Stress Management
Presenter: Hello everyone, and thank you to Dr. Ayala for inviting me to speak to your
class today. Now. . . research shows that college students are more stressed now than in
the past. Does that surprise you? So, today I’ll talk to you about stress management
techniques—helpful ways to manage or lower stress.
The first technique I want to talk about is called stress inoculation. When you use stress
inoculation, you learn what gives you stress and then you try to change how you behave
in that situation. For example, at least a few of you must be afraid of speaking in public.
If you had to give a class presentation next week, you could prepare for this stressful
event by taking small steps to get used to the situation. For instance, you could practice
your presentation in front of your friends, in front of a mirror, or on video. Studies show
this technique can reduce your anxiety in stressful situations.
Second, time management is an important way to lower stress. One of the things that
causes students stress is feeling like there is too much to do. Studies like the ones by
Campbell and Svenson in the 1990s show that good time management skills help students
do better in school. One example of how you can manage your time is to make a schedule
and write down what you do in a day—and how much time you spend on everything.
This shows how you’re using your time. Ask yourself questions like: Do I want or need
to do each of these things, and for this long? If not, make changes. For example, you may
need to spend less time in front of the TV. Another example of time management is
making a list of things you need to do each day. You may realize that you need to divide
projects into smaller steps so you can finish them. And that brings us to a surprising
point: People who manage their time well, often schedule time to relax, too. That’s also
an important technique to use.
Finally, having a healthy lifestyle also helps manage stress. Things like exercising, eating
good foods, and getting enough sleep keep your body strong and give you energy. When
you feel healthy, you’ll be able to manage stress better.
So to sum up, a few easy stress management techniques can help students in a lot of
ways. They lower stress, help you live a healthier life, and help you be better students.
Any questions?