Whether you’re in your first, second, or third year or even starting your postgraduate degree, university life can get quite overwhelming and stressful from time to time. Although everyone experiences stress at different levels, it’s important to make sure that you’re always conscious of your mental and physical wellbeing and you’re managing stress in a healthy manner. Here are 3 tips to help you manage your stress level in a way that will hopefully give you some breathing space for you to stop and relax.

Tip #1:

Stop and make time to unwind

Sometimes the best thing to do in a time of stress is to pause and take some time to unwind - planning some downtime to give your mind time off from stress is incredibly important. It’s important to be flexible with this approach, for example, you can set 15-20 minutes or even an hour in your day depending on your schedule, to do something you enjoy or catch up with a hobby. Setting some time aside in your day or your week will help you balance your schedule and give you time to relax and breathe. After a busy or stressful day, these moments can be something you look forward to. Restful things you can do for example could be yoga, listening to music, watching movies, reading, sports, catching up with your friends, etc.

Keep an eye out for student society events or KCLSU events you can attend - including some of the Positive Peers events and workshops! To sign up for Positive Peer events coming up, check out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/positivepeers

Tip #2:

Talk to Others

Don’t be afraid to reach out and connect with others about how you are feeling - it’s important to be honest about your feelings and recognise them. If you are stressed or feeling overwhelmed, talk to your friends, parents, or others who you trust and are comfortable with. Talking to others about your concerns and your worries can help lower your stress levels and give you reassurance in times of adversity. Connecting and reaching out to others will help you feel less alone in the situation and can be great sources of support. Also, it’s important to remember that the university is also here to help and support you during these times! - King’s offers a wide range of student support services like KCLSU Help & Advice, Student Minds, KCLSU Wellbeing, and as part of the latter, us! The Positive Peers can offer you peer support.

Tip #3:

Prioritise and organise

Work can be an incredible source of stress for many of us, therefore it’s important to make sure we’re working smarter not harder by prioritising and organising work in an effective way that helps us manage our stress levels. Time management is an effective way that may help you regain control of your busy schedule - things you can do include working out your short-term and long-term goals, setting priorities for important tasks, making a to-do list, and delegating time appropriately and realistically. Managing your time and work and pacing yourself, can help you feel more focused and relaxed and give you a better lifestyle balance.

For more information on this, see the NHS’s 10 Stress Busters article: www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/tips-to-reduce-stress