Take care of yourself: eat well, get enough sleep and exercise
Shed the urge to be perfect
Become a good time manager
- Maintain a prioritized to-do list
- Know your deadlines and plan for them
- Break large projects into manageable pieces
- Identify “time-wasting” behavior and make adjustments
Notice your energy and concentration levels: take breaks as needed; stretch, walk. Attend to your natural rhythms such as noticing what time of day are you most productive
Recognize your limits and know when to say “no”
Give and get support: stay active and talk with trusted friends, your family or others in your support community when feeling overwhelmed, anxious or worried.
Use relaxation techniques
Controlled deep breathing
- Exhale (“cleansing breath”)
- Breathe in deeply and slowly through your nose
- Hold
- Exhale deeply and slowly through your mouth
- Repeat 1 – 2 times
Progressive relaxation: tense and relax various muscle groups particularly neck and shoulders
Find alternative ways to handling negative thoughts, such as:
| “The workload is impossible” |
to |
“I can divide each project into smaller pieces and
take each step a little bit at a time.”
|
| “If I sound or appear confused, I may not seem smart enough” |
to |
“I’m probably not the only one with questions and there are campus resources if I need additional help.” |
| “Oh, no, I’ll never be able to do this" |
to |
“It’s normal to feel nervous. I can manage my time effectively, prioritize each step and confer with my classmates.” |
Test Anxiety Tips
To learn more, obtain a pamphlet or visit the sources listed below.
Pamphlet available through UW Bothell Student Mental Health Counseling Services:
“Stress in College: what Everyone Should Know.” American College Health Association, November 2006.
Mills, Harry; Reiss, Natalie; Dombeck, Mark. “Stress reduction and management.” MentalHelp.net, June 30, 2008.