I had this vision of being a second-semester senior; it would be a wondrous time of fun and farewells. This vision in no way included the onslaught of homework, endless apartment searching and the side of job interviewing I am actually experiencing. Scheduling alone has been a nightmare, especially when you add in finding reservations for the perfect post-graduation brunch place on Mother's Day. The point is, these few weeks before the end of the semester are less a wondrous vision and more a stressful one.
I am sure I am not the only one experiencing this end-of-the-school-year stress. Semester-long projects' due dates seem alarmingly close, along with the pressures of finals (if you even have time to think about them) and settling summer plans. At times, it feels like the stress is overwhelming. Sure, it would be nice to spend an hour de-stressing in corpse pose at a yoga studio, but who really has the time?
By chance, I came across some great tips from a life coach (they should know, right?) for reducing lots of stress in little time. The life coach, Leanne Cusumano Roque from CRC Consulting, Inc., suggested 10 ways to reduce stress in 20 minutes or less. Now that's my kind of life coaching.
If, for instance, you only have 30 seconds to spare, then you can help reduce your stress by either doing a backbend, which helps to stretch out your body and muscles, or you could write everything that pops into your head, which is a good way to rid yourself of any toxic thoughts.
If you have 60 seconds, then you can sit in my favorite yoga position, the child's pose, and focus on your breathing. If you are lucky enough to have five free minutes all in a row, Roque suggests sitting outside and engaging your senses. It's just like the saying goes - "Some fresh air will do you good."
Sometimes I get stressed when I try planning out my day and figure out where everything is going to fit in. Roque wrote that you can spend 10 minutes each morning deciding your top three priorities and then focus on accomplishing those throughout the day. Doing this helps you pinpointing what's really important to you and provides a sense of fulfillment.
Moreover, I have wished for many years that at least one of my close friends was a professional masseuse; alas, none are. So, although I may never be able to give myself a back massage, another great way to relieve some stress is by giving yourself a 10-minute foot massage. We spend our entire day running around on our feet, so it only makes sense to give them a well-deserved rub.
Finally, if you have 20 free minutes, because you obviously aren't as busy as you claim, you can spend your free time taking a power nap. Naps much longer than this will leave you groggy, but short ones can be an uplifting booster. It goes without saying that sleep is an essential component to a healthy life, so if you need a little extra and have the time, take a nap.
Life may be getting very hectic for you over the next couple of weeks, but it's important to remember that poor personal health leads to so many other problems. Stress is responsible for a host of minor and serious illnesses, so take the 20 minutes or even 30 seconds to relax. As for me, I will continue trying to convince my friends to get their masseuse certification.
