If your symptoms are too intense or last for too long, it could be a sign that you might need additional support. Talking about it can be really helpful and is often the first step to feeling better. Speak to a trusted friend or family member, or contact our Therapy Service on therapyservice@tvc.ac.uk to talk to one of our therapeutic counsellors. They can offer one-off drop-in appointments or weekly counselling sessions.
Below are some tips you could try to help you manage stress and build your resilience. Trying these ideas won’t make all the stress in your life disappear, but they could make it easier to get through stressful situations.
Recognise triggers:
- Begin to track times where you have felt stressed and look for patterns in how you reacted. What was happening when you felt stressed? What did you think/feel/do just before you felt stressed?
Awareness:
- Once you are aware of difficulties that are likely to make you feel stressed you can take steps to prevent stress or deal with it quickly
Self-care:
- Be kind to yourself – stress is a human experience. Try to connect with friends and family, and talk about how you are feeling
Split up big tasks:
- Sometimes academic work can feel overwhelming and impossible to complete. Even starting can be difficult.
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- Breaking up your work into smaller chunks can be helpful
- Make time in your revision schedule for breaks and doing things you enjoy – balance is key!
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Mindfulness and meditation:
- Apps such as Calm, Headspace and Breath2Relax can help
Do something you enjoy:
- Whether exercise, sports, art, music, reading, writing, film, TV, theatre, dance – anything! These things can help you to feel less overwhelmed, even just doing a little bit
Challenge unhelpful thoughts:
- Reframing the way we think can help us to cope when feeling stressed, see this short clip for hints and tips on how:
Improve your sleep:
- Getting better sleep can help to cope when feeling stressed:
Eat a more balanced diet:
- Consuming lots of foods high in fat and sugar can make us feel sluggish, low and more easily overwhelmed. Eating healthier can make us feel more energised, and improve our mood and motivation. Try starting with one extra piece of fruit or vegetable and then working more into your diet
Focus on the positives:
- It’s often easy to focus on the bad things we’ve done more than the good. Try to think of one or two things each day that you’re proud of or thankful for. You could write about them in the mood journal or collect them on bits of paper in a jar. Try to look back at what you’ve written after a few days
Plan ahead:
- Being more organised – whether recording activities and jobs in a planner or creating a to-do list – and planning out upcoming stressful days or events can really help
Self-help guide:
- Here is a resource with activities to help you manage your stress:
Additional Resources:
