Wellbeing

Overworking and taking on too much at once

You might find that you are agreeing to do a lot of things for others, whilst also balancing your own work and study. If you feel stressed about balancing everything, sometimes it is best to prioritise the important things and allow less important tasks to be done by others. Give yourself enough time to achieve your own goals and look after yourself.

Take a look at our Work Life Balance page for other tips to approach balancing your work and study.

Setting unrealistic goals

If you are the type of student who promises to get a HD mark for all of your units, you might also find you become very upset if you don’t meet these goals. Try to set manageable goals that you can control. For example, you can promise to work on assignments two weeks before they are due and proof read them twice before submission. Just knowing you are trying your best will likely result in a grade you are proud of.

Check out our Academic Stress page for more ways to handle the workload.

Taking care of yourself last

Sometimes we have a tendency to prioritise helping our friends before thinking about addressing our own problems. Prioritising yourself and your needs does not only help you, but also your loved ones. If you are feeling well then you are more able to help those around you.

Panicking or always imagining the worst case scenario

During stressful periods, we might let our fears and worries take over and begin to think of worst case scenarios. This not only makes an already stressful time even more stressful, it will make taking control of the situation more difficult. Instead, try to take a step back and look at the situation from an objective viewpoint.

THINK: What would you tell your friend if they were going through a similar scenario? What is in your control right now and what can you do about it?

Having things in your life that bring you joy

Hobbies can often be forgotten between work and school. However, it is important to take time out of your day to enjoy the things you love. Doing so increases your motivation and productivity, and reduces the likelihood of burnout. Hobbies can even go on your resume. Feel like you don’t have any hobbies? Explore some! The university offers a range of clubs that might interest you.

Setting smaller goals that are achievable

University can get stressful at times when there are multiple deadlines to meet. On top of this, we all have long term goals to achieve, which can at times become overwhelming. To help overcome this, you can set small realistic goals that work towards larger goals and deadlines. For example, if you have a research assignment due, a small achievable goal would be ‘I will find 3 relevant articles today’.

Just having someone to listen can be enough

We all have the tendency to keep things to ourselves during hard times, often feeling like we are a burden if we try to confide in others. Sometimes just having someone you trust listen to your struggles and validate what you’re going through can be enough to overcome this tough period.

Learn how to seek help from those you trust by clicking here.

Learn about step by step coping techniques

When in a stressful situation remember to STOPP

Stop for a moment

Take a breath - try to notice your breathing as you breathe in and out. Try the 4-7-8 technique. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 and breathe out for 8.

Observe your thoughts - what’s going through your head at the moment?

Pull back, think about if this will matter in a month? What can you do about it right now?

Practice what works best for you.