Stress. That one little word that can have such a huge impact on your life. I never used to worry about anything until my anxiety kicked in and so i've had to adopt some stress relieving techniques. Being a teacher, I often find myself will 100 different tasks to complete and once and it can really bring a person down. As well as the usual strategies like being organised, I've learnt some things that really help me to get everything done.
Confront the problem.
One thing I have been guilty of doing of the past is to pretend certain jobs don't exist and will just disappear on their own. But lets face it, we all know that never ends well. It's important to actually face up to the jobs you need to accomplish, which leads us nicely on to tip number two.
Lists.
If you're anything like me you often don't complete a goal because you simply forget! Often I will have a returns package ready for the post office sat under my desk and forget about it until it's too late (please say i'm not the only one)! I'm an obsessive list maker and it's the only way I will be able to make sense of the millions of things happening in my life. If I have important things to do for the next day, I will make a list and stick it on my mirror so I can't forget about them the next day. Plus how satisfying is it to tick things off a list! I also use the site Scribbless as an online list maker for when i'm glued to my laptop and don't have my phone or a pen to hand.
Do the small jobs first.
Being faced with a list of 20 jobs can be quite daunting. Instead of starting off by doing your taxes or redecorating your house, begin with the small jobs. Lots of education theorists explain the need for 'quick wins' and I couldn't agree more. Look at your list and do the easiest and quickest jobs first. Booking a dentist appointment, cleaning your makeup brushes and doing the washing up are all jobs you can complete within a matter of minutes and gain instant satisfaction. It will also give you motivation to tackle the bigger jobs later on.
Reward yourself for the big jobs.
When it comes to tackling the biggest stresses in your life it's important to reward yourself afterwards. For example, I've had a few interviews recently and it takes a long time and a lot of energy to prepare everything for a lesson observation and an interview portfolio. Afterwards, I have allowed myself a couple of hours to sit and read blogs, watch films and eat some yummy homemade food. Knowing that I was going to reward myself made the tough jobs so much easier. If you don't reward yourself and move straight on to the next job you will loose motivation and feel deflated.
Don't be afraid to ask for help.
I have never been one to ask for help...ever. I never let anyone proof read my university assignments and struggled through the long days of my teaching placement on my own. It wasn't until I met my other half and he forced his help upon me, when I realised how much easier things are with an extra helping hand. SInce then, I have used my friends and family as support for all sorts of jobs. And of course I have helped them in return.
What are your stress relieving techniques?
