As most of you reading this know, school can be extremely stressful. Homework piles up, tests get harder, teachers give more projects, etc. All of this can become overwhelming and you can fall behind. Did you know there are many ways to combat these feelings?

This tactic may seem dumb, but it truly works! When your work begins to pile up and you are feeling stressed, take a break. Not just any break, but a moving break. Go for a walk outside, do yoga, stretch, or go to the gym. This may seem like it’s wasting time to get assignments done, but it’s not. When you exercise, it releases endorphins that instantly lift your mood and give you more energy. This will not only make you more productive, but it’ll make your work higher quality. Plus, exercise is great for your physical well being too!

The next method is very obvious, but so important. Procrastination is something that haunts many people. You know that the due date isn’t for a whole week, so you say you’ll do it tomorrow. Tomorrow comes around and you don’t feel motivated to do it anymore. So, you say you’ll do it in a few days when you’re free. Before you know it, the assignment is due in an hour along with several other assignments you have to get done. Sound familiar? Well, this creates three times the amount of stress if you would’ve just managed your time.

There’s many things that can be done to avoid procrastination and stress. For one, you can get a planner. Write out all of your due dates and when each part of the assignment should be done by. This way you can keep better track of what needs to be done. If planners aren’t helpful for you, there’s always good old timers. If your due date is in 4 days, spread the work into smaller loads over the course of that four days. For example, each night set a timer for 25 minutes. Do your work within the timer period and only this period. Once the timer’s up you can be done for the night and still be productive. This method takes the weight of completing the assignment all at one time off. This reduces stress by lightening work loads and only using planned times to work.

The last tool is a very simple one-don’t isolate yourself! It can be easy when you have a lot of school work, to induce stress by solely focusing on school work. School is important, but there needs to be a balance in order for it to be healthy. Being around others increases your serotonin. This make you happier, more relaxed, and over all better mentally. Being around others also temporarily distracts you from the assignments and the stress. Decreased stress levels make concentration much easier. This combined with increased serotonin is a huge mood booster, and will make your work easier to get done.

There are so many ways to reduce stress and improve your overall mood. Try one of these methods out!