We all need a break sometimes
Managing the workload of school, planning for the future, keeping up with your social life and taking part in any extracurricular activities is a lot to juggle.
It can all feel a little stressful at times, which is a completely natural feeling. But it's more important than ever to take time out to look after yourself. Here, you'll find useful tips to help you relieve stress and boost concentration.
Mindfulness techniques to try
When we hear the word ‘mindfulness’, we might think of yoga or meditation, which may not be for you.
But practising mindfulness doesn’t have to be a spiritual or deep and meaningful activity.
Simple techniques can really help in times of stress or anxiety and can be done as part of your daily activities or routine. They help build self-awareness by identifying our thoughts and emotions.
Write
- Writing things down will help you to get thoughts out of your head and on to paper
- Writing your thoughts down also makes you more aware of them and can then help you to process them, put them in to order or decide what to do next
- You could keep a journal, or simply scribble the words out on paper to organise later
Exercise
- Mindful exercise is usually exercise you do alone or in a quiet environment
- Focus on the individual movements you make, your feet on the floor, your arms swinging
- You could practice mindful walking, yoga or swimming. These activities are good because you can focus purely on the activity, rather than on competing with others or winning a match
Breathe
- Try holding your left hand out just in front of you, using your thumb and index finger to make an ‘L’. Using the index finger of your right hand, start at the top of your thumb
- As you breathe in, slide your finger along the edge of your ‘L’ shape
- When you reach the top, breathe out and slide your right index finger back down the ‘L’, do this until you feel calmer
Sleep
- Maintaining a sleep routine is really important for mental health and wellbeing, so take time to relax before you go to bed to help improve the quality of your sleep
- Be mindful of what time you go to sleep – try to sleep and wake up at the same time each day and get the recommended 7-8 hours per night
Read these next
Study skills quiz: What kind of learner are you?
How do you learn best? Our interactive activity helps you discover your learning preferences through a short quiz.
Top tips for revision success
When exams are coming up, it can mean cramming in as much information as possible and hoping the stress and the tiredness doesn’t catch up with us. Here are a few simple things you can do to make revision a much smoother process.
