Stress Management Tips For Online Learners: Coping With Real Pressure In A Virtual Environment
Online learners can feel stressed due to a poor internet connection, time-constraints when having too many tasks to do, or an unfavorable working environment. So what should you do when the pressure becomes stronger and stronger? This article is about stress management for those who study online.
1. Work In A Comfortable Environment
Your work environment can be your number one cause of stress. Seeing the whole place littered with books, dirt, dust, and what have you, can make you uncomfortable. Noise can also make you feel unsettled in your workspace. Instead of paying attention to the task at hand, you may have to pay attention to what others are saying. Below are some tips to help you manage stress in this kind of situation:
- Work when others are sleeping if you are easily distracted in a noisy environment. You can choose to work in the night but make sure you rest well during the day.
- Make your workspace colorful and neat. You may paint the walls with your favorite colors. Bright colors are good for this kind of settings.
- Keep the room well-ventilated. You can become restless when you start sweating excessively.
- Make sure there is a good internet connection in your workspace.
2. Apply Your Time Management Skills
Whatever time management skills you have, now is the time to apply them. Proper time management is one of the ways you can handle pressure when working online, whether you are a student or an eLearning professional. When you learn to allocate time to accomplish tasks before your deadlines, you hardly feel pressure. Here are some tips on proper time management:
- As an online student or eLearning professional, create a timetable that includes all your activities for the day.
- Write down tasks you need to work on and their deadlines on a sheet of paper, and put it on the wall in your workspace. It will remind you of the tasks at hand.
- Create realistic plans you can achieve within a given timeframe. Do not make your tasks too big to handle. You can break them down into smaller tasks.
- Create deadlines for each task.
3. Avoid Procrastination
Procrastination will create more pressure on you and cause mental stress or extreme tiredness. There are limits to the number of words your fingers can type at a stretch. They also get tired when the task is too bulky. So remember that postponing a task you can complete today for tomorrow can increase pressure on you because you might have more to work on the next day.
One of the wisest ways to overcome procrastination is to start early. You may decide not to rely on the original deadline for that task; create one for yourself which should be a day or two before the main deadline.
4. Go Easy On Yourself
Do not be too hard on yourself even when the pressure is increasing. Doing so will only increase your worries and stress. Blaming yourself for lost time will not restore it. Instead, concentrate on the time you have left and try your best to accomplish as much as you possibly can.
One way to shake off stress when the pressure is mounting on you is to remain positive. Positive thinking, according to research, can help manage stress. Negativity, on the other hand, tends to worsen stress. So go easy on yourself and cultivate positive mindset in every situation.
Here is how to convert negative thinking into positive thinking:
- Be in charge of your life. Forget about the past and look into the future.
- Hang out with positive thinkers; friends or colleagues who are almost always positive. In fact, those that see possibility in impossibility.
- Sing your favorite song. It might sound awkward, but science has proven that singing has a way of improving mood.
- If you feel worried or stressed out about the things you are yet to achieve, make a list of the ones you have achieved.
5. Smile
Smiling or laughing can help you manage stress. According to science, smiling can improve one’s thought patterns and mood. The forehead consists of muscles which have a direct link to the emotional center of the brain. So when you smile, positive thoughts are sent to your mind.
6. Engage In Yoga Or Meditation
Yoga and meditation help to work the body and fix the mind. Pressure causes stress. But you can manage the situation by reassuring yourself that all is going to be fine. Yoga can help you replace negativity with positive thoughts.
7. Have Proper Rest
A poor night rest or stressful day is not good for your health. But the good thing is taking a nap during the day can help reduce stress, boost the immune system, and balance your hormones. Besides taking a nap, there are several other ways you can rest properly. For instance, you can listen to good music or meditate for a couple of hours.
Conclusion
Virtual studies can mount real pressure and cause stress. And other factors can make the situation worse. Time constraint is one the things that can mount more pressure on you. So if you can manage time and take control of all your activities, you will be able to overcome the pressure.
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