Destress, You Hot Mess!

So this week I have been very stressed because the life of a 20-year-old in college is, by nature, stressful. Now this is not the first, nor will it be the last time that I am stressed (I'll probably be stressed next week too). But, I have some things that I do when I'm stressed that help to curb the insanity a little bit and I hope they can help you the next time you feel like you have to scale Mount Everest in the next hour.

1.  Make a physical list (I'm obviously a fan of lists) of things you have to get done today. I have three digital post-it notes that are on my desktop screen at all times. One says "to do today", the second says "to do tomorrow" and the last one is just for stuff I need to be aware is coming up this week. Having what you need to do actually written down in front of me makes me feel like it's really not as much as I think. Also, theres's nothing more satisfying than deleting or crossing something off of a list once it's done.
2.  If what you have to get done is something on your computer or in a notebook, get out of your house to do it. I live with four girls but they aren't the reason that I never get anything done at home. When you're around all of your stuff you can always find something else to do besides what you actually have to do. I've done everything from making a snack every 10 minutes to cleaning the whole house (I frequently turn to that). If you're sitting outside or at some coffee shop you don't have the option of doing other things. 
3.  Do something physical. If you are just at the point that you are ready to punch the next person you talk to you should probably get that energy out before you start on the work you have. My favorite story of physically relieving stress was a time that my roommate was stressed out of her mind. So, to fix that, we took a tennis racket and some slightly rotten apples and took them to our backyard. I pitched them to her while she swung with all of her might. It was incredibly cathartic. 
4. Play some music. Now I don't mean any rock or punk because that's not going to help you relax. I personally listen to Sara Bareilles or Regina Spektor but I also know other people who just listen to classical music. I just honestly can't get work done in completely silence and music helps me focus. It also tends to be very soothing depending on which music you pick.

I hope these tips help you the next time you're about ready to pull your hair out. Honestly just think of it day to day and it isn't that bad.... I hope. 

Stay beautiful,

Toto