Stress can affect anyone, at any time – and, while a little bit can help push you to do something new or difficult, a lot of stress can take its toll on your health.
And that’s why psychology teacher Brett Phillips has devised a list of coping mechanisms for his students, which he hands out to them during one of their first classes of the year.
Alina Ramirez, one of his pupils at the high school in California, decided to share the list online – and even highlighted some of her favourite tips.
She wrote: “My psychology teacher gave us this paper on how to cope with stress and I thought I'd share it.”
Her post has since been retweeted almost 25,000 times, and liked 29,000 times.
And it’s generated thousands of grateful comments from social media users.
“I really needed this,” wrote one. “Thank you so much.”
Another added: “This is incredibly helpful – I will be using this myself.”
The full list of 101 ways to deal with stress and anxiety can be read below:
- 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
- Visualize yourself winning
- Develop your sense of humor
- 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
- Strand up and stretch
- Always have a plan “B”
- Learn a new doodle
- Memorize 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 airplane
- 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 move 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
- Recognize 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
Phillips revealed that this is the 10th year he has given his students the now-famous list.
He added that he does not take credit for authoring the list, compiling the advice from “various textbooks I’ve read, articles, and just thinking of things that most people could do to live a less stressful life.”
Phillips continued: “I give students the list and then I have them pick five things that they need to start doing to lower their stress levels.”
The list includes tips spanning the everyday to the existential, reminding students to spend time on themselves as well as on their studies.
It also encourages them to help one another out through difficult times, asking them to “freely praise other people” and “listen more” to those around them.
Phillips added that he does a “lot of the things on the list” himself, just in a bid to help him enjoy life a little more.
He added firmly: “Life’s short — too much stress will make it even shorter!”