Penstripe Student Planner Catalogue 24-25 - Flipbook - Page 63
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CHOOSE YOUR PENSTRIPE PAGES
STRESS - HOW TO MANAGE IT
Stress – how to manage it
SELFCARE - WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
Selfcare – why it’s important
www.mind-it.co.uk
Now you are aware of your current sources of stress,
we have good news … you can choose what you stress about!
Whenever you identify a source of stress the first question to ask yourself is
“Do I have control over it?”.
If the answer is “yes”, then you can build up an action plan and decrease the
level of stress by acting (circle of ‘control’).
For example, revising for an exam: you can get organised and prepare a revision
schedule.
If the answer is “no”, then you need to try your best to let it go or accept the
fact that you cannot change it at the moment (circle of ‘concern’).
For example, the pandemic: apart from following the safety rules, there is very
little you can do about it.
There is also a zone in between where you might not have any control but know
people who you could turn to (circle of ‘influence’).
For example, worries about the future: you could talk to someone at school or at
home.
Use the space below to identify and place stress sources in one of the three circles.
www.mind-it.co.uk
It is important to take care of yourself. If you don’t, you can
fall into long term stress conditions resulting in mental health challenges such as
anxiety or depression. We all know the safety procedure when we fly on an aeroplane.
It’s a bit like this – put your own oxygen mask on before assisting anyone else. It is the
same in life; you need to take care of yourself first to ensure that you are in a position
to support, encourage and give to others. How do we do this?
1. Know what works for you. We all have different coping mechanisms to stress: these
are the activities we do, places we go, people we talk with to cope with stress
in our lives. It is important for you to identify your own strategies so that you can
implement them as soon as you feel stressed. (see the Stress Bucket on page 5 for
more on this)
2. Prioritise yourself. You can’t keep up with everything! Sometimes, you might
experience FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) but you can’t be in two places at once.
Trying to do too much at once can result in you doing very little of anything.
3. What if it gets too difficult? Sometimes, you might feel isolated, lonely and
anxious but it's okay! The most important step is to talk about it. Talk about how
you are feeling to a family member, a friend or a teacher – they are here for you!
FOMO
Here are some tips to avoid FOMO:
Concern
Manage your ‘to do’ list by asking yourself ‘What is important and urgent
Things we cannot
change at the moment
now?’. Once identified, you can focus on the urgent and important stuff first
and then rest and relax.
Be aware of the social media filters: people only post their positive experiences
and the best version of themselves. You don’t know what is really going on in
their lives!
Influence
Things we may not be able to
control but could get help to
do something about
Social Media
Manage your social media consumption: Social media can be good as it can get
you to connect with your friends or to find support when needed but it can drag
your time and energy. Try to switch off sometimes. What about setting a daily
time limit on your phone?
Control
Choose experiences over status updates; do things that matter to you and
Things that we can do
something about
create new memories!
Well Done! Now you know the sources of stress you should focus on!
If things are a little hard right now, you are not alone:
The Mix: Free information and support for under twenty-fives in the UK.
0808 808 4994.
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Online and offline you might also experience bullying, when somebody physically,
emotionally or verbally hurts or abuses you. It affects many many young people every
year and it is not right! If it happens to you, do not ignore it. Ignoring bullying won’t
make it go away. Again, you need to talk and tell someone about what is happening.
Keep reporting the bullying until it stops and remember this:
Some people simply do not know how to respond to stress and so bully others
in order to cope – this does not excuse their behaviour though.
Bullies usually have low self-esteem – if you empathise with their situation,
you have more power.
Try to be kind to your bully – by expressing kindness instead of fear or
aggression you shift the power relationship.
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Bullying
