Now I’ll be the first to admit that staying calm isn’t particularly my forte. It is pretty easy to find me stuck up in my room going over all the things that I have to do, but unable to actually make myself do any of them. Best example? Writing a blog post (maybe even this one) as a means of procrastinating various other pressing matters. On the bright side, I sure have spent a lot of time today thinking about doing all those other things! But along with my inability to stay calm and freak-out free in a variety of short-term situations comes some major practice postponing or preventing a freak-out for more long-term situations and worries. As a self-certified “sometimes calm” queen, here are some little tips to help you get through even the most stressful of times, whether it be related to school, family, friends, or anything else in your alien lives.
Stop thinking about what is stressing you out! Although this is not always the most useful productive, or easy solution, if it’s a case between your sanity and your productivity, put your sanity first. You’d be super more productive once you let yourself calm down and organize your thoughts instead of continuing down the path of total freak-out apocalypse. Even if it just entails finding a space for yourself for a few minutes and relaxing, it could make all the difference in the end.
Listen to your favorite calming tunes! Even if your stress is more short-term than anything else and just stopping isn’t really an option, you can try to make the situation a little less stressful. Listen to your favorite music and try to enjoy whatever you’re having to do. It’ll make the time go faster and help you focus more on what you’re doing instead of how unhappy you are to be doing it.
Make lists! Usually I find that making lists of the things that are stressing me out (whether it’s my endless dilemma of what book to read next, or the overwhelming to-do list for the week) makes me able to organize my thoughts and make it all seem a bit less daunting. Using brightly colored markers/pens (I personally love fine-tipped Staedtler pens) always helps take the edge off as well. Sometimes making lists completely unrelated to the impending freak-out can help as well, such as why your use of noodle art is a completely valid form of expression, or, more likely, goals you’d like to accomplish in the next year or so.
Make lists! Usually I find that making lists of the things that are stressing me out (whether it’s my endless dilemma of what book to read next, or the overwhelming to-do list for the week) makes me able to organize my thoughts and make it all seem a bit less daunting. Using brightly colored markers/pens (I personally love fine-tipped Staedtler pens) always helps take the edge off as well. Sometimes making lists completely unrelated to the impending freak-out can help as well, such as why your use of noodle art is a completely valid form of expression, or, more likely, goals you’d like to accomplish in the next year or so.
Write, draw, paint, anything! Find a creative outlet for your feelings, and utilize it. If you’re able to release any pent up frustration or anger or just plain stress, you’ll feel more free to move on. It’ll take your mind off everything for a while, and force you to focus on something else.
And when all else fails, sleep it off. Maybe you’re just overwhelmed and need a break, or maybe you’ll feel the same in the morning, but either way, you could probably do with a bit of sleep anyways, what teen couldn’t? You can start off fresh when you wake up again with a clear mind.
And when all else fails, sleep it off. Maybe you’re just overwhelmed and need a break, or maybe you’ll feel the same in the morning, but either way, you could probably do with a bit of sleep anyways, what teen couldn’t? You can start off fresh when you wake up again with a clear mind.
-Jennifer
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