Preventing and Managing Stress

[Award Winning Boss]

These are a few recommendations for how to prevent and manage stress. You can skip to the sections you want below.

1. Introduction
2. Techniques
   • Meditation
   • Schedule time off
   • Have regular breaks
   • Plan your work
   • Clean yourself
   • Manage expectations
   • Eat properly
   • Exercise
   • Have fun with friends
3. Summary

Introduction

These are some brief thoughts about how to manage stress throughout the IB exam period and in general. I welcome anyone and everyone to share the techniques they use to manage stress.

Firstly, if you want to effectively reduce the amount of stress you feel with your workload, managing your time properly will help cut down on the level of stress you feel when working. So read this and this. Then come back here. But the chances are you'll just continue reading this anyway so I'll pretend you haven't read them.

I'm not going to put any of these techniques in order because some people prefer different things. I should also mention that these techniques will only work if you actually use them. Don't just read them, ignore them, then come back after the exams and exclaim that your hair is turning grey because of stress.

It seems like when students think of studying they think of it as an extremely painful process which requires a lot of stress in order to be useful. 'You need to live in the library to get good results' 'studying is just student and dying put together' that sort of thing. None of that is true. You don't need to strain yourself while working in order to do well.

You learn much better when you're relaxed.

Techniques

• Meditation

This is a great way to relax. I'd link you to a bunch of scientific studies about it but it's much better for you to try it and experience its usefulness first hand.

How do you get started?

Sit down (or lie down if you have back problems), and spend 5 to 10 minutes just focusing on your breathing. Don't try to alter your breath patterns. You'll probably find that it's quite difficult to just focus on your breath because thoughts will pop into your head but that's normal. Just gently return your focus to your breath.

I'd recommend meditating at the start of the day then again at the end of the day if you want to.

• Schedule time off

Don't cram your schedule with work and actually let yourself have a prolonged break. If you feel up to it, schedule a whole day off every week and do whatever you want absolutely guilt free. It'll help you approach the next week with a bit more energy and you won't be at a continuous battle with your work if you completely separate yourself from it for a while.

• Have regular breaks

While trying to complete a huge task, it can be easy to lose track of where the time is going. Then you end up working for years without having a break. This can make you feel extremely frustrated when you're not making progress on something. However, you should wait until you feel like punching something to have a break from work.

The point is to work with as little stress as possible. I'd recommend breaks as frequent as one every 25 to 30 minutes.

• Plan your work

If you don't have any clear idea about what you're trying to accomplish then you'll always be fighting uphill. Take some time to make a detailed plan about what you want to do and when.

Also, assume you've underestimated the amount of time you'll need to complete something. If you've set aside 2 hours to think about an essay or make notes on a topic, give yourself 3 or 4. It'll stop you getting stressed about not being on schedule (that wasn't realistic in the first place) and give you spare time at the end of the day

This is also related to managing your time effectively. So read this and this.

• Clean yourself

Ok, admittedly that sounds like a dumb statement to make. But I have a point. I promise.

There's very little point in being in an environment that either makes you feel like you're boiling or freezing or generally uncomfortable. So if your room feels stuffy, open your window a bit (and the curtains. Jheez I don't know why some people enjoy darkness so much. It makes no sense to me).

Groom yourself in the morning instead of groggily getting out of your bed in the morning and working away in pyjamas. Be comfortable but shower or something. If not for yourself, do it for everyone that'll come into your presence that day.

Please.

You'll hopefully feel a bit more energised before you start your day.

• Manage expectations

It's important to manage the expectations you have of yourself and the expectations other people have of you.

We're often extremely self critical because we either just want the best for ourselves or there are visible pressures from other people. This isn't an admirable trait. Yes, we should try to find ways to improve our work but not at the expense of harmful negative talk and self-hatred. It isn't useful and won't help you progress at all.

If you don't complete all the tasks you wanted to complete that day, check if you've been too unrealistic, make the appropriate changes then forgive yourself. It won't change much in the long run especially if you've made changes which could improve how the next day goes.

If you find yourself talking to yourself negatively, ask yourself whether you'd talk to a close friend the same way. If you wouldn't, you're probably being too harsh. Trust me, you do not deserve the negative self-talk you might put yourself through.

• Eat properly

Ah, food. Food is good. So eat something.

Don't stuff your face with crap all the time. Be reasonably healthy and save all the beautiful fried chicken for the weekend. Eating properly has a great effect on your energy levels.

Don't starve yourself either. Working on an empty rumbling stomach is like listening to a baby cry. They can both be stopped with some warm milk and cookies.

