Stress Isn't Cool

Stress Management is all about control. As a first year college student, just about everything stresses me out. I'm always worried about what my GPA is, what my parents think, and what assignments I have due soon. These kinds of things cause me to react, depending on my level of stress. This week I used the Stress-O-Meter to record, track, and most importantly, acknowledge my stress. The beauty of this chart is that it is perfect for Visual and Kinesthetic learners like myself because it is hands (and eyes) on.
The chart was pretty simple to make in Word. It made it easy for me to think about that day and check off what my stress level was that day and what was causing it. On Monday and Tuesday I was pretty stressed out because I knew I had to prepare for a MAT 121 test I had. I did terrible on the last one and that caused my stress level to rise. I was becoming anxious and that made me nervous. To break away from it all, I went and played basketball for an hour or so. This made me feel so much more relaxed. I came home, took a shower and got to work. My muscles were tired but my brain was working hard.
Also hanging over me was a six page paper for my ETS 145 class. This stressed me out but not as much as another paper would have because this paper was interesting to write. I had to pick a televison show i enjoyed an write about how someone could be fan of it. Luckily writing about things I am interested in is not difficult. Therefore, my stress level wasn't too high and just watching TV kept me at a normal stress level.
I put this chart right above my desk so I could always see it and remind me that I had to keep my cool when feeling stressed. Stress can quickly turn into anger so managing it is important. I recommend this strategy who anyone who feels overwhelmed with stress. The chart helps you visualize and acknowledge your stress levels making it easier for you to fix it.