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Managing Stress While Taking Online High School Courses
With more learners studying online, the management of stress is becoming crucial for all learners.
For high school learners, managing stress while pursuing an online program is vital for their mental health, success in their studies, and overall satisfaction in life and at school. In this article, we explore top tips for online learners to embrace their situations and effectively manage their stress.
Why is Stress Management Important For Online High School Students?
Whether you’re a high school student enrolled in an online program, or an adult studying for professional development, it’s important to stay on top of stress management. High school students and adults alike can experience the negative consequences of stress on their physical and mental health. Awareness of these effects can help motivate teens to take steps to manage their stress levels.
Stress is your body’s response when it perceives danger — real or imagined — based on your past experiences, especially during childhood. When you’re stressed out, chemicals are released throughout your body that prepare you for fight-or-flight situations: increased heart rate; elevated blood pressure; faster breathing; unstable blood sugar levels; muscle tension and pain in back muscles; changes in sleeping and eating patterns; and more.
Online high school students sometimes experience stress levels that may seem out of the norm, as they juggle academics, family demands, social life and other responsibilities. Some teens are able to manage stress well. Others struggle with anxiety or other serious problems like depression.
Signs of stress can include:
- Â Â Â Frequent headaches
- Â Â Â Feeling restless for no reason
- Â Â Â Difficulty concentrating
- Â Â Â Difficulty sleeping
- Â Â Â Irritability or short temper
As an online student, you should schedule a regular time each day to get work done — when possible, at the same time every day — so your body develops a normal sleep-wake groove (circadian rhythms). If necessary, create “tech-free zones” around bedtime and while you’re eating.Â
Why Is Stress Management Important For Online High School Students?
Whether you’re a high school student enrolled in an online program, or an adult studying for professional development, it’s important to stay on top of stress management. High school students and adults alike can experience the negative consequences of stress on their physical and mental health. Awareness of these effects can help motivate teens to take steps to manage their stress levels.
Stress is your body’s response when it perceives danger — real or imagined — based on your past experiences, especially during childhood. When you’re stressed out, chemicals are released throughout your body that prepares you for fight-or-flight situations: increased heart rate; elevated blood pressure; faster breathing; unstable blood sugar levels; muscle tension and pain in back muscles; changes in sleeping and eating patterns; and more.
Online high school students sometimes experience stress levels that may seem out of the norm, as they juggle academics, family demands, social life, and other responsibilities. Some teens are able to manage stress well. Others struggle with anxiety or other serious problems like depression.
Signs of stress can include:
- Â Â Â Frequent headaches
- Â Â Â Feeling restless for no reason
- Â Â Â Difficulty concentrating
- Â Â Â Difficulty sleeping
- Â Â Â Irritability or short temper
As an online student, you should schedule a regular time each day to get work done — when possible, at the same time every day — so your body develops a normal sleep-wake groove (circadian rhythms). If necessary, create “tech-free zones” around bedtime and while you’re eating.Â
Top 10 Tips of Managing Stress in Online Learning
1. Stay Social
The most crucial thing in stress reduction and mental health management is feeling associated with other individuals. As an online student, you should be social in all ways you can while taking virtual courses, even though such connections are totally virtual.
You should schedule google hangouts with your fellow classmates, join a virtual forum that is centered around your best hobby, and socialize with your friends several times. If you can do that safely, participate in homeschool community groups, participate in sports teams, and get together with peers and friends in person. Ensure that you are connecting with other individuals regularly in order to feel that companionship and recognize that you aren’t alone in your virtual learning experience and stress management.
2. Eat Well
The other stress management tip is eating well. Even though it is tempting for online students to treat themselves to high-sugary, fat “comfort foods,” these kinds of foods usually decrease one’s energy as well as academic performance. You should feed your online learning with whole grains, proteins, vegetables, fruits, and high-fiber foods.
3. Adequate Sleep
Learning how to manage stress yourself starts with getting enough rest. A good sleep at night is crucial not only for virtual learning success but also for managing stress levels. You should sleep for at least 7-9 hours. Get the amount of sleep that is appropriate for you and attempt to stick with it.
4. Prioritize Well
Prioritizing well is crucial to the success of an online learner. If you are always stressed and do not have adequate time to finish your assignments, you might require to work on your priorities and plan well on your responsibilities and assignments.
First, focus on urgent tasks and come up with a list of assignments in order of time sensitivity and importance. Ensure that you do the most crucial tasks earlier in the morning when your mind is fresh and where there is no disruption. In case other things require your attention and time, like housework or a job, you might require to schedule your learning time differently on some specific days.
5. Proper Time Management
Proper time management entails using your time effectively in completing your tasks and assignments. Stay away from social media platforms, put your mobile aside, and stay on task on what you are working on. This will assist in maximizing your time and ensuring that you are focused, enabling you to do your work within a short time. Make sure that you lower disruptions that give all your attention and energy to what you are working at a particular time, enabling you to spend little time on tasks that relate to course work, which frees up a lot of time to be used in other crucial things. This reduces your stress and also increases the amount of time that you have for exciting activities.
