Student Health Services at Moffitt Health Center
Stress and Time Management
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Stress
Stress is the body’s response to physical and psychological change. Stress can occur regardless of whether the change is good or bad. Many events during college put students at risk for increased stress. Stress can be present as eustress (good) or distress (bad). Learning how to effectively manage stress in a healthy way now, can help you recognize and respond to stress before it becomes overwhelming for you.
- Routine stress as pressure from responsibility
- Sudden negative change
- Traumatic stress as the result of death, injury, accident, etc.
- Increase or decrease in sleep
- Increase or decrease in appetite
- Increased use of alcohol
- Increased fatigue
- Inability to concentrate
- Mood swings
- Changes in exercise habits
- Frequent head, back, or muscle ache
- Indigestion, diarrhea
- Frequent accidents and injuries
- Hostile or angry feeling
- Restlessness and anxiety
- Change in moods
- Take a break to relax and refresh
- Think positive
- Make a to-do list and prioritize
- Learn to say "no"
- Ask for help
- Practice relaxation techniques meditate
- Manage your time
- Don’t procrastinate
- Exercise
- Get plenty of rest
- Eat a healthy diet
- Set realistic expectations
- Identify your stressors and try to avoid them
- Balance school and other responsibilities
- Do something you enjoy
- Counseling may be helpful in times of extreme stress.
Prolonged stress can lead to many health problems including decreased immunity which increases the risk of infections, mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, and heart and digestive problems.
Time Management
Good time management skills are important for balancing your academic work load and activities or responsibilities outside of class. Time management is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities. Planning ahead and having a good to-do list in place can help you:
- Get more done in less time
- Complete better quality tasks/assignments/etc.
- Meet deadlines without delays
- Overcome procrastination
- Feel less stressed
- Have time for yourself to do the things you enjoy
- Plan ahead - use a calendar or planner
- Identify time wasters/distractions
- Set SMART goals for yourself - Specific, Meaningful, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound Goals
- Make a to-do list
- Do small stuff first
- Do most important tasks first thing in the morning
- Don't multi-task - spend your time focused on one task at a time
- Develop a routine and take breaks
- Take time off
- Don't be afraid to delegate