Managing Your Time And Stress As The Year Wraps Up

Spring semester finals have always been rough. The weather is warming up outside, and no one has any desire to dedicate time to studying. No time spent studying means stressing over feeling unprepared for finals, which, for me means wanting to relax and just watch some Netflix. That means I’m not studying and I’m feeling even more stressed. It becomes a viscous circle and we’ve all been there.

Luckily, a quick search on Google can you give you plethora of tips and tricks for managing time and stress. These are some of my personal favorites.

Schedule a time to study

This doesn’t mean just thinking to yourself that you can study for an hour at some point later, maybe. Write it down in your planner, put it on your calendar on your phone, set an alarm on your laptop. When you take the time to plan out a study schedule, you’re guaranteeing you’ll have enough time to devote to each exam. You’ll also have a way to hold yourself accountable.

Set up a strictly-work space

Trying to study in bed can wreak havoc your work goals. Since you’re already lounging in bed, it can make it easy to get distracted. On top of that, working in a space that’s meant to be a relaxing place for you can mess with your sleep schedule and stress levels. If you’re lucky enough to have the space where you live, try and choose a small area to get work done outside of your room. If not, head over to the library or the Tech center where you're forced to focus on work.

Take a break

Trying to run on all cylinders for the next week or so will burn you out. All the studying in the world won’t help if you’re so stressed you can’t think straight. So give yourself a break and do something you enjoy, whether it’s running or painting or heading to the coffee shop. Schedule it in after your study time if you have to. I’d recommend avoiding Netflix though. That Auto Playback will get you every time. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Helena Wilcox.

Unconventional Stress Relief Tips

     If you Google “stress relief”, thousands of articles will come up with suggestions you've been hearing from your mom since middle school: get a good night’s rest, eat healthy, etc.

     However, as PR majors, our lives become so hectic, oftentimes, these helpful tips are not enough to keep a crisis at bay.

     If you are looking for a new way to de-stress after a long day, week, or month, take a look at these three unconventional stress-relieving practices that have helped others in the past:

1. Read a Book: Diving into a good read that you have been anxious to start will help you de-stress, and no, a textbook does not count.  Reading transports you to another place and forces an individual to focus on the novel without thinking about other things. Also, reading gives you an opportunity to settle down in your favorite cozy spot with a snack, coffee, or hot chocolate.

2. Interact with Animals: It has been scientifically proven that animals can be a de-stressing agent for the humans they come into contact with. If you can afford to adopt a pet, that is the best option, however, if you can’t, taking some time to visit or volunteer at an animal shelter will give you a chance to play with as many animals as you want, for free! Many city shelters look for people to socialize animals they hope to adopt out, so this will be a win-win for you and the animals you visit!

3. Start a Journal: This may seem like something you would tell an elementary school student to do, however, journal-writing is a great way to release tension and stress in a way that won’t cause you consequences. Many people bottle up stress and frustration to the point where it boils over and cause problems. This is why it is important to be open about your feelings, and sometimes, a word dump is the best thing to do.

     Do you have any advice for relieving stress? If so, let us know in the comment section!

Burnout Season

If you're anything like me, finals season can be quickly followed up by burnout season. After the end of a long and taxing semester it's easy to still feel wound up, stressed out, and overall exhausted. After all, if you're interning, freelancing, or on an executive board for an organization at your school you know those responsibilities don't take a break just because classes do. However, it is possible to get a little R&R while still getting your work done. Here are a few tips on how to truly make the most of your time off from school.

• Have one email free day a week. I know some of you readers who are also in public relations probably just cringed, but one day of being logged out won't kill you. Email is probably one of the most anxiety-inducing tasks we have to face so stepping away from it one day out of the week could prove to be a huge stress reliever. If something comes up that requires your immediate attention, I'm sure there are alternative methods to get in contact with you.
• Reward yourself. Just finish a huge project you've been putting off until winter break or had a super long day at work? Instead of running home to crash in your bed, take a moment to treat yourself to something you really enjoy. Whether that comes in the form of ice cream, going to the movies with friends, or people watching at a cafe, do something you love. After all, you just spent the past few hours on something you're not too fond of; it's only right that you balance it out. Your bed will still be around once you get home.  
• Plan for the future. Okay, I understand this sounds like an odd tip compared to the first two, but if you love what you do this should be exciting for you. We've discussed on this blog before how important winter break can be in finding a job. Take the extra time you have to dig a little deeper and uncover what your dream job looks like. Just because you haven't seen it on a job posting doesn't mean it's not out there. Hone in on your passions, find out who doing something similar, and ask them how they got there. If you're in the right field, this shouldn't feel like work, rather a learning opportunity.

