Tuesday, November 8th, 2011...6:01 pm
An Amateur’s Lesson in De-Stressin’
Some students have a fall reading week. Those are the same students that I secretly loathe and think profanities when I think of them. WHERE IS OUR FALL READING WEEK U OF T?! I’m not sure if it’s true, but I heard that Trent gets a Fall reading week in an effort to prevent suicides… it’s probably not true, but either way, can’t we petition for the same sort of compassion? For preservation of sanity alone!
Okay, so you’ve caught me being entirely over-dramatic. The reality is I am a ravaging ball of stress these days. I’m in the Masters of Teaching (MT) program at OISE and this allows me the pleasure of having practicum for a 4-week block during November. This means my days are spent in a JK/SK class where I simultaneously become a student and a teacher. It’s not the two roles that have worn me out (it’s only been 1 week), it’s the commute.
Students, prepare for the story problem:
A solid hour on the TTC. I have to be there at 8am. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I require coffee. I can’t function without a shower in the morning. You do the math.
Don’t I sound like a teacher?
When I come home (at 5:30pm) I get to plan lessons for the next day. Oh yeah, I have 6 assignments due when I get back to OISE on November 28th. Basically there is no end in sight, and being in a JK/SK class with 20-odd children on Halloween did not even compare to the energy of the overdrive of thought processes/things to do/groceries/what lesson is next/what will I write for that paper/library on Saturday/need more picture books/can I make my friends birthday/can I afford my friends birthday/did my student line of credit get approved/did I forget to sleep last night mantra that has been consistently running through my mind over the last couple of weeks.
Okay, so perhaps I haven’t made myself sound like the best representative for advice on reducing stress, but I never claimed to be an expert. I am seriously considering attending the “Mindful Mondays” sessions offered by the Health and Wellness Centre to offer some perspective. In the meantime, here are some simple things I do to try and relax:
1) Keep an agenda, you would have to be a masochist not to: I am amazed by how much I can calm myself down by simply mapping out what I am going to do and when. It also helps with fitting social engagements in. Make sure that you don’t leave anything to the last minute unless you absolutely have to.
2) Fit social engagements in: No matter what, you need stimulation that isn’t a book, isn’t a class, isn’t an online periodical, ISN’T GRAD SCHOOL RELATED AT ALL! Personally, I often seek out friends who aren’t in University so that I can ensure I won’t be pulled into talking about school when I’m trying to take a break from it.
3) Exercise: Don’t forget your body when you’re using all that brainpower. Getting some exercise gives you more energy and is an amazing stress-reliever. We are lucky to have a gym pass to the Athletic Centre and Hart House included in our tuition. If the gym isn’t your thing, there’s drop-in classes such as dance, aquatics and skating. The Multi-faith Centre additionally offers free yoga (and meditation) every week. Getting some exercise not only helps us de-stress, it also helps us sleep at night – a great thing for the frantic mind.
4) Sleep: Don’t do the all-nighter thing if in anyway you can avoid it. Of course, we all know this, and no one gets to this point by choice. So consider this the most obvious advice (but perhaps occasionally the hardest to follow).
Anyways, that’s it! Are you as stressed as me? What are your anti-stress tips? I gotta go – I have three-million-six-hundred-twenty-four-thousand (and now one less) things to do!
4 Comments
November 9th, 2011 at 2:34 am
5) Eat (and drink) well. My diet and water intake significantly affects my ability to concentrate. If I get hungry or dehydrated I get irritable too and I find it harder to cope with my workload. If I find myself feeling distracted, I usually try downing a large glass of water – it helps me focus and feel more calm. If that doesn’t work and I haven’t eaten in a while I grab a healthy snack – carrots & hummous, plain yogurt or a banana usually does the trick. I don’t buy bags of chips or chocolate bars to keep in my house because I know the junky stuff is what I will go for if I feel frustrated and/or tired. Eating too much sugar can also lead to sluggishness in the form of a “sugar crash” and for some people (like me) it can make it even harder to concentrate. Keeping your body properly fed and hydrated will help you feel balanced and energized throughout your day. It also just makes me feel good about making healthy choices and knowing I am taking care of myself. Feeling good = less stress!!
November 10th, 2011 at 1:10 am
Jenna! Thank you for the additional recommendation. You are totally right. I am the same with water in terms of concentration.
It’s also important to have a glass of water in the morning when we feel sluggish — a lot of the time our doziness is related to becoming dehydrated over the hours of sleep.
Great advice for our readers.
December 2nd, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Getting proper exposure to sunlight can help too. Just emptying your mind and taking a nice stroll. OH! and NOT looking at your watch or cell phone to see how much time has passed while strolling. That can add to the stress.
December 2nd, 2011 at 8:42 pm
Definitely! This is especially true as the winter months approach us… Don’t mind me, I’m just terrified of looming winter!
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