Why YOU stress and how you can start fixing it
It's 1:30 am in the wee hours of the dark, your laptop is open on your desk, and the first chrome tab is titled "Economics Essay". But there is a 2nd tab open, showing Youtube Shorts. You know you must be doing your work, but you're just scrolling down an endless pit of soul-sucking content. The guilt of realizing that you really should get back to the essay that is due tomorrow, but you're too dead on the inside, disables you from being able to think straight. Even after some time, if you decide to get back to your essay, your head is fuzzy and confused, and you have a splitting headache burdened by all the tasks you have to finish. Instead of working harder, you give up altogether and go to sleep.
Don't stress about it though. You've done something right clicking on this.
PROBLEM + SOLUTION:
Problem 1: Overthinking: You think about it so much that you try to think your work into completion. You literally can't stop thinking and planning about the workload you have, on the bus, at the gym, and in the shower. Any moment not spent working on your tasks feels unproductive, and you torture yourself into guilt, which will create stress. The worst part about overthinking is INACTION. You keep thinking about it so much that when it comes to actually doing it, you're either too lazy or you're burnt out. When you overthink, you visualize yourself as having completed the tasks already. When a disconnect between your future "visualized self" and your current self exists, the insecurity builds up, and so does the stress. Thinking about what you haven't done will ONLY remind you that you HAVEN'T done it, it won't really tell you what to do.
Solution 1: Thinking: The next time you catch yourself passively thinking about the workload you have, turn that thought into an ACTION-THOUGHT. This is how it goes, "Ok I know I have work to do. First, let me start on ___ task because it is urgent and due tomorrow. I will do this task (Day) at (time), right after (something you do every day like lunch, prayer, etc)". By giving your brain certainty that the task will get done because you have specified the conditions, you don't feel as big of a need to cling to your thoughts and sweat over what you have to finish. Change your next thought from," I have to finish ___"(which just makes you passive) to "I will finish ___ on (day), at (time)". That way, you feel less of a disconnect between your future and present self, allowing you to feel self-assured and confident.
PROBLEM 2: System overload: This can refer to both COGNITIVE and EMOTIONAL overload. When you have to direct your focus on intellectually challenging tasks for long periods of time, you start to get bogged down. The deadline is rushing on you, the work is piling up and you have to be laser-focused 24/7. The brain can only do so much, and the system crashes. Focusing so hard that after a while you get burnt out, cripples you from working, causing you to feel even more stressed about not working, which causes more burnout, and on and on. EMOTIONAL overload means the personal problems that you are facing, the demons of insecurity, pain, loneliness, discrimination, or hate you might have to fight every day. All these compound and start to inflict stress on your life, pulling you apart until the tension breaks, causing you to snap.
SOLUTION 2: SYSTEM REBOOT: For a COGNITIVE overload, you need, to, take, a BREAK. Switch it off, then switch it on, isn't that the classic solution to all electronic problems? Meditate, read, work on your hobbies, spend time with your dear ones, or seek something out of the ordinary, a new thrill that offers a strikingly unique perception, distinct from the dull monotonous drag of daily life. For an EMOTIONAL overload, you need to get to the root of the issue. Why are you receiving/giving hate, pain, abuse, discrimination, loneliness, etc? The answer is most of the time deep down in your attitude and character as a person. Sometimes it's a result of the people around us whose heartstrings have become too taut. Focus on what you can control, and through meditation and reflection, strive to find peace and balance.
SIGNING OUT
Remember that stress is a natural response to the challenges of life, but it doesn't have to consume you. By taking action to combat overthinking and system overload, you can reduce the negative effects of stress on your life. Remember to take breaks, find support, and focus on what you can control. With time and effort, you can develop the tools and strategies to manage stress and live a happier, more fulfilling life. So take a deep breath, and start taking steps towards a more peaceful and stress-free existence.
This is your fellow student,
Signing out.
Picture references:
https://vennappstorageha.blob.core.windows.net/public/sphere-digital/mediahub/stress-6f8783be3d4c4c02bdad8f5acdaf9c91.jpg
https://www.partitionwizard.com/images/uploads/articles/2019/04/windows-10-reboot-loop/windows-10-reboot-loop-thumbnail.png
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