Why It Matters

Academic stress can affect your mental health and academic performance, leading to burnout, anxiety, and lower productivity. By learning to manage stress early, you’ll perform better in school while protecting your well-being.

How to Manage Academic Stress

Here are five ways to manage your stress: 

1. Start by putting yourself and your needs first. This would include exercise (even short walks count) to lower stress, prioritizing your sleep to help your brain and body recover from daily stress, and eating a balanced diet to fuel your brain and keep your energy steady.
2. Plan ahead by setting clear goals and managing your time. Focus on what is important each day and celebrate small wins. Try using the Pomodoro Technique, where you set a timer for 25 minutes to focus on one task. After 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break. After four cycles, take a longer break (15-30 minutes).
3. Use active stress relief techniques. To do this, first, be kind to yourself during tough times and understand that setbacks are a part of learning. Then use breathing exercises to help you relax. Choose between two effective options:

• Physiological Sigh: Take a deep inhale through your nose, followed by a second quick inhale, then slowly exhale all air out through your mouth. Repeat 2-3 times to quickly reduce stress and calm your mind.
• 5-Minute Meditation: Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 2 seconds, and exhale for 6 seconds. Repeat for 5 minutes to relax and focus.

4. Seek help by connecting with friends and family. Talking with loved ones can provide support, or reach out to professors, tutors, or mental health services on campus if stress becomes overwhelming.
5. Enhance your study techniques. Instead of last-minute cramming, use retrieval practice and spaced retrieval to improve your learning. Retrieval practice involves testing yourself on the material rather than just rereading it, while spaced retrieval means reviewing the material over several days and weeks, rather than last minute. This will not only help you learn the material well, but it will also alleviate the stress and anxiety associated with not knowing the content for an exam. 

When to Use These Strategies

Use these strategies starting at the beginning of the semester to stay ahead of stress. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, start small—incorporate one new habit per week.

Action Steps

Start by making small changes. Set up a daily routine that includes study time, breaks, and self-care activities. Use a planner or an app to track your tasks and spread your workload evenly throughout the week to avoid last-minute cramming. The next time you feel stressed, try the physiological sigh or the 5-minute meditation to bring yourself back to a calm and focused state.