6. Take Breaks
In brick-and-mortar schools, learners usually have around an hour of class time before going for a break. It may be easy to continue working while you are at home without having a break in between classes or assignments. Although it is advantageous to continue working, it is also crucial for your stress levels and mental health to take regular breaks. You should plan breaks to assist you in staying motivated, and such breaks can enable your brain to refresh and rest prior to continuing with your studies. Breaks can consist of healthy snacks, a quick walk, dive into Facebook, or a movie. Ensure that you are responsible for time and do not take much time on breaks. You can set a timer and strictly stick to it to ensure the management of your priorities well.
7. Think Positively
You should think positively when learning online since thinking negatively is dangerous to your stress levels and mental health. Having confidence in yourself as well as your capability to succeed is crucial. Also, having a growth mindset is crucial in managing your stress levels. You should know that you do not do well in our online exam or are still in the learning process when you make a mistake. Always aim at framing your mindset since this will enable you to stay joyful and positive even when facing challenges. Good things are found in every struggle and situation; hence you should do your best to achieve the best.
8. Exercise
Exercise is an effective stress management strategy. Exercise might not fit in your schedule, irrespective of whether you are attaining your high school diploma online, but it has been proven to manage stress. Having a 20-minute walk could boost endorphins and enhance your mood. It is a stress management method that is beneficial for your mind, body, and online learning.
9. Laugh More
Laughter is great for stress management. Laughter can lower stress as well as enhance mental health and a positive mindset. Even in challenging times, listening to your best comedian or watching a video can enhance your mood, hence increasing your productivity and concentration. When you are able to finish to complete your coursework, attempt looking for opportunities to laugh with your friends and family. When you are stressed, and feeling overwhelmed with your tasks, try to watch funny videos during breaks so as to release tension and reset your positivity for increased focus and decreased stress.
10. Connect with Your Teachers Often
Connect with your teachers when you feel overwhelmed with your virtual classes. Teachers are there to assist you when you require help. You can use FaceTime, Skype, text, call, email, and other communicative tools to connect with teachers. Talking to your teacher about something that is worrying you in your studies can eliminate stress immediately.
How Does Online School Affect Stress?
The online learning environment has benefits and drawbacks for students who are coping with stress.
Benefits:
-  Online programs allow you to choose the time — and place — when you study, which may reduce stress caused by other commitments (e.g., athletic practice, music lessons).
- Â You can work on assignments whenever you want, as long as it’s during your designated school hours.
-  Some students thrive in an online setting that allows them to develop more autonomy over their studies –they aren’t limited by physical boundaries or the demands of a classroom teacher.
Drawbacks:
-  There is no one nearby to help with academic problems — so if something goes wrong, it takes longer for issues to be resolved; this adds extra stress for you.
- Â You generally cannot get help from a teacher as quickly and easily as in an in-person program, which affects your performance.
- Â Not having regular face-to-face interactions with teachers and peers can lower your self-esteem if you struggle to succeed academically or socially.
How Can I Calm My Anxiety About Online Classes?
Besides your physical health, the mental part of your well-being is just as important. Remember to take good care of your mind as well as your body and soul by doing things that reduce stress, improve mood and increase feelings of self-worth:
- Take a break from work and go for a walk outside or meditate in an area with no distractions; get some fresh air!
- Exercise – it helps you sleep better, boosts mood, improves memory and reaction time — plus you may find it more fun than studying!
- Get enough sleep. Experts recommend 7+ hours per night for teens age 16–17 years. All adults need at least 6 hours/night to feel their best; when we’re running on fewer than 6 hours of sleep, we’re more susceptible to irritability, hunger and headaches. Eating a nutritious breakfast is especially important when your sleep needs don’t match up with school schedules.
- Surround yourself with people who support you – they can help lift your spirits.
- Relax! Take time for yourself every day to recharge, whether it’s spending time with friends or doing something you enjoy like playing music or photography.
- Be optimistic – see the good in life rather than dwelling on situations that might be stressful; having a positive attitude helps you feel better about yourself and others.
Many teens find it helpful to seek help from counselors, psychologists and other mental health specialists — or their own doctors if similar issues arise.
If you’re having a hard time coping in your online program… If anxiety, depression or other issues are disrupting your performance and quality of life, tell your teacher. Your teacher is the person who can best help you — whether it’s getting extra advice on how to proceed with an assignment, or referring you to someone else for assistance.
For more serious issues — if you feel anxious or depressed enough that you might hurt yourself or others; have frequent thoughts about death and dying; lose interest in things that were once important; don’t eat adequately (or at all) because of stress; or feel so isolated that you have trouble sleeping, get back to feeling like yourself by talking about what’s going on with someone close to you (like a parent, other trusted adult or a teacher) and/or your personal doctor.
Be honest with the people you talk to — they are most likely to help you when you’re open and honest about your needs.Â