There are so many ways to balance responsibilities and relaxation; these are just a few. What things work for you? Share your own experiences in the comments below!

Find Your Balance

Wake-up. Internship. Class. Meeting. Class. Work. Night class. Homework. Sleep. Repeat.

Does this sound familiar? This seems to be the normal schedule for many public relations majors. We are the type-A, really busy students that somehow find time to breathe. It is great because we are ambitious and driven, but sometimes we need a break from all the stress and multitasking. After all, it will not get easier once we graduate.

To help us all distress a little, I have complied a list of things to help step away from work and class to get some “me time.”

1.      Turn off all devices (or at least put them on airplane mode)

You read that right- turn off your phone and shut down your laptop or tablet. In our busy world, we are constantly checking social media or emails. It is really liberating to sometimes get away from it all; you don’t have to be connected 24/7. Stepping away from your phone allows you to do other things like watch a television show in peace or grab lunch with a friend without seeing your phone light up every three minutes.

2.      Go to the gym

I absolutely love going to the gym as much as possible. It could be that the endorphins released during exercise make me happy (and that I love wearing my gym clothes) but this is one of my favorite ways to distress. I will sometimes put my phone on airplane mode, so I can focus on my work out. Luckily at Temple, we have three different gyms available, so I can always find an open treadmill to burn some calories and take my mind off of work.

3.      Have an outlet

Find a hobby! I love photography and sometimes will sit on my laptop just to edit pictures from events and add fun filters. Some people love to run because they can blast their favorite songs and get some fresh air while clearing their mind. Whatever your outlet is, find and embrace it. At the end of a crazy week, it’ll help you find your sanity again and relax a bit.

In the end, the most important thing is to have a balance. Yes work is important, but so is having a life outside of public relations. Take the time to do some of these things because that media pitch and press release can wait until Monday morning when you get back into the office.

Do you have any tips on how to relax after a long week? Share below!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Shaun Luberski.

The Final Countdown

Have no fear fellow stressed out students, the end is near.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Between final projects, final presentations, and final exams you don’t know where to begin to tackle your workload. 

If you are anything like me, you are sitting in classes thinking about your Thanksgiving dinner or doodling holiday graphics instead of taking notes.  A month may seem like a long time but the next four weeks are going to fly by so hold on and (try to) enjoy the ride.  Here are some tips to help you stay organized and focused: 

• Make a to-do list.  In fact, make multiple to-do lists; whatever works best for you.  You may not be an advocate of to-do lists but in times of multiple deadlines they are a great way to keep you on track.
• Invest in sticky notes and carry them with you at all times.  Sticky notes are useful when it comes to jotting down ideas or tasks that pop into your head throughout the day.  Then you can stick them on your wall, your agenda book, your laptop…the possibilities are endless.
• Start studying for exams early.  Finals week may seem far off but if you make your flash cards and outlines in your spare time now, you will have more time to study them later.
• Organize your time.  Instead of spending your Tuesdays watching Law and Order: SVU and sitting on the couch, do some school work.  Making a daily schedule that includes what and when you are getting something done may help to keep you focused.
• Breathe. Remember to allow yourself some down time to relax.  Run off your stress at the gym.  Cuddle up with a book that doesn’t involve theories and definitions.  Have a dance party with yourself.  And if all else fails, call mom.

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another”- William James, American philosopher.

Stay positive, drink a lot of coffee, and sleep often.  You are almost one semester closer to the real world!  

What is your best strategy for keeping calm and collected at the end of the semester?

This guest blog post was written by Kaylie Corallo.

Declutter Your Life

At this point of the year, your brain is full to bursting with knowledge you may or may not ever use again (unless you're taking all PR classes, then you're just bursting with fabulous knowledge you'll be grateful for forever)--am I right?

Before you have an inevitable mental breakdown, let me offer you some tips on how to declutter your mind and your life and help you breathe again.

Step 1: Organize your inbox.  Take half and hour to get all those emails either into a folder or into the trash. Did you feel the tension in your shoulders release? I thought so.

Step 2: Clean your room. It's a lot easier to get work done when dirty socks and wash you should have folded a week ago aren't staring you in the face.

Step 3: Situate your personal life. Is there tension between you and your roommates? Are you frustrated by a group project? Actually have a conversation with these people and you'll see that coming to a solution isn't as hard as it seems.

Step 4: Declutter your soul. It may sound cheesy but doing something that makes you feel good inside is incredibly beneficial.  Help out with a neighborhood clean-up or volunteer to work a 5k benefiting a good cause. A happier heart makes for a happier you.

What do you find most effective when you're overwhelmed and feeling pretty cluttered?

Along those lines, check out this funny Buzzfeed video: 35 Things to Get Rid of to Declutter Your Life.