Back to School Stress

For some parents, back to school represents relief: children resume their routine, stop wondering what to do with themselves or being glued to their screens... But for others, back to school means the stress of homework and studying and, above all, exams, lunches to be made, and the schedule juggling that comes with school and all the related activities.

So here are some stress-relieving tips in the form of a True or False game to give your brain a workout while helping you prepare for what's ahead!

TRUE OR FALSE: If I don’t think about it, I will be less stressed.

FALSE

Avoiding thinking about what worries us only increases the grip of fear on us. It is much more beneficial to deal with what is stressing us out by listing the tasks to be accomplished, making a priority list, addressing only one priority at a time, and taking the time to notice what we managed to do and congratulate ourselves about it, even if it’s only little things at a time.

TRUE OR FALSE: Some people will be stressed out their entire lives, no matter what. Stress management techniques don't work for everyone.

FALSE

We are all able to ease the burden of stress on ourselves. Often, people try techniques to reduce stress, but quickly become discouraged and stop putting them into practice when these strategies do not provide immediate relief. Using techniques such as breathing, visualizing, or meditating is a type of exercise that takes practice, like any workout or physical exercise. There are so many different techniques to try these days, the important thing is to be persistent. For a technique to work, it needs to be used EVERY DAY for at least 4-6 weeks before you can actually see a difference. So, start now! You still have time before classes start!

TRUE OR FALSE: It's too late to learn to manage my stress. I'm too old to change.

FALSE

The most recent studies in neuroscience tell us that the human brain is constantly changing and exercising it, among other things, to relax through meditation or breathing (which is, by the way, our built-in relaxation system) leads the brain to concretely transform itself and to make it more capable, even in old age, of managing stress.

TRUE OR FALSE: A simple change in the way I look at things can greatly reduce my stress.

TRUE!

Rather than seeing a situation as catastrophic, a new, positive mindset about what's to come in our life or a change in perception about a problem can provide us with significant relief, freeing up cognitive space to get into a “solution” mode rather than staying in a “problem ”mode.

Keep in mind there are stress management experts out there who can help you find the right tricks for you!