Hi, friends! To start off 2024, I wanted to do some digging into how we can better manage our stress at home. For many homeschooling students, learning at home means being at home a lot more than students who learn in a brick-and-mortar school setting. Of course, being at home more means being around family more. While it can be really lovely to be able to spend time with loved ones, it can also be a bit stressful sometimes. If even one person in your household is having a tough day, that can take a toll on everyone else in the home, including you.
Below, we’re going to be looking at some stress management techniques recommended by our community. Hopefully these tips can help you next time you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to this list, including BreezeyNinja, Lio (fishstars), Savel (salad0n), Z, Maggie, and Conner. I can’t tell you how appreciated you are for sharing these tips with us! Let’s dive right in.
1. The STAR Method ⭐
Smile
Take a deep breath
And
Relax
This is a great method recommended by Z, for those moments when you start to feel the stress coming on. Start by smiling, even if you aren’t feeling happy. This may actually help your brain start to feel less stressed! The concept of smiling when you aren’t feeling happy in order to reduce stress or negative emotions has been studied at the University of Kansas. As Association for Psychological Science’s article on the study puts it, the results showed that, “smiling during brief stressors can help to reduce the intensity of the body’s stress response, regardless of whether a person actually feels happy.” This is a great method for those moments when you start to feel the stress coming on.
Next, take a deep breath. Breathing deeply through your nose and out through your mouth sends the signal to your brain, similar to smiling, saying that you’re already relaxed. Knowing this, your body will slowly reduce your heart rate to a more comfortable pace. If this doesn’t work for you right away, don’t worry! It may take some time. Try setting a timer for two minutes. Spend that time focusing on your breath. It’s okay if this method doesn’t work for you right away. All that matters is that you’ve tried it, and you’ve learned something from it. Need help with this? Try using the video from Calm, above to help regulate your breathing.
Finally, relax. Easier said than done, right? Let’s focus on things that you already know help you feel more calm. A favorite song maybe, a comforting TV show, or a favorite snack. Take some time to do one of those activities, and care for yourself, whatever that entails. For me, this usually involves a cup of hot chocolate and a soft blanket. I love listening to an audio book while I sip a warm drink. Let’s be honest, you can almost always spare the 5-10 minutes needed to do something soothing for yourself, and you deserve it.
2. Listen to music 🎶
Your favorite tunes, a soothing playlist, and headphones.
This one is one of the most widely-used methods for helping yourself relax, especially in a busy environment. If you’re struggling to find a quiet place to relax at home or in a loud place, try this method.
Headphones. Grab a pair of headphones and let them do their thing. Whether you’re sitting in the living room or alone in your own space, headphones can help immerse you in the sounds you’re listening to. This is particularly helpful with beats that have a slow, steady rhythm, which can help you relax. Try focusing on a soft beat and breathing along with the predictable sound. If you’re able and comfortable, our friend Maggie in The Homeschooler’s Chat recommends turning the lights off around you, so you can fully focus on sounds rather than sights.
Playlists. You probably already have a playlist of your favorite songs, but do you have one for relaxing? If so, this is the time to use it! If not, there are tons of playlists out there for relaxing. Lo-fi music can be particularly soothing for many people. Check out our Relaxing Study playlist below for some calm tunes assembled by The Homeschooler’s Chat community. Sure, you may not be studying right now, but the chill vibes don’t care about whether your homework is getting done or not.
3. Let it out 💗
Shake it out, cry if you need to, try fidget toys!
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your stress is to just let it all out. Feel that stress. The longer and harder we try to hold in negative emotions, the stronger they can feel. It’s possible for stress to linger under the surface for a long time, impacting every aspect of your days, until it has an opportunity to release. Let’s try taking a hold of that, and letting it out on your terms.
Shake it out. Feeling overwhelmed? Find somewhere private and shake your body. That might sound silly, but it really can help. Start by shaking a foot or a hand. Be as silly as you need to. Imagine that you’re shaking all of that stress out and off your back. If you’re having trouble trying this exercise, check out the 3-minute video explaining this method from Therapy In A Nutshell above.
Cry if you need to. Think about it. Is there any reason not to cry? If crying causes you physical pain, or you aren’t in a place where you can be alone to cry right now, this may not be the right method for you. However, if you’re in a private space, letting it out can significantly improve your situation. Holding in the tears, the stress, and the anxiety just contributes to a build-up of negative emotions. Crying is never a sign of weakness, although it can feel that way. It’s a valuable human trait to release those feelings. Letting things flow naturally can help you overcome a situation much faster than holding it in for long periods of time.
Try using fidget devices. This method was recommended by several HSRC members. With the amount of fidget toys on the market, there’s something out there for almost everyone. From slime to fidget spinners, you can usually pick up an affordable fidget toy from nearly any store. These can help you relax and let out the stress easily. Plus, there are so many designs and colors to choose from, it’s hard to resist collecting a few!
Explore journaling. Writing down your feelings is another highly recommended method of releasing and processing stress. Our friend Maggie in HSRC says that this is a method that she often combines with listening to music. You don’t have to get fancy with it or worry about keeping up with a daily journal. Rather, in times of stress pick up a notebook, or even open up your Notes app. Take some time to write down your thoughts. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. This is just for you. It’s like talking to a friend about your situation, except you don’t have to worry about making it make sense to anyone else.