I don't think a new born would eat cookies though so you can have them for yourself. If anyone has a baby, you can let me know if they eat cookies. Or not. I don't mind. It's your baby after all.

• Exercise

Exercise has been scientifically proven to be healthy. So you should do it. Preferably everyday if you can. It's a great way to release stress and make you feel good. You work much better if you're more healthy over all. You don't need a gym membership to ride a bike or go out running.

• Have fun with friends

It might be odd to be reminded to talk to your friends but you should. You don't need to be in complete seclusion in order to be efficient. You can study alone but you don't need to be alone for the whole week.

And enjoy time with them without feeling guilty! If you always feel guilty, you won't enjoy the company or get any work done. You'll just be in a weird purgatory that doesn't let you do anything.

Summary

To prevent you from getting too bored, I'll end the techniques here. There are loads more but I hope others will contribute with what works for them.

Exam preparation doesn't need to be painful. Going into it with that mindset will make it much more likely to be a bad process. Try out some of the techniques and let other people know whether they worked for you.

Best of luck with your revision and I hope your hair doesn't turn grey.

[ncarmont]

On a regular basis when I feel stressed out, I do something similar to meditation. I stop thinking about things and trry to blanken my mind. Then I breath deeper and a lot slower so my heart rate decreases and i calm down quicker. This especially helps me before bed when trying to go to sleep and stress can many times can make ot harder for one to fall asleep.

Apparently one of the best stress remedy is goving a long warm hug though and this makes sense as you release phsyical and emotional tension, replacing it with feelings of affection and love.

Similarly classical music also helps me calm down as well as concentrate a lot better doing work.

Anyways those are the tips that personally help me most.

Hope this helps!

[thepositiveclub]

When I feel stressed, I tend to play team sports like basketball or go for a nice walk/swim. I also spend time with close friends who are supportive. That generally aids in eliminating stress to a great extent.

 

Eating regular healthy meals helps a lot as well. Consuming a variety of food that have vitamins A, B, and E plays a major role in reducing stress, so a well-balanced diet is really helpful for me. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated!

 

Best of luck!

[turtle turtle]

My biggest stress comes from the fear that i'll panic during the exam itself and i'm still over a year away from it! How do I get over this? Sometimes I look at a question and I can't think because i can't concentrate and it's out of my control lol

[Ann Vyshinsky]

And what about the stress after the exams and before the results day? Are there any special ways to cope with it?

[ebu]

I tend to get stressed the most when I procrastinate (ironic, right?) or when I know that I'm not working as hard as I should be.

 

I just recently started Yoga and it definitely helps me to relieve stress. I also try to clean up my desk every now and then because it helps me to organize things, find lost notes and cleans up my mind.

[Maddy]

I think learning to manage my time properly is the biggest helper for me ... it makes so much difference! 

[erocher]

What about stress in relation to presenting? I take English A SL and French A HL which I absolutely love, but that doesn't prevent me from having a huge build up of stress and anxiety right before presentations, regardless of how confident I felt prior to it. I've done my IOP in english (remarkably got a 7) - which I say because I was literally shaking/stuttering/sweating.. all that fun stuff. Anyways, I have my IOC coming up and the stress is reAl. Any handy tips on calming down on short notice? I've revised like crazy but I know I'll freak out - it's inevitable but I want to learn how to moderate such levels of panic/stress. 

 

Or I could just be a freak case unique to this world who knows? 

 

Thanks 

[Gaby]

What about stress in relation to presenting? I take English A SL and French A HL which I absolutely love, but that doesn't prevent me from having a huge build up of stress and anxiety right before presentations, regardless of how confident I felt prior to it. I've done my IOP in english (remarkably got a 7) - which I say because I was literally shaking/stuttering/sweating.. all that fun stuff. Anyways, I have my IOC coming up and the stress is reAl. Any handy tips on calming down on short notice? I've revised like crazy but I know I'll freak out - it's inevitable but I want to learn how to moderate such levels of panic/stress. 

 

Or I could just be a freak case unique to this world who knows? 

 

Thanks 

 

 

Actually, a lot of people find presentations stressful, so you're not alone. It's always a good idea to practice before the presentation (in front of a mirror or not, I personally don't really like talking to a mirror cause I end up checking out my make up/hair/noticing spots instead of focusing on what I'm saying). If you practice 5-6 times, in the comfort of your own room, it's likely to ease your anxiety cause you'll realise that you actually know what you're meant to say it and it doesn't sound half bad. Having cue cards is also useful, but when you're using them, lift them up, so you don't look like you're reading from your shoes. It's honestly fine to use them. It's also a good way of organising your presentation, even if you don't end up using them later. And having them to hold on to is reassuring and looks much better than playing with a pen or tapping your fingers on the desk or sth like that. A few deep breaths never hurt, either. 

