Stacks of schoolwork. Insane schedules everyday. Long hours at work. Finding the time and money to buy the perfect gifts. Final exams adding to the already existing insanity that is life. The feeling of stress and anxiety taking over every aspect of life. The feeling of a never ending madness.

There is no arguing the fact that December is stressful. 

It’s time to grab a hold on life and take time to destress. Instead of holding onto that stress, try letting it go, starting with keeping an organized plan, exercising more and focusing more on self-care. 

A great way to start destressing is to come up with a daily organized schedule. Start writing plans down in an agenda or an app on a phone. Create reasonable goals that can be achieved in a certain period of time. Clean up the surrounding area and digital space. It has been proven that people who have decluttered living and digital spaces have lower cortisol levels which is the stress hormone. Having a clean space with order gives a person a clear mind. 

Exercising is also a promising method to let go of stress and anxiety. When people exercise, stress hormones are reduced, stimulating the production of endorphins. Exercising is good for the body and a great way to let out anger and stress that has built up over time. Instead of keeping all the stress buried inside, try working out to throw out the stress. Even just getting up off the chair or bed and walking around the room will make you feel better. 

By having a self care routine, stress is more manageable as it benefits a person’s mental health. With relaxing nights, having a time of meditation and creating healthy eating and sleeping habits, a person’s happiness will be increased and they will have more energy. Self-care minimizes stress and the frustration caused by it. Take time for a bath on a busy day, or wedge a little time for a pedicure to get your toes Christmas ready. Those little times carved in a busy day will pay off in the long term. 

Throughout the school year students are stressed out, and December adds more to everyone’s schedule. By adapting a constant way to relieve that stress such as a clean spaces, working out and taking care of themselves, maybe students would be less stressed.