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!”