When I had a pretty important presentation at university that formed a pretty big part of my coursework grade, I told myself that the people listening to me don't really care what I say and how I do. It's surprisingly reassuring to realise that, cause it removes some of the pressure. We imagine that other people care about what we do far more than they actually do. Drinking water in small sips just before the exam could help you, cause it'll cool you down, keep you hydrated so you don't experience brain fog, and also gives you something to focus on (keeping the sips small). 

Good luck with your IOC

[Liv S. Sletten]

yoga. 

[erocher]

yoga. 

 

 

 

What about stress in relation to presenting? I take English A SL and French A HL which I absolutely love, but that doesn't prevent me from having a huge build up of stress and anxiety right before presentations, regardless of how confident I felt prior to it. I've done my IOP in english (remarkably got a 7) - which I say because I was literally shaking/stuttering/sweating.. all that fun stuff. Anyways, I have my IOC coming up and the stress is reAl. Any handy tips on calming down on short notice? I've revised like crazy but I know I'll freak out - it's inevitable but I want to learn how to moderate such levels of panic/stress. 

 

Or I could just be a freak case unique to this world who knows? 

 

Thanks 

 

 

Actually, a lot of people find presentations stressful, so you're not alone. It's always a good idea to practice before the presentation (in front of a mirror or not, I personally don't really like talking to a mirror cause I end up checking out my make up/hair/noticing spots instead of focusing on what I'm saying). If you practice 5-6 times, in the comfort of your own room, it's likely to ease your anxiety cause you'll realise that you actually know what you're meant to say it and it doesn't sound half bad. Having cue cards is also useful, but when you're using them, lift them up, so you don't look like you're reading from your shoes. It's honestly fine to use them. It's also a good way of organising your presentation, even if you don't end up using them later. And having them to hold on to is reassuring and looks much better than playing with a pen or tapping your fingers on the desk or sth like that. A few deep breaths never hurt, either. 

When I had a pretty important presentation at university that formed a pretty big part of my coursework grade, I told myself that the people listening to me don't really care what I say and how I do. It's surprisingly reassuring to realise that, cause it removes some of the pressure. We imagine that other people care about what we do far more than they actually do. Drinking water in small sips just before the exam could help you, cause it'll cool you down, keep you hydrated so you don't experience brain fog, and also gives you something to focus on (keeping the sips small). 

Good luck with your IOC

 

 

Thanks guys turns out I freak out way more than I should, as expected ^^ It went great and I feel a thousand times lighter! Had a little yoga/meditation session right before going for my IOC, so all's good 

[aliveisthename]

I take long showers when feeling stressed.

This post is really helpful, thank you very much!

[gunchaib2017]

Sometimes, if you feel like giving up, just go for a run or take your dog for a walk. Excersise releases endorphins and makes you feel good. Also, it'll give you a fresh start. It might also count as CAS lol

[Pri]

I believe that the best way to manage stress in IB is to tackle small portions everyday

If you have an Important exam coming up, start about a week in advance so that you can get a good night's sleep before the exam day.

another important thing to keep in mind is that IB is all about self involvement, so don't push yourself to read something if you don't feel like it, on such days just take a break but remember to get back to studying and not use this as an excuse.

Edited March 1, 2017 by Pri

[ShadeLily]

Try some herbal teas that have relaxing effects. We have a class stash of tea in our homeroom. One of the best ideas we've had. 

[SamirAliyev]

I do the meditation too and it is very helpful for me. I advise it to everyone

[IBPlayboys]

We enjoy playing chess weekly, having sex at least 2x a week (must be a 7 < X), working on your business almost daily and hitting the gym almost daily too. These are WAY better than watching ****-flix or playing videogames which get nothing done.

  

Vist our blog ibplayboys.wordpress.com to learn more.

[cecile1803]

I would use Revision Village!!

They helped me destress from maths because it helped me understand so many maths concepts, and I don't know about you guys but that really put my mind at ease!! Other than that, I would normally lie on my bed listening to music whenever I started stressing out too much and this sounds weird but I also played solitaire hahahah

But in all honesty, try using revision village in maths, it covers concepts for maths studies, SL and HL so I would hiiiighly recommend PLUS the majority of it is free (just some features are included if you pay) and I ended up paying for it and it gave me an amazing overall score!! Here's the link: https://www.revisionvillage.com/aff/19/

Good luck with your destressing, I hope your go exams okay!!