The nights are drawing in, and finding a space in the Forum Library is about as likely as getting through a day without coffee: it’s deadline season. After all the fun of rest term with Halloween and Bonfire Night, only a couple of essays sit between you and the week-long buffet that is Christmas. Whilst the upcoming deadline weeks may be some of the most stressful of the year, especially for coursework subjects, it is important to take care of yourself. Below are some top tips on how to remain stress-free as you tackle your deadlines.
Image: PublicDomanPictures.com
One of the most important ways to make deadlines less stressful is to ensure you’re organised. Although on the surface that may be pretty obvious, we all know the feeling which comes when you look through your mammoth to-do list and throw it to the side for another day. Staying organised can be pretty simple, but it’s all about making sure you and a system that works for you. One of the easiest and simplest ways to stay organised is by using the ‘Reminders’ and ‘Notes’ app on your phone. Although keeping a diary can also be effective, your phone has endless space and items can easily be removed or changed without making a mess on the page.
it’s all about making sure you find a system that works for you
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By staying organised, you’re much more likely to avoid last minute stress. Another thing to remember when you’re tackling your deadlines is to take time to relax. Although you might not feel like it’s necessary, relaxing allows you to refresh your mind so you can approach your work with new ideas. However, make sure it’s ‘productive’ relaxation (if there is such a thing!). What I mean by this is making sure you’re properly relaxed and not just doing a half and half job: watching Netflix whilst you do research might feel like a bit of a break, but the fact is that both your research and relaxation time will suffer as a result. Some ways to relax fully are things like exercise to get you out of the house, or some mindful activities such as adult colouring books or yoga. By making sure that you’re taking care of yourself you’ll feel much more prepared and ready to take on work when you return to your library cave.
Finally, it is most important to ensure you are taking care of your physical and mental health. Long periods in the library can be lonely and isolating, so make sure that you balance that time with social breaks such as studying with a friend or chatting with your housemates in the evening.
balance that time with social breaks
Similarly, make sure you’re fuelling your body and not neglecting regular meals for chocolate bars and twenty cups of coffee. Plan your meals in advance so it doesn’t take too much effort to prepare, and take healthy snacks with you into the library as often as you can. Besides all this, make sure you’re getting enough sleep! All-nighters might seem like a good idea when your pile of work seems never-ending, but in the long run you’ll be too tired to be productive the next day. Taking care of yourself should always be a top priority: you won’t be getting anything done if you end up ill!
These are just a few ideas on how to avoid stress in deadline season. Of course you’re going to be feeling the pressure, but make sure to try and keep in check with how you’re feeling and treat yourself every so often. Good luck for deadlines, and just remember, Christmas is coming soon!
