Quick Tips - Managing Stress at Grad School

1. Identify your sources of distress, e.g. Disinterest? Behind in work? Poor understanding of new material? Unclear expectations on assignments? Cultural adaptation? Finances too tight? Lonely? Trying to do too many activities?

2. Determine what sources of stress may be under your own control, and what isn't. Aim to "control the controllables".

3. Anticipate stressful events and plan ahead:

• Reduce or eliminate optional activities or responsibilities
• Set priorities, deadlines and timelines to reach your targets
• Build in extra time for unexpected events or to catch up.

4. Change your "mind set" or attitude:

• Ask yourself "are things really THAT bad? What's the worst that can happen?"
• Keep your perspective
• Stop catastrophic thinking
• Determine what is the most important thing to do right now?

5. Change your behaviour:

• List your academic accomplishments each day...and acknowledge them.
• Promote your health: eat well, sleep enough in the night, exercise appropriately.
• Break big tasks into small manageable steps.
• Have some fun.

6. Change your situation:

• reduce e-distractions
• study somewhere else
• sleep earlier at night
• review your course or program with your prof. or Career Services

7. Learn relaxation techniques or do yoga, T'ai Chi, go for a run, etc.

8. Do what you know works for you- - use your healthy "stress buster" activities

9. Make an appointment with a counsellor in the Counselling Service or a learning strategies consultant

10. Go to the Managing Stress at Grad School module for more strategies

 

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