Mainstream Living

Employee Tip - Back to School Stress

The beginning of the school year can be an incredibly stressful time due to new schools, classes, changes in routines, and hectic schedules. At Mainstream Living, many of our employees are parents or grandparents of school age children and college students.  Stress from one situation (like school starting) can often enter other areas. Here are some ways to help handle stress.

Be prepared. While this may sound obvious, even simple steps can help make our days less stressful. Pack lunches and lay out clothing the night before. Prepare backpacks for the morning. Review the plan for the day with family members or roommates as needed.

Create a study space. It can be difficult to study or work outside of a designated area. Working in front of the television can be distracting and working in a bedroom can lead to difficulty sleeping. Creating a space that is dedicated to studying can facilitate that mindset when it comes time to getting homework done.

Get enough sleep. Practice new sleep routines and try to stick to your pattern even on days without classes. Ensuring enough sleep can greatly affect one’s ability to handle stress and retain new information.

Talk about it. Share your concerns with friends or family. Talk about your challenges and your successes. Ask for help if you need it. Remember to look back on last year and identify what went well. Happy memories can create happy feelings.

And lastly, learn to recognize your stress signals and stress reducers. Do you get short tempered or over-emotional? When you identify the things that cause you to feel overwhelmed, you’ll know when you need to take a break. Find some ways to relax and work on self-care. This is especially important for Direct Support Professionals who spend so much time caring for others.
 

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