HOW TO SUPPORT STRESSED-OUT STUDENTS
10 Ways to help stressed-out students:
Listen well: not all students have someone to talk to about the things that are weighing them down. Offer your students a judgement free zone where you can carefully listen and validate their cares and concerns. Be sure not to “edit” or “fix” the things they share with you. The old saying is important for our students as much as for anyone: “There’s a reason you were born with one mouth and two ears - to listen twice as much as you speak.” Quote attributed to Greek philosopher Epictetus.
Encourage community: the support of friends, extended family and others can help lessen the load. Encourage outreach and build awareness of the support available to them and the value of a community for good days and hard days. Often the last thing students think of when they are overwhelmed is helping someone in need. This is a guaranteed mood buster.
Unpack the list: Sometimes helping a student list everything that is on their minds is super helpful. You’d be surprised how often we unpack the list - simply by writing everything down. Seeing it with our eyes can help clarify the feelings of overwhelm. Often students will say “now it doesn’t feel so big!” Getting some of the mental noise to quiet can often help reduce the stress significantly.
Create simple and easy steps: helping students prioritize their work, projects, chores or schedule can make a huge difference in reducing stress. Making a small, achievable “to-do” list, listing pros and cons for decisions that need to be made and laying out what items may be needed for an assignment are easy ways to help a student out. Making some actionable steps they can take immediately can help students take the first steps to shift a looming concern or project.
Discuss visualization: I love doing this exercise with my own students. Imagining the future - in every detail can help reduce anxiety around an upcoming event or situation. It can take several minutes to discuss all the details they may encounter - and include making plans to celebrate the completion of the event.
Encourage self care: Focus on food choices, better sleep and simple exercise. Starting with simple snacking habits can help reduce the “crash” that we all have when eating sugary foods. This is often left out of conversations around stressors and seems like it might not make a difference - but it can have a significant impact on a students feelings of calm. Getting more rest is another important thing to address as it impacts overall well-being. Overtired students can exacerbate stress levels. Trying a small shift in when students head to bed can make a big difference. Taking a walk, working out or heading to a game of tennis or pickle ball - all of these benefit mental wellness by getting the blood pumping.
Celebrate the small things: Be on the hunt for things to celebrate no matter how small. We often overlook, brush off or fail to recognize the positive small shifts we’re making — in our thinking, in our habits or in the way we respond. Celebrations should be included in all areas of life. Noticing and honoring growth and progress helps build self esteem and confidence which helps reduce anxiety and stress.
Teach some breathing techniques: researching some simple breathing techniques that students can employ really benefit a student when they need to reset or settle their hearts. These simple exercises are completely manageable and easy to do. There are lots and lots and lots of various counting options students can practice and that we find effective for a reset.
Discuss social media and its proper place: We find that students who are very involved in social media often have concerns around confidence and self esteem. In our office we see a lot of students say they are ‘addicted’ to social media often staying up all night online - and therefore showing up exhausted in class. A tired student won’t have a lot of space to manage the issues of the day very well - and may be in a state of constant overwhelm. A healthy discussion around the practice of comparing our lives to the highlight reel online is often a stress reducer - celebrating and honoring the students uniqueness and building self esteem can help keep the appropriate distance with social media.
Explore local services: There are often lots of resources open for teens to both provide community and fun, but also emotional support and engagement. Sometimes the best thing may be recommending they talk to a professional. However there are lots of places ready with open arms to support our youth and new friends may be on the other side of that introduction. Research your local area to see what student resources are available. Often students are surprised at what is out there - and helps them to not feel isolated or so alone.