Being a teen is not easy! If you ask your parents (or me!) we’ll probably all agree that the teenage years are some of the roughest years you’ll face. I promise it does get easier. There is so much pressure surrounding you and sometimes it can be hard to handle. With pressure from parents, school, and peers stress management is essential. You’re still learning your way in your teens and growing into an adult. High school brings many challenges with tougher classes, bullying, deciding what college to go/if you want to go, and figuring out who you are too. That’s why you need to take time to de-stress and make sure you’re taking care of your mental health as well. Here are some great stress management rules that we at Life Unfiltered love to abide by!
- Exercise and eat healthy! Exercise can be such a great tool for stress. I’ve written about how exercising completely changed my life. Whether you decide to play a team sport or even just run around your neighborhood, make time in your schedule for it. Even 30 minutes a day can be very beneficial. Eating healthy goes hand in hand with exercise. The better that you eat, the better you will feel. It’s okay to eat junk food sometimes but make sure that you eat mainly healthy foods. When you feel better health wise, your stress levels will go down. Feel like ice cream? Grab some Halo Top! Feel like Swedish Fish? How about organic gummy worms from Whole Foods or Trader Joes!
- Spend quality time with friends, without technology. As much as technology has become an important part of our everyday lives, it’s important to take a step back occasionally. Try and turn off your phone 30 minutes before you go to bed. You’ll realize how much fun you can have without technology the minute you put your phone down! Go for a bike ride, walk in the park, shop at the mall, or find another fun activity to do together.
- Get organized. Having organization in your life can make a huge difference. Buy a planner and make sure you write down what you need to do each day. When you finish a task, cross it off. When you know what you need to plan for and start early too, it’ll make life easier. Organization is a skill that will be important all of your life and your teens is the best time to start!
- If you need help, don’t be afraid to reach out. Whether it’s your parents or a professional, you should never be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Sometimes it can be hard to ask your parent for help, but there are always other options: a school therapist, a therapist outside of school, or someone on a hotline you can call. You should never feel ashamed about it either. Everyone finds themselves overwhelmed at times and it’s important to address what is causing it so that you can feel better mentally and physically. I can’t tell you the amount of times I felt overwhelmed and the minute I called my friend or my mom felt instantly better. My morning earlier is a perfect example!
