We all are aware of ways to manage stress. Some examples are exercise, eating a healthy diet, getting plenty rest, prayer or meditation, engaging in a favorite hobby, etc.  But as the old saying goes, “It is a lot easier said than done.”  There is a tendency to push these activities aside when our workload increases; however, this can often send us into a spiral that can contribute to only increasing our stress.  So what is a graduate student who is preparing to go to medical, PA, dental or other professional health school to do?  The answer begins with practicing what you will be preaching.  As future healthcare providers, the likelihood of sharing the above advice with patients is pretty significant, so modeling that behavior is a good place to start.

As the semester begins to wind down, students are feeling the increasing pressure of deadlines, grade performance, anxiety about the next semester, and are overall worried about succeeding in the program and beyond.  As the pressure mounts, it is easy to be consumed with stress and anxiety; when these feelings get to be overwhelming, the first thing to do is to take several deep breaths.  If possible, go to a different location, as this can help you to get a better perspective.  After some time of distraction with either a walk, reading a for-fun book, or time with friends, you can clear your head and begin to deal with the issues causing you stress.  It is suggested that you compartmentalize your stressors. For example, in the MA in Biomedicine program, it is easy for coursework to bring on stress. If this happens, map out deadlines for each of your courses. By doing so, you can improve your time management skills by getting your schedule back on track; this can help eliminate the feeling that the calendar is closing in on you.

Now that you have made your academic schedule more manageable remember to allow time for exercise, friends or family, sleep, and healthy meal preparation.  Don’t fall into the trap that these things are luxuries or time-wasters because they are not.  When studying or working, regular break intervals can not only help you to be more productive but can also reduce your anxiety and stress.  Use breaks to make your grocery list for your healthy meals, take a 15-minute walk, or even connect with friends via social media or texting.  Just be sure you are disciplined and that you don’t let 15 minutes turn into an hour.

Lastly, be sure to give yourself grace. Being hard on yourself for not handling stress better only contributes to the problem.  Stress management is a life-long practice and often has to be learned multiple times.  However, that is okay, so long as each time you learn something new and different that not only helps you but might also help others.  So, take the advice you give others when handling stress – take care of yourself.  Be a model for stress management, as it will not only make your life more enjoyable but will make you more relatable to your patients.