speech on stress management
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It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level. The bills aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day for all your errands, and your career or family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
You all have had that moment when you feel your stomach is in knots, your muscles are tense, and you feel defeated, unhappy and low. When you try to think of a solution or a way out, you go blank. You are stressed. The American Institute of Stress defines stress as physical, mental or emotional tension (The American Institute of Stress, 2017). I have high interest in the topic of stress management particularly how it applies to college students because a typical college student is faced with all different kinds of stress. I would like to share with you some factors that cause stress and how you may manage it and make your college life more enjoyable.
The first reason for stress I would like to talk about is the amount of schoolwork. College can be so demanding due to such a heavy workload that students are expected to keep up with. One can easily get overwhelmed with the many co-ops, final papers, midterms, exams, tests, and projects. Without a good strategy of tackling these assignments, a student can easily develop stress. This is especially when there are tight deadlines meet.
A second factor is pressure to do well. A student can experience pressure to do well from within themselves through their inner drive and motivation that pushes them to succeed. Most try to do their best and to get good grades. According to Richards (2017), 71% of college students say that their grades have a direct effect on their level of stress. Pressure to do well can also be external as it may come from your family, your friends, your coaches, your teachers, and your professors. Wanting to live up to the high expectations that they place on you can be very stressful.
A third factor is change in environment. This may affect some college students more than others depending on the proximity of their home areas to their colleges but generally, going away to college means leaving behind everything that is familiar. For instance, you have to leave behind your family and friends. Some students have never been away from home, which can be a difficult adjustment to make. In the new college environment, they yet have to deal with such issues as peer pressure and acceptance.
The first step towards stress management is to recognize the source of your stress before you can address it. Once you realize why you are stressed, keep a journal by writing down everything that you feel. As observed by Lucier (2014), writing makes you feel more relieved and allows you pinpoint any trends in your stress. After that, incorporate exercise into your daily routine so that your mind may be taken off problems you may have. This is as well good for your body.
Another step is to let it go. Think about the stressful situation and if it will not matter in five or ten years’ time, let it go. Stressing over small things is both unnecessary and tiring. You may also relieve yourself of stress by self-reflecting and adjusting your attitude. According to Lucier (2014), being optimistic and having a positive outlook has a direct connection about how one feels with even how they perform. Finally, you need to get enough sleep for you to have enough energy.
As I finish, let me point out that not all stress is bad. This speech has been focusing on bad stress and that is known as distress. There is also good stress, known as eustress, and it comes from adrenaline or excitement. However, to focus on managing negative stress, I urge you to remember all the tips as well as the causes. Finally, you should not ignore the fact that stress occurs in everybody’s life. You have to manage it one way or another regardless of the reasons.