It’s no surprise for teachers and parents that homework represents a large source of anxiety and stress in students’ daily lives. This is an important problem since homework is a big part of the learning process, it helps students to reinforce classroom learning, consolidate new skills and serves as preparation for upcoming exams. But, while it has some great advantages, homework can also have damaging effects on students’ mental health.
Homework stress can be experienced in many different ways: maybe you find yourself feeling anxious over the simple idea of how much homework you have left and fear you are not going to be able to finish everything, maybe you get stuck in the middle of a difficult task and feel incapable to continue, or maybe you can’t even start working on your assignments. If you have been in these situations, don’t worry, it actually happens to a lot of students, so, know that you are not alone.
First of all, it is important for you to understand that, now that you are in college, homework can be a little bit more challenging and, therefore, it may cause you more stress. You may have now a larger workload, or you may be taking a new and difficult subject, or you may feel like you don’t have enough time because of other activities like work, clubs or friends. Whatever your situation is, know that you can actually learn how to handle your stress properly so it doesn’t affect your academic performance and doesn’t become prejudicial for your health.
So, in order to help you manage your stress, we have some tips for you.
Learn to understand and identify stress
Stress is a part of life; it is a normal response of our bodies and minds to situations that are challenging for us. But when stress becomes chronic it can have a huge impact on our lives, affecting our mental and physical health. Stress is not something to take lightly, you should know that long-term stress has been related to illnesses such as heart disease, asthma, headaches, depression, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems, Alzheimer’s disease and even premature death. And although not all stress is bad because it is important that we feel some stress to take action and feel motivated to do our work, we should still learn how to properly manage it so it doesn’t take control over our lives. So, be aware, listen to your body, you may be stressed if you have been experiencing some of the following symptoms:
Emotional symptoms | Physical symptoms | Cognitive symptoms | Changes in behavior |
| Feelings of anger or frustration Irritability Feeling overwhelmed Feeling lonely Self-isolation Restlessness | Low energy Headaches Muscle tension Stomach problems Insomnia Chest pain Sexual problems Frequent colds and infections | Worrying constantly Overthinking Memory problems Inability to focus Pessimistic thoughts Anxious thoughts | Changes in appetite Sleeping too much or too little Eating too much or too little Drinking or smoking more |
If you think you could have a stress problem, you could try talking about it with friends, family, a school counselor or a health professional. Know you don’t have to go through this alone.
Make sure your homework space is adequate
It should be free of distractions, well illuminated, quiet and clean. If possible, silence your phone so you can focus better. Remember: clean space, clean mind.
How vulnerable to academic stress are you?
Try this quick test to discover your level of stress resistence
Organize your workload
Make a list of all your tasks and set your priorities. Decide what must be done by now and start by there. If your tasks are all due the same day, identify which of them are harder and which of them are easier, and start by the harder ones. Remember your priorities may not be the same as your classmates’ ones. Some may find writing an essay is an easy task and put it off until the end, and some may want to start right away with that because it’s a hard one for them. So, it is important that you find what works for YOU.
Know the task you are working on
Before starting a homework, know exactly what it is about, what you have to do, how long will it take (be realistic here) and gather all the supplies you need to complete it.
Don’t start a new homework without finishing the current one
I know, sometimes you can get a little bit bored and you may want to see what else you have to do, but this will lead to lots of uncompleted tasks and this, apart from not letting you move on, could stress you more. So, make sure you finish one task before starting another.
Make sure to take breaks
Breaks are essential to keep you energized and ready for the next task, so take one whenever you finish one (or whenever you need to rest). Try to make sure your breaks last always the same amount of time so they don’t extend too much. And please, relax, have a healthy snack, listen to some music, go for a little walk, try to clear your mind so it is ready for the next assignment when break time is done.
Ask for help if you need it
Sometimes when we want to save time, we try to do everything on our own and even when we know someone could help us through a difficult task, we don’t ask for help and inevitably get stuck. So, avoid making this mistake, there’s nothing wrong in recognizing that you need help and asking for it.
Exercise regularly, have a healthy diet and make sure to sleep well
These habits will have you energized and will -literally- help you function, so don’t forget about them!
Don’t focus on what is left to do, focus on what you have already done
That way you can avoid feeling frustrated.
And, remember: “No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, you are enough.”
