Stress Management
stress
a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.
common stressors of teens
- grades
- college
- boyfriend/girlfriend
- friend drama
- meeting parent expectations
- lack of sleep
- try outs
- extra-curricular activities
- fitting in
- class rank
common stressors of adults
- job
- paying bills
- losing a loved one
- divorce
- deadlines
- family conflict
- taking care of a elderly/sick family member
- raising kids
- meeting financial expectations
- moving
Some of these stressors are common between teens and adults. While teens have not taken on the load of a full time job, marriage, or raising a family, they still deal with family conflict and meeting expectations of their teachers, family, or friends.
negative impact
positive impact
stress reduction techniques
- meditation
- sit up straight and focus on breathing
- laugh
- exercise
- listen to music
- take a shower
- take a nap
- make a list/cross of things you've already accomplished
- talk to a friend
- eat healthy
guidelines to a low-stress lifestyle
- Eat healthy- this will improve your health, reduce stress, and make you feel good about the way you're handling your life.
- Get moving- do something each day to be active — walk, hike, play a sport, go for a run, do yoga. It doesn’t have to be grueling to reduce stress. Just move. Have fun.
- Declutter- when you have less mess, you'll feel like your life is more together.
- Be early- running late can cause stress.
- Find a creative outlet- having a hobby that you can turn to when you're stressed will get your mind off of your stress. This could be journaling, painting, or playing an instrument.
- Simplify your schedule- A hectic schedule is a major cause of high stress. Simplify by reducing the number of commitments in your life to just the essential ones.
- Get enough sleep- make sleep a priority in your schedule so that you can perform to your fullest the next day.
- Live by lists- having a list of everything you need to do can help you with time management. Crossing off each item as you complete it is also satisfying.
- Don't waste time- good time management will help you get things done and reduce stress.
- Have fun- participating in activities that you love or engaging with people that you connect with will help you enjoy your life.
stressful life events for teens
Breakups- Relational conflict is a huge stressor. Going from talking to someone (boyfriend/girlfriend) 24/7 to not taking at all can cause emptiness and confusion in a teen's life. Change is hard to deal with when you're already stressed with everything else thrown at you.
Recieving Class Rank- Teens, especially at Flower Mound, are constantly worried about their class rank because academics is very competitive. Finding out class rank after each 9 weeks can cause a lot of stress. Not being in the range that you want to be in is stressful because you feel like you're behind and need to catch up.
Overloaded Schedule- Teens often try to juggle too many activities and responsibilities. Between managing school, homework, sports, clubs, work, and a social life, there is little time for sleep.
websites for guidance on stress
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20765943,00.html
20 Stress Reducing Tips- find what works best for you
http://psychcentral.com/lib/20-tips-to-tame-your-stress/
Ways that Stress is Effecting your Body