How to De-Stress Your School Year

Well, it's the start of another school year. Those lazy summer days are nothing but a distant memory and it's all algebra, HB pencils and pointless comprehension questions on Of Mice and Men for as far as the eye can see.

Regardless of whether you're a bright eyed Year 7 or a burned out Post Graduate, the school year can easily become a stressful haze of unmanageable homework loads, Chemistry topics that no one (including the teacher apparently) can grasp, indecipherable exam questions and timetables jammed with assignments, re-drafts and extra-curricular activities that nobody really wants to attend, but that you plough through anyway to tag onto the end of the CV you've been putting off writing for the last 3 months.

I've woken up in a cold sweat amongst my colour coded revision post-it notes more than once. I get it. Essays, projects, trying to learn how to be a competent human being...the whole shebang can get extremely stressful. So, for the sake of your sanity (or whatever's left of it), you owe it to yourself to take a little time off every now and then and slow down.

In this post I have a few tips and tricks to help you unwind when the worlds gets too hectic and exam stress starts to turn your brain to mush.

Stay Organised

Prevention is better than cure as they say and that's certainly true in this case. End of year exams will roll around, regardless of whether you're prepared or not. Just a little forward planning, organisation and 15 minutes or so each evening could be the difference between you weeping into a pile of poorly composed flash cards or sailing through revision with ample time for snack breaks and catching up on the new episode of Game of Thrones.

Start out with the best intentions and keep on top of things throughout the year.

• Keep a diary, noting all assignment due dates, upcoming exams and fabulous social engagements 
• Make sure all notes are legible and keep them all together, in order
• Get any homework or assignments done out of the way as soon as possible. Don't leave them until the least minute!
• Keep your mornings as easy as possible by packing your bag and laying out your clothes the night before

One of the best things about being in school is the cute stationery. Pick yourself up a new diary, folders, highlighters...indulge in all the things you need to keep yourself organised and on top of your workload.

Pamper Yourself

Now we're onto the fun stuff! At the end of a long week, treat yourself to a DIY at-home spa experience. We're talking luxurious bubble bath, hair treatment, face mask, manicure, pedicure and, of course, moisturising from head to toe. 

My personal favourite in bath-time relaxation is the Milky Bath bubble bar from Lush (I feel chilled out just thinking about it). Grab a magazine or sit your iPad nearby with Netflix on (although obviously be sure not to accidentally submerge it), sink into the bubbles and relax. 

Read

If your brain is fried from researching an assignment, picking up a book during your down-time might not be all that tempting. Honestly though, if you can find yourself a good book, something not too strenuous with a fast-moving storyline that you can really delve into, it's like a massage for your brain.

When you find a book you can really get into, the real world melts away around you. You won't find your brain straying back to your workload and stressing you out because you'll be totally absorbed in what you're reading. 

The Luxe novels by Anna Godbersen got me through my GCSEs. Easy to read, fast-paced and totally engrossing.

Use Essential Oils

It's well known that I'm a candle addict and usually when I'm stressed the trusty lavender candle gets pulled out from the back of the drawer to fill my room with its calming fragrance. Then I usually wake up 20 minutes later with the candle still burning and count my lucky stars I didn't burn the house down.

So recently I've been using Buff and Butter essential oils*, a less dangerous method of relaxation. They're so versatile! You can pop a few drops into your bathwater or onto your pillow or even apply some to the ends of your hair, which is a double whammy because you get a whiff of the relaxing scents each time you move your head and it's a great way to battle split ends. Multi-tasking! 

Rosemary is renowned for increasing mental alertness and clarity and lavender (my personal relaxation bae) is super calming and used to reduce anxiety. Together, they are exam time staples!

Meditate 

You don't have to sit on the floor for six hours, staring at a blank wall (although each to their own). More and more people are taking up meditation to deal with the frantic mess that is the 21st Century lifestyle, but (in true 21st Century style) I like to do it with the aid of an app. 

Headspace is kind of like a 'meditation for beginners' app. There are nifty little videos to introduce you to the concept of meditation and the incredibly soothing voice of Andy (the Headspace guy) talks you through every step. It's free to download from the App Store (or the place you download things from on Android phones). My only issue is that I sometimes get so relaxed I fall asleep.

Colour

Colouring in is not just for seven year olds (though my niece is a lot better at it than me). Adult colouring books are everywhere right now. There are books with intricate patterns, holiday scenes, even unicorns!

Colouring is so soothing and it's a perfect opportunity to just sit quietly and let your brain switch onto autopilot for a little while. Plus, once you're done you have a pretty picture to show off to people.

And, most importantly, breathe! It doesn't matter if you're two weeks into the year and things are going smoothly or it's the night before your final exam and you're on the brink of pulling your hair out. It's important that you remember to give yourself a break. Have a little bit of me-time and take the pressure off yourself. 

And, of course, enjoy the school year!

*PR sample