5 Tips for Managing Stress as an Online Student
October 25, 2019 12:37pm
Stress is something people young and old deal with every day. The responsibilities of adults just seem to pile up, especially those returning to school to earn their degree online. It’s a challenge to figure out how to make time for your job, family, social commitments and coursework. Try these few easy ways to keep stress at a minimum while pursuing an online degree!
Plan Ahead
Whether it’s scheduling time for homework or penciling in social activities, it’s important to plan ahead in order to minimize stress when you are working to complete your degree online. Plan out meals for the week ahead of time or make things that reheat well. Not having to worry about how you will fit in time to make dinner with coursework to complete after a busy day at work will be a relief. You should also attempt to keep track of other obligations in order to ensure you have enough time to study. There are a few ways you can do this. You can complete a time management worksheet or watch webinars about managing your time and schedule for ideas and tips. Doing your best to plan and maintain a schedule is a great way to keep your stress level in check.
Utilize Your Resources
It’s easy to panic when you can’t find information or don’t understand something you are studying in class. But the great thing about taking classes online is you have resources available at your fingertips! Your college likely offers a variety of helpful resources to you as an online student. But there are other resources available to you as well that you can check out! These include webinars, articles, and instructional videos on YouTube just to name a few! Familiarize yourself with some of them so you know where to go when you get stuck on an assignment or a paper.
Take a Break
When you feel yourself beginning to feel overloaded, walk away for a bit. Take time away from the computer screen or close your book. Do something that relaxes you – whether it be a walk, getting a massage, or engaging in some mindless fun on social media. If you are working, taking care of your kids, and going to school, your plate is full. So find something to do just for yourself and be sure you make time for it in your schedule. It will give you something to look forward to and hopefully serve as a stress reliever.
Don’t Forget to Ask for Help
As an online learner, it’s really important to reach out to your instructor or fellow classmates when you need help. Not only will doing so assist you with the subject matter you are struggling with, it can lead to comradery between you and your classmates. And those relationships can make the course more fun and less stressful for you! Your instructor might not be teaching you on a physical campus, but you should not hesitate to communicate any difficulties you are having. They can’t help unless they know you are having problems, so be sure to ask for guidance whenever you need it.
Don’t Neglect Your Physical Health
When at all possible, be sure to make time for some exercise. Going for a walk, run, or participating in an exercise class can boost your mental health! According to the American Heart Association, physical activity can do wonders for you, including release stress, lift your mood, help you think more clearly, improve your quality of sleep, and give you more energy and stamina – all things that will benefit you as an online learner! Also, try to maintain a healthy diet as much as possible. Eating right will help you maintain better physical health and put you in a better mood! In fact, studies show that fruits, veggies, fish, nuts, and dark chocolate (Yes, chocolate!) can help keep the blues at bay! So when you need to de-stress, grab a healthy snack and take a walk to clear your head so you can hit the books and study successfully!
You might also enjoy reading the following articles: