19 Nov 2020

Agh, stress. That's a real dampener on your vibe. It always knocks on your door when you're behind on a million things to do.

During the crucial times of the school year, you'll probably feel the wrath of stress, perhaps during an exam period or when all your assignments and major work are due. 

You know you need to be doing something, but you just can’t. It seems futile to even try, I mean, will you be able to catch up? You nap and watch Netflix and muck around even though you know you’re only making it worse for yourself. Part of you wants to study but at the same time, the thought of trying to slog through all those notes is overwhelming and so you put it off day after day.

Every time you promise yourself you’ll do it later, or that you’ll get up early and start your work, it’s like adding another boulder of stress onto the pile. It’s paralysing and anxiety-inducing.

So, what do you do when you’ve reached breaking point?

1. Find a way to take a proper break

A lot of the time, the ways we deal with stress don’t give us a real break from our work. We scroll through memes or falling down a rabbit hole of niche youtube videos but at the back of our mind, we're constantly thinking about those deadlines. It's enough to make anyone frazzled.

Find a way to really forget about all the things you have to do and have fun hang out with your friends and laugh at dumb jokes until you’re crying, go for a run or surf, spend some time with your family and talk about everything except for school. Give yourself a chance to remember that there are other things in your life than study and you’ll find it puts your workload into perspective a lot more.

2. Remind yourself why you're doing this

School is a stepping stone towards your dream goal. Seeing it as a means to an end that'll lead you to your dream path will keep your eyes on the prize. 

Keep reminding yourself where you want to end up. Research your dream careers, daydream about them, talk about them. Get inspired and motivated because that's the energy you'll want to knock out some studying. 

If you have absolutely no clue what your dream goal is, don't you stress another hair on your pretty head. We realise how frazzling it can be trying to figure out what you want to do after high school so we've created the Post-School Plan!! (All I can say is I WISH I had this when I was in high school).

3. Stop the stressed thought process

You are what you think. If you keep telling yourself things like this...

  • There’s no way I can study the entire syllabus in time for the exam
  • Oh god, if I can’t study I’m going to fail this exam
  • If I fail I’m going to get a low ATAR
  • Which means I won’t be able to get into uni
  • Everyone will be so disappointed in me
  • I’ll be a massive failure

... You will just spiral into a neg out. See how all those thoughts built on one another? Negative thoughts go nowhere and will just stop you from sending it.

I'll say it again for the people in the back - you are what you think.

So choose positive thoughts dude. When you find yourself thinking like this, take a deep breath, go for a walk or pat your dog. Then flick the switch and think of positive thoughts.

  • I will be able to study enough
  • I'm going to go red hot in my exam
  • My ATAR is going to be stellar...

Fake it 'til you make it! See the cup as half-full rather than half-empty.

4. Do something

Once you’ve nipped that sort of negative thinking in the bud, you have to do something. I know what you’re thinking–‘but guys! That’s why I’m reading this article–because I can’t bloody get anything done’.

But here’s the thing. You don’t need to get everything done right now. You just need to get started with the easiest thing possible. Have a whole essay to write? Just pick one quote that you know you’ll be able to use. Write it down. That wasn’t too hard was it? Now what sort of technique is being used in that quote? Write that down as well. You’re not writing a whole essay–you’re just giving yourself the bare bones to get started.

KISS = Keep it simple stupid. Take everything one step at a time and KISS your stress away.

Simplifying your work will make it heaps easier to manage than thinking about it as one massive task and before you know it you’ll have smashed out half the work without even realising it.

It’s understandable that you’re stressed (we all are). But you need to find ways to fight that stress so you can get through the school year. You got this!!