Try These Tips To Reduce The Stress Caused By Increased Screen Time And Online Classes

Online school has become a new source of stress for students. On top of the usual stress that comes with school and homework, online learning brings in a new factor: time. Many teachers think that since you are not physically going to school for eight hours a day, you have more time to do schoolwork. This, however, is not true at all. Students are still taking the same course load they would've taken in person, but just because it's now all online doesn't mean that it's any less work.d

Another thing that plays a role in the stress of online school is activity or movement. Sitting in front of a computer for up to six hours at a time can be extremely draining. In physical school, you would find yourself walking from class to class and paying attention to a physical person teaching you, but with an online course, it is hard to stay in the same spot for however long your classes take. 

Here are a few ways that students can use to relieve the stress of online schooling. 

1. Stay social even though you are inside

Because you are not physically going to school, that means you are staying at home, which in turn means you are not seeing your friends that you'd typically see at school. Even to introverts like myself, this becomes a real stressor as time goes on; not seeing almost anyone except for my three roommates for months at a time is extremely taxing on my mental health. 

To help relieve the stress of staying at home all day and not seeing your friends, you need to keep social. Make sure that you take quality safety measures when you go out, but going out nonetheless is necessary for everyone. Seeing others can help you focus on something other than school for a while. 

2. Exercise regularly

Exercise is a great way to relieve any kind of stress, but it will significantly help with the stress of online classes. Sitting in front of a computer for hours at a time can make you tired, anxious, and of course, very stressed. Taking time to exercise will help your body to remain alert and active. 

You don't have to go to the gym for three hours or do anything that drastic by any means, but any simple exercise will help. Going on a short walk, just getting out of the house, will help.

3. Manage your time wisely

With online school, time management is a must. Since you are now all on your own and have the entire day to do your schoolwork, it's very easy to forget your responsibilities and procrastinate. 

Managing your time wisely will help reduce your stress by making you less overwhelmed. Looking at a sheet of paper with all the things you have yet to do can be very stressful, but if you can break that down into certain time slots for each task, you may find that you are no longer overwhelmed.

4. Take Breaks in between your busy schedule

Taking breaks is an essential thing to do when taking online classes. It can be easy to get in the groove of homework or simply get caught up in the millions of things you need to do that you end up going for hours on end. This, however, is not healthy for your mental or physical health. 

Taking a break from your schoolwork while taking classes at home can be very beneficial in multiple ways. A short break can help you regain your energy, your attentiveness, and even your motivation. 

5. Do Something You Enjoy

This goes along with taking breaks. Take a break from your schoolwork to do something that you enjoy doing, a hobby, or anything that makes you happy. 

I often take breaks from schoolwork to either write (for fun, yes), watch a tv show that I like, or maybe get outside for a little bit if the weather allows. 

6. Get Outside to relieve stress

Going outside is a great way to relieve stress. Sitting inside all day in front of a computer is draining, but sitting out in the sun will definitely help you feel a little bit better at least. You don't have to do anything active if you don't want to, you can simply sit outside and read or just rest for a while. 

7. Bring Your Schoolwork Outside

If short breaks of outdoor time aren't enough for you, try bringing your schoolwork outside. Doing schoolwork outside in the nice weather can be very stress-relieving. With a nice breeze and the warm sun, you can relax while also getting work done. 

I often find that taking breaks stresses me out even more because all I can think about is all the homework I have yet to do so, for me, going outside to do homework is a great way to relieve my stress. If it's a nice day, I'll almost always find myself sitting outside in the sun doing my homework. Sure, it's harder to see my computer screen, but that's a small sacrifice. 

Another benefit of going outside to do your schoolwork is a change of scenery. I used to love going to a coffee shop to do my homework because it was a nice change of scenery from my desk at home. Of course, coffee shops these days aren't really open to seating so going outside is the best option for me. 

8. Take a Breath

Simply taking a breath may help with your stress. Sitting back and taking a deep breath, realize that you do indeed have the time to finish your work and that you will indeed finish it because you are very capable. Simply believing in yourself can help you go a long way.