Wake up at 6:30 a.m. Be at school by 7:15 a.m. English class from 7:30 to 9:50 a.m. Twenty minute break to grab breakfast and get to next class. Physical education class from 10:10 to 11:20 a.m. Have a smoke. Art class from 11:30 to 1 p.m. Ten minutes to run to get a bag of chips and a coke for lunch. American history follows from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., then chemistry from 3:45 to 5:15 p.m. Grab a cup of noodles for dinner. Go to the computer lab for a few hours to write an essay for English, and then go home for a few more hours of homework before going to sleep at a decent hour so you can get up early for work. Sound familiar?
With the pressures of our economy today, students feel the pressure to get as much done as quickly as possible. And in many cases, students forget the importance of having a few personal moments of calm to help keep their sanity. If you just go and go without any breaks, it can lead to health problems, which include the following: acne, loss of appetite, headaches and insomnia. These issues can also lead to serious problems involving stress and anxiety disorders, according to stresseffect.com.
How can you tell if you’re at the breaking point? If you’re having fantasies about naptime in kindergarten, you might need a break.
One thing to do is to set aside a day of no work and school periodically. This can help you catch up on chores or schoolwork. Leaving the one day open can relieve the feeling of never having any time to catch up. It can also be the naptime you need.
If your schedule is as tight as a pair of leggings, there are still plenty of things you can do to prevent an overload. One could set aside a few hours for homework every night, along with an hour to do something you enjoy (not homework).
Spend an hour reading, surfing the Web, watching a favorite TV show or doing a hobby. This can take your mind off of your stress and give the body a rest. Constant stress can make the body feel worn out and can even inhibit the immune system, causing you to get sick more often. It is best to take this time before you go to bed. This helps you go to sleep and even causes better dreams, meaning you won’t be dreaming about that impending midterm that stands between you and the light at the end of the tunnel.
If you can’t fit an hour into your day-to-day activities, don’t stress – there are still things you can do. In the morning, try waking up a few minutes early and do something to stimulate the mind, for example a puzzle. This will help you wake up and remain focused throughout the day. Before bed, take a bath or shower. This raises the blood temperature and helps you get to sleep and stay asleep. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a few minutes to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. It sounds like common sense but truly does help.
