05-11-06 Managing Stress
We invited Wellspring to come give a presentation on stress management techniques. We thank Nancy Nutt and Rachel for leading our meeting. We learned so much and we left more relaxed!
Our small group made it easier for each woman to learn about the specific issues she faces. We learned a lot, and we were pointed to additional available resources. I'll do my best to give you the highlights.
When you're stressed, you're not functioning efficiently. It's better for you to take a quick break to destress so that you can work more efficiently.
Recognize your stressors and how you react to stress. When your behavior or feelings change (you lose your appetite, start forgetting things, etc), recognize that you're stressed and shift your behavior to help address your stress.
Take care of yourself physically: sleeping, eating, and exercising. Exercise 3-5 days for 20-60 minutes each day. This exercise includes things like walking to class. Take a multivitamin. Eat in moderation. Stick to a schedule and make sure you get enough sleep.
Stretch every day. For computer scientists who sit at computers all day, stretching your neck and shoulder muscles is especially important.
Have some solitude. Spend some time by yourself each day, without feeling a sense of loneliness, to get to know yourself better. Try to take 30 minutes each day where you do something just for you--read, write, paint, cook, do whatever makes you feel good for you.
One woman expressed her desire to be girly--to dress like a girl and wear make up and do her hair, which she doesn't have time for as a busy graduate student. Others could relate. So, for your "solitude" time, you can spend some time doing something girly to pamper yourself--get a manicure or a massage. You deserve it!
CISters Administrative Notes
Graduate students were the only ones in attendance. Undergraduates are stressed too, but their stress may seem more bursty, and so they don't feel the need to manage it. To me, this means that we can bias our scheduling so that graduate students are more likely to attend. But, of course, undergraduates are still welcome!
Wellspring and the Counseling center have support groups for graduate students. You may find these groups to be very helpful to help motivate you and keep you on track. Keep those in mind to attend the beginning of next semester.