Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, managing stress can be difficult sometimes. Even if you had a hard assignment or test that might have passed already, it’s still good to keep yourself relaxed and comfortable during the week. Here are five tips for staying de-stressed while still staying on top of your school work:

1. Write down all of your assignments and when they’re due

Picture this: you wake up and remember that your English paper is due today and it’s halfway done. Even worse-you get to class and hear your teacher ask for an assignment that you don’t have. Avoid this unnecessary stress by keeping a planner, journal, or even a sheet of paper that lists all your assignments and their due dates.

Example: Spelling Worksheet – Mrs. Smith – Due: 10/5/18

Leave yourself enough time to get all your assignments done without trying to cram it all into one night. Do your best and don’t worry!

2. Test coming up? Don’t force yourself to cram!

Cramming a lot of info in the night before a quiz or test is never fun and can cause you to stay up late and be tired for the test tomorrow. If you forgot to study, don’t go crazy and stuff your mind with info. If it’s late, do a little bit of studying before you go to sleep. Go to bed early or on time, then get up a little earlier so you have some time to study before breakfast. If you take the bus or come to school by car, do a little more studying on the way. If the test is your first period, then just calm down and do your best. If you have a couple periods or a lunch period before the test, continue to study when you can. It’s far more effective to study at a good pace then to study all at once and make yourself tired. Again, do your best and be well-rested the night before!

3. Take time to do things you enjoy

Your brain will be overloaded and tired if you don’t give it a break during the week, so always make time for things you enjoy or things you can do to relax. Things that you do to de-stress or have fun are just as important as school work: make time for both and fit everything into your schedule in a way that works for you. Or, if you don’t have a set schedule, just make some time for something you like to do between studying/homework.

4. SLEEP

Kind of along the same lines as part of our second tip, rest is very important as a student. If you’re not well-rested, anything from missing the bus to not doing well on a test could be more likely to happen. Set a sleep schedule for yourself and try to stick to it. Being awake in the morning can make all the difference in being productive and calm throughout the rest of your day and all week long. Try to maintain the same sleep schedule on weekends, too

5. Don’t over-schedule

If you know you have a busy week ahead, don’t over-schedule your time. If you know you have an important rehearsal schedule or a big sports event at the end the week with lots of practice during the day, then don’t plan to go to a friend’s house or too many clubs. If you have the time, that’s great, but if you’re crushing your time into too many places, it can become overwhelming and make your week more stressful. Learn to manage your time and find a balance of your extra-curricular activities as well as homework and projects.

We hope you found some of these tips helpful! Comment below what helps you to reduce stress throughout the week!