Stress Management

It is not uncommon for college and law students to experience stress as they manage academic responsibilities, social activities, and pressures from home or one’s own expectations. Stress can be chronic (e.g., a health problem) or acute (an accident). Although we usually think of stressors as negative (e.g., parent’s divorce), positive events (e.g., getting into graduate school) can be stressors as well. It has also been established that hassles, or mild daily stressors can be highly stressful. Although some stress is helpful as a motivator for optimal performance, high levels of stress can impair performance (e.g., intense test anxiety). Frequent symptoms of stress can include anxiety, depressed mood, irritability, poor sleep, changes in eating, sense that there is not enough time in the day, muscle tension, susceptibility to physical problems, and difficulty experiencing pleasure during leisure time. There are numerous strategies that can help you to decrease and manage your stress level. Some suggestions are listed below. Further assistance is available through Lindley Counseling.

Many students seek counseling in order to learn better coping strategies for stress. Some things to keep in mind about stress:

• Not all stress is bad. A moderate amount of stress can keep you motivated without feeling overwhelmed.
• Even positive changes can be stressful, such as finding a job and getting married.
• Chronic, daily stressors like meeting deadlines, can be as harmful as sudden, unexpected stressors like an illness in the family.
• Some people may have personalities that make it easier to cope with stress, but everyone can learn how to cope with stress better.

Strategies for Reducing Stress

1. Down time every day: even small blocks of time can be helpful.
   • Activities you enjoy
   • Relaxation exercises
   • Meditation
   • Yoga
2. Exercise: 30 minutes most days of the week.
   • Even 10 minutes of walking can be helpful.
   • Work out with a friend to stick with it.
   • Get involved in a sport.
3. Nutrition:
   • Eat breakfast.
   • Don’t skip meals.
   • Plan for healthy snacks.
4. Sleep: at least 8 hours.
5. Multitasking: only useful for simple tasks.
6. Utilize social support.
7. Confrontation: address concerns with others directly.

Tips on Meditating

Meditation can be a helpful way to reduce anxiety, cope with difficult emotions, and learn to be more aware and intentional of your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Research also suggests that meditation can promote a sense of well-being, increase self-esteem, and develop compassion for ourselves and others. While practicing meditation daily for 20-30 minutes is ideal, even 5 minutes of meditation can be helpful.

1. Find a quiet place. Wait until no one is around: get up earlier, stay up later, or go someplace else, if you have to. But find a place where you can minimize noise and distractions.
2. Get in a comfortable position. You don’t have to sit on the floor with your legs in the classic lotus position, but do get in a position where your entire body can feel relaxed. Sit or lie with your back straight, hands open.
3. Focus on your breathing. Make sure you’re breathing deeply, into the abdomen rather than chest. Pay attention to the feeling of the breath in your body, how the air feels as it enters and leaves you.
4. Do a body/mind scan. Pay attention to internal sensations from head to toe and make an attempt to relax those parts where you notice tension. If you notice feelings, pay attention to what bodily sensations accompany those feelings and how you would describe them.
5. Practice acceptance and non-judgment. Allow whatever feelings arise to be present without self-criticism or avoidance. Often focusing on the feelings has the paradoxical effect of reducing the intensity of them, contrary to popular belief.