STRESS: Is it good or bad?

Stress occurs as a resultant of human’s inability to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats being received, whether actual or imagined. It is however inevitable that stress is an essential “feature” of our active and social lives. It can have both a positive or negative effect.

Stress was first being introduced by Hans Seyle in 1945, where it can be divided into Eustress and Distress. Eustress is a positive, desirable form of stress. For students, it can actually motivate them to prepare for an examination and excite their mind to recall and answer the questions. Distress (or too much stress), on the other hand, can lead to poor performance, memory blocks, or even burnout. Both types of stress can be equally taxing on the body and are accumulative in nature.

There are various stress relief ways being practiced by people around, and they are in fact, depends on each individual to find the best approach that suits them most. Here are some of the stress relief tips to minimize stress level:

1.1 Balance time wisely – setup a balanced schedule for yourself. Set aside some time off your hectic schedule for your own leisure time and to be with your love ones
1.2 Create a good working environment – create a soothing environment to minimize interruptions such as noise and calls. Lots of natural lighting and a cool, spacious, and comfortable place will do best
1.3 Know your learning style – visual learners memorize things better pictorially, auditory learners are those who learn best through listening or talking it out, while kinesthetic learners learn better by doing something, such as to write out notes as they memorize, draw charts, move around, etc…
1.4 Be well prepared and stay calm – it can help to reduce anxiety and enables you to have better concentration and to stay clear-headed, rational, logical, and focused
1.5 Get enough sleep – plan your time to ensure you get enough sleep, or take power naps whenever possible