Talk with a friend. If journaling isn’t quite your thing, or if you just need some outside input, try opening up to a friend about what you’re dealing with. Conner, a member of The Homeschooler’s Chat, says that talking or texting with someone can “make everything way less bad.” This is true for many people. Even if talking with someone about your situation doesn’t make the issue go away, it can greatly relieve your stress to feel supported by a fellow person. If you’re not comfortable opening up about what you’re feeling right now, consider reaching out to a friend for an unrelated chat. Having an interaction that isn’t based on your stress can help you take a step back and feel less suffocated in the moment.
4. Take a break ⏲
Get a change of scenery, treat yourself, and visit your favorite mental spaces.
A step back from whatever is stressing you can go a long way. Whether you’re overwhelmed socially, academically, or personally, try taking your mind off of the issue. Check out the videos above for a soothing animal video from Relaxation Film to watch, or an easy stretching exercise to try out from GoNoodle.
Activities you can try include:
- Go out of the house. Even if you aren’t able to drive, taking a step outside for new scenery can help remove you from the situation and give you fresh perspective.
- Exercise. Try taking a walk, going for a run, visiting a local park for a stroll, or even swimming if that’s a favorite activity for you.
- Be lazy. It’s easy to overwork yourself or become too consumed by your stress. Let yourself do nothing for a while. Even a quick 15 minutes of doing nothing can be a relief to an overwhelmed mind and body.
- Be alone. Time alone can act like a recharge for many people. Read a book, watch a movie or TV show, listen to music, or try making some art. Creating a safe space for yourself was another reoccurring recommendation from the community in HSRC. Maybe your bed or desk is a favorite spot of yours. Take a moment to tidy or organize your space. Bring your favorite items to that area, and make that space your stress-free nest.
BreezeyNinja in The Homeschooler’s Chat recommends taking a little while just to be alone with yourself, whether that’s while listening to music or watching a comforting TV show. “It helps me to talk to myself a bit,” says BreezeyNinja. Connecting with yourself is a vital part of overcoming stress. Understanding your mindset and your emotions is an essential first step toward feeling better. - Enjoy your favorite content. Lio, another friend from HSRC, loves watching the livestreams by monterey bay aquarium for soothing content. HSRC users BreezeyNinja and Conner both recommend consuming anything and everything relating to a favorite character, if you have one, or a favorite subject. YouTube videos, TV shows, edits, and whatever else you can really dive into is an excellent choice.
- Call it a “self-care day/night”. Combine any of the methods above, add in some more comforting activities, and take the rest of the day or night to do things that help you feel better. Maggie from HSRC recommends showering as part of this process. There’s nothing like a refreshing shower to help lift your spirits. As mentioned above, this can be a time to recharge and relax. Not every moment has to be academically or socially productive. You have a right to do things for just yourself, your own health, and your personal growth and healing!
5. Build healthy habits ✨
It takes time, but you can do it!
Keep your eyes on the long-term plan. Remembering to regularly use any of these techniques that you find useful can help you develop healthy habits in the long run. Eventually, you may find yourself able to skip hours of stress by implementing these tools earlier and earlier over time. For quick ideas on great habits to develop, check out the fantastic video on the subject from Psych2Go above!
Try keeping these things in mind on your journey:
- Remember is that life is long. 24 hours in every day, 7 days in every week. You have the time it takes to feel better. It’s okay if things don’t move as quickly as you want them to. Lio, one of our HSRC members, pointed this out early-on in our discussion about reducing stress. You do have time to slow down when you need to. Your goals will still be obtainable, even if you take a day off now and then. It’s okay to have setbacks in your journey too! One day of struggle does not erase all of your previous hard work. You have a right to have a bad day.
- When you can, try to address the little things right away. If something can be fixed in less than 15 minutes, try taking action. If it becomes too stressful, remember to use the tips listed above. Savel, another user in HSRC, says that he prefers to fix what he can right away, because he can. He says that he often thinks about the situation causing him stress while doing another activity, like watching something. This multitasking method is a great way to bring productivity to your dilemma, without allowing the stress to consume you completely.
- Focus on the here and now. It’s hard to accept, but there really are things that we can’t control in life. Your circle of influence is only so big. Try not to become overwhelmed by things outside of your control. Worrying about things too far in the future or things you can’t change can contribute heavily to stress. If you catch yourself spiraling in this type of thinking, revisit the techniques above and remember: this moment is temporary, and this stress will pass.
One size doesn’t fit all ❤
Keep in mind, these methods may not work for everyone. While discussing these stress management techniques with users in The Homeschooler’s Chat, it was clear that a tool that works wonders for one person, may do absolutely nothing beneficial for another. That being said, don’t forget that even if the things you’ve tried so far haven’t clicked for you, there very well may be a perfect method out there for you, that you haven’t found yet. The only way to know, is to try new things. If something doesn’t work for you the first time, give it a couple more tries. Repetition and habit are a key factor for many of these techniques.
The end! 👋
Thank you for reading, friend! Extra special thanks to BreezeyNinja, Lio (fishstars), Savel (salad0n), Z, Maggie, and Conner for sharing these tips with us. It was so kind of you to volunteer your time to share what has and hasn’t worked for you with managing stress. This article’s cover cover photo is by Pixabay on Pexels.com.
I hope the tools listed here can help you next time you’re feeling overwhelmed. If you’re already a member of The Homeschooler’s Chat, you can view our original conversation about this topic here. If you’re not a member of HSRC, consider joining us in the largest Discord community for homeschooling students.
Don’t forget to hydrate, and I’ll see you in our next post!
The Homeschooler's Chat 