This Teacher’s List of 101 Ways to Cope with Stress Went Viral Because It’s a Game Changer
This Teacher’s List of 101 Ways to Cope with Stress Went Viral Because It’s a Game Changer
There is a lot to be stressed about these days, that’s for sure. Stress affects everyone at some point in their lives and we all have different go-to methods to help deal with it.
Some people going to the gym or spending time with friends, while others might like quieter ways to de-stress like meditating or enjoying a glass of wine outside.
A psychology teacher has written a list of 101 ways to cope with stress and printed it up to hand out to his students in order to help them overcome the pressures of daily life. One of his students shared the list on Twitter and, while the tweet has since been deleted, her teacher’s list has gone viral.
The student, Alina Ramirez, said her teacher Mr Phillips knows how stressed her and her classmates get with school, work and just general life.
The list, which includes things such as “set priorities in your life” and “tickle a baby,” gives tips from the everyday to the existential.
Here is the full list:
- Get up 15 minutes earlier
- Prepare for the morning the night before
- Avoid tight-fitting clothes
- Avoid relying on chemical aids
- Set appointments ahead
- Don’t rely on your memory… write it down
- Practice preventative maintenance
- Make duplicate keys
- Say “no” more often
- Set priorities in your life
- Avoid negative people
- Use time wisely
- Simplify meal times
- Always make copies of important papers
- Anticipate your needs
- Repair anything that doesn’t work properly
- Ask for help with the jobs you dislike
- Break large tasks into bite-size portions
- Look at problems as challenges
- Look at challenges differently
- Unclutter your life
- Smile
- Be prepared for rain
- Tickle a baby
- Pet a friendly dog/cat
- Don’t know all the answers
- Look for a silver lining
- Say something nice to someone
- Teach a kid to fly a kite
- Walk in the rain
- Schedule play time into every day
- Take a bubble bath
- Be aware of the decisions you make
- Believe in yourself
- Stop saying negative things to yourself
- Visualise yourself winning
- Develop your sense of humour
- Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better day
- Have goals for yourself
- Dance a jig
- Say “hello” to a stranger
- Ask a friend for a hug
- Look up at the stars
- Practice breathing slowly
- Learn to whistle a tune
- Read a poem
- Listen to a symphony
- Watch a ballet
- Read a story curled up in bed
- Do a brand new thing
- Stop a bad habit
- Buy yourself a flower
- Take time to smell the flowers
- Find support from others
- Ask someone to be your “vent-partner”
- Do it today
- Work at being cheerful and optimistic
- Put safety first
- Do everything in moderation
- Pay attention to your appearance
- Strive for excellence NOT perfection
- Stretch your limits a little each day
- Look at a work of art
- Hum a jingle
- Maintain your weight
- Plant a tree
- Feed the birds
- Practice grace under pressure
- Stand up and stretch
- Always have a plan “B”
- Learn a new doodle
- Memorise a joke
- Be responsible for your feelings
- Learn to meet your own needs
- Become a better listener
- Know our own limitations and let others know them, too
- Tell someone to have a good day in pig Latin
- Throw a paper aeroplane
- Exercise every day
- Learn the words to a new song
- Get to work early
- Clean out one closet
- Play patty cake with a toddler
- Go on a picnic
- Take a different route to work
- Leave work early (with permission)
- Put air freshener in your car
- Watch a movie and eat popcorn
- Write a note to a faraway friend
- Go to a ball game and scream
- Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight
- Recognise the importance of unconditional love
- Remember that stress is an attitude
- Keep a journal
- Practice a monster smile
- Remember you always have options
- Have a support network of people, places and things
- Quit trying to fix other people
- Get enough sleep
- Talk less and listen more
- Freely praise other people
Do you think any of these things could help relieve your stress too? Do you spot anything that might help your child blow off some steam as well? Or do you have your own stress-relieving tips that aren’t listed here? Share them with us in the comments!
Jill Slater
Jill is a busy wife and mother of four young children. She loves nothing more than making people giggle, and loves to settle in with a glass of wine (or four) and wander about the internet. Feel free to follow her to see all the cool stuff she finds!
