Self-Care and Stress Management for Students in Grades 6-8 (10 Minutes)

Note: Students in Grades 9-12, please skip this page and continue on the page that follows. 

Taking Care of Your Thinker (mind) and Feelings:

  • gabrielle-henderson-M4lve6jR26E-unsplash.jpgPractice gratitude: Many studies have shown that people who practice gratefulness are less stressed. Gratefulness can be practiced by writing a letter to someone we are thankful for, taking a picture of something we enjoy or keeping a gratitude journal. In the gratitude journal you can write 3 things that you're grateful for everyday, like a friend, family member or your favorite snack. 
  • Find the upside. Your attitude, and thoughts influence the way you see things. Is your cup half full or half empty? A little bit of positive thinking can help you make the best of stressful circumstances. Start by asking yourself: What did I learn from this situation?
  •  Make time for fun activities. Plan time to do something you enjoy, set aside a set amount of time (like 1 hour or 2) to watch your favorite show, play video games or search funny animal videos on youtube. Laughter really is the best medicine.
  • braydon-anderson-wOHH-NUTvVc-unsplash.jpgSolve the little problems. Take action to solve problems that crop up. For example, if you're stressed out over homework Links to an external site., make a list of everything and start with the smaller tasks or the most important tasks. This will help you get through your list. Each time you check an item off of your list, you will feel better.
  • Talk about it. Talking about stressful situations with a trusted adult can help learn about new ways of thinking about a problem and they may help find solutions.
  • Go outside. Spending time in nature is an effective way to relieve stress and improve overall well-being. Take a walk outside or visit a park.
  • Write it down, or draw it. Research has found that expressing oneself in writing can help reduce mental distress and improve well-being. If you do not enjoy writing, draw what you feel.

Video (4 Minutes and 48 Seconds)

  • Be Mindful. Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. To practice this, you can start by taking a couple of deep breaths and pay attention to what you are seeing, smelling, hearing and what you are touching. It helps you relax a little bit and pause the stress from all of the things we are experiencing. Check out this Virtual Wellness Room Links to an external site., to help you choose a strategy for being mindful. 

Taking Care of our Physical Self

Our mental and physical health are both important in taking care of our overall well-being. We learned about ways to help your mental and emotional health, now let’s talk about ways to take care of our physical health (our bodies), especially during times where there is so much uncertainty around us.

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Sleep. For middle-school aged persons, it is recommended to get at least 9 hours of sleep a night. Sleep is an important way for us to “reset” our mind. 

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Be physically active. Engaging in physical activity is good for our health and also helps us relieve stress. It is recommended that we are active at least 1 hour everyday, to stay healthy. 

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Eat healthy. How we eat affects our mood and the way that we feel. Eating healthy gives us the chance to feel our best. Junk food makes  us feel sluggish and tired. Eating healthy also keeps our immune system ready for action!

PAUSE to Process:

Which of these strategies are new to you? Which one would you like to try?

Stress Management: (7 Minutes and 15 Seconds)

 

Up Next: Self-Care and Stress Management for Students in Grades 9-12