seem really intimidating. I got tired of feeling so overwhelmed, and decided to take charge and say so long to my stress for good. Here are the things that I've done to calm down, get organized, and stay positive during the chaos of high school and everyday life.
Tip One: Stop Procrastinating.
Everyone has those days when you just can't get motivated to do anything, except maybe binge all of Parks and Rec. on Netflix. Having a set schedule and deadlines can seem daunting at first, so start waking up a little earlier and going to bed at a reasonable hour. You'll be less on edge, making it so much easier to face those tasks that you just don't want to do. Carve out a little time every day for homework and studying, and do your chores at around the same time every day. After a while, these things will become apart of your routine. Instead of forcing yourself to do them, it'll come naturally and will be much less of a big deal.
Tip Two: Take Time for Schoolwork
It's one thing to sit down and start something, but to finish it you have to be really dedicated. I absolutely despise studying, so I used to lay on my bed so I'd at least be comfortable. Every single time I would fall right asleep and not retain any information whatsoever. With EOC's right around the corner, I decided it was high time I start studying properly. First, I set up my work space. Instead of sprawling out papers on my bed, I sat at my desk, which was cleared of all the distracting library books and paints. I got a bowl of carrots and shredded cabbage (I fancy myself a rabbit at times), a pack of four cheese crackers and an apple sauce for fuel, and filled my water bottle with, you guessed it, water! Chewing can help you stay awake, and good snacks can keep you motivated! I lit a candle, opened my window, turned on Bach's classical music to create a calming atmosphere, and I was ready to roll.
Instead of just sitting in one place for 2 hours looking at my notes, I vigorously read over them, wielding my highlighter and flashcards, for 35 minute intervals. After that I would start to get sleepy, so I'd get up and stretch. I did a couple easy yoga poses, like the Tree Pose, Warrior, Cobra, and Child pose, to shake that stiff feeling and relax for a bit. Taking small breaks like that really helped me retain my focus, and I remembered so much more than I thought I could.
Do this at least every other day to prepare for a test, and try to make time for reviewing your notes every afternoon for at least 2 weeks before an exam. Cramming the night before won't do you any good; after all, Rome wasn't built in a day! I also noticed that studying during the day makes a huge difference, the later you start, the more tired you'll feel and the less you'll accomplish.
Tip Three: Treat Yo Self.
Just like it's important to take time for chores and homework, you have to make time for yourself. Every single day, do something nice for yourself as a reward for working so hard. I'm not saying ignore your duties and watch all of the Harry Potter movies, you have to find a happy balance. If you go 90 to nothing all day every day with no break, you'll get irritable and unmotivated. Have a soak in a bubble bath, read a few chapters of a good book, watch a couple YouTube videos (and I do not mean two 45 minute vlogs!). Don't time yourself or you'll feel anxious and rush through your "me-time", just sit back and relax for a while before getting back to business.
Here are some things you can do to Treat Yo Self:
- Read your favorite book, the one that always makes you smile and never gets old no matter how many times you read it.
- Read a new book, something that you wouldn't normally read. Last week I picked up To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, and was pleasantly surprised! I was expecting a cheesy cliché, and was instead sucked into the story of an optimistic girl who went to drastic measures to make sure her family was happy. While her older sister was away at college in Scotland, Lara Jean gets into some sticky situations, and has to get everything back to normal before Margot comes home for Christmas. I can't recommend this book enough, it was so funny and sweet, I found myself laughing out loud and on the edge of my seat at the same time!
- Wear something that makes you feel fabulous. Don't worry about practicality for a minute and wear some high heels or a vest and bowtie, whatever you please! People spend too much time worrying about what people think of them, and that really strangles your unique spirit. If you want to wear a tutu and a leather jacket, so be it! Whatever you wear, wear it to feel good about yourself, not to please other people.
Tip Four: Be Creative.
You all know by now that I love to paint, and it can be a great way to escape and de-stress. It's important to find outlets for pent up emotion: be it anger, sadness or even excess positive energy! Get all the built up thoughts out on paper, canvas, clay, fabric or yarn. Its perfectly normal to be upset or excited, but moderation is key. Find a healthy way to let out all that wound up energy so you don't go bouncing off the walls or bursting into tears. Write about it, paint a tiger, sing a song, play an instrument, dance a little, bake a cake, knit a scarf, crochet a bunny, photograph a cat, sculpt a mug with a dragon wrapped around it--whatever you do, you'll feel more relaxed afterwards.
Tip Five: Get Organized.
As much fun as it is to make a little mess, when you're constantly surrounded by a hurricane of stuff it's easy to become stressed out. Keep your room straightened up--it doesn't have to be pristine, but the organization will create a peaceful environment. Your room should be a safe haven from inner turmoil as well as struggles with school and work. Have a few candles or incense and maybe even some fairy lights to make your room a comfortable and stress free zone. Clutter is your enemy, it can be really frustrating not knowing where anything is and might also make you feel suffocated. If your room is clean, it can be kind of a relief to walk into. It'll be easier to follow routine as well, easier to find an outfit in the morning and easier to fall asleep. It can be quite difficult to catch some Z's with a balled up sheet strangling your feet and a mountain of laundry preventing you from stretching out! Sleep is extremely important, your body can take time to "re-charge", in a way, and all those tense muscles can finally relax.
Tip Six: Spend time outside!
All living creatures need sunlight to survive, so get out there and live a little! I know how easy it is to be used to the controlled environment of the great indoors, but over time those who ignore Mother Nature tend to develop Hermit Syndrome and become an Introvert. Sunshine can help prevent depression, reset the biological clock (the instinct that it's time to sleep when the sun goes down), and keep you healthy. Vitamin D is not only wonderful for boosting your immune system, but spending time outside can lighten hair and sprinkle you with angel's kisses (freckles!). It seems like common sense, but it really is important to spend time outside as often as you can. Being around plants and soaking up the sun is an excellent way to de-stress, and doing yoga outside is possibly one of the most relaxing things that I know of.
When I get anxious, worried or stressed, it sometimes feels like I have a weight on my chest and I get agitated. Meditating and doing yoga can help lift that weight and calm you down, even if you have terrible balance and zero patience like me! When I meditate, I don't sit on a mat with my middle finger and thumb touching towards the sky, trying to clear all thoughts from my head. I just sit on a regular towel in the grass, criss cross applesauce, and breathe. Closing my eyes, I inhale through my nose slooooowly, then hold the breath until I feel a tug and I can't hold it any longer. I exhale through my mouth, forming a little 'O' with my lips and forcing the air back out like I'm trying to blow a bubble. I try not to think too hard about anything when I'm doing this, just letting the thoughts flit around in my head and then leave. It's nice to not focus on anything but my breath once in a while. After I "meditate", I really like to do yoga. It's an amazing way to start the day off relaxed, if you wake up stressed it will only get worse throughout the day. I really love this beginner yoga routine by Boho Beautiful, it's easy enough for a beginner like me to follow and still stretches my muscles in a gentle workout. I try and drink a lot of water in-between my poses to stay hydrated.
* Don't Worry, Be happy *
I hope that these tips are helpful for you all, let me know in the comments what helps you de-stress! Summer will be here before you know it, so just hang in a little longer. Good luck to everyone getting ready for exams! :)
With Love,
Madeline
(P.S.) I'm trying to decide whether or not to move Adventures in Somnambulism, vote on Twitter and let me know if you like Blogger or Weebly better!
