Less stress, more success!
Well, we’re now in the final stretch! Whether it’s your first year (like me) or your final year, the third term is a busy one. I currently have two 3000-word assignments due in the next few weeks. So, I’m extremely busy and have had my head in the books (constantly) for the past few weeks!
With this term being such a hectic one – with exams and final deadlines looming – I thought that it would be a good time to write a blog about reducing stress.
When things get busy and we don’t seem to have enough time to get everything done, it can start to feel a little overwhelming. This can sometimes lead to anxiety and stress. And, often, when we are so busy, we don’t feel that we have the time to relax and take a breather. Yet, that is the most important time to take a minute for ourselves.
My cousin, Ann Marie Murray, is a Pilates instructor and personal trainer based in Dublin, Ireland. Ann Marie trains clients all over the world, including track and field athletes and Olympic athletes. As she’s a big advocate for fitness and self-care, I thought she’d be the perfect person to offer some advice on how to manage stress in the third term.
Ann Marie has kindly provided me with the following tips, on keeping stress-free in the final term (or at any point when you are feeling a little overwhelmed or stressed):
– when you start to feel stressed, take a few moments to meditate. Breathe deeply and let oxygen run through your whole body. It’s very easy to breath when you’re in the library or sitting at your desk with books and notes, or any place where movement is limited.
– take deep slow breaths – breathing in for 5 counts and out for 5 counts. Doing this 10-15 times will start to relax the body.
– do a little twist from your waist, side to side, to flush out the system. Move the body in a few different directions. Stand up, take a gentle walk, stretch the arms and legs. If the body is getting tired, the brain is getting tired. You need to keep your body active to keep your mind active.
– by bringing some light exercises into this stressful time of your life it will give you more focus and a clearer path ahead.
I, for one, will certainly be taking this advice on board. And, hopefully, it’ll also help you guys to have as ‘stress-free’ a final term as possible! 🙂
