Have you experiencing headache, having too much work to do at once, thinking about so many things and finally give a long sigh? Take this situation as example, studying last minutes for final exam gives so much pressure. Burden with financial problem and unfriendly environment at home caused so much tense. Trying to cope with both final exam and get along with the environment at home leads to pressure. It happens to almost everyone. These symptoms may lead to stress. Stress is unavoidable to anyone. Some people do not realize they are experiencing stress. Children, teenagers, and adults face this problem every day. Stress among teenagers is said to be the most challenging one as at this age they are in the sensitive stage of shifting from childhood to adulthood. However, stress among teenagers can be overcome effectively by adopting positive thinking, avoiding the unnecessary stress, and altering the situation that causes stress.
Firstly, teenagers can learn to adopt positive thinking when facing with tense situation. Positive thinking is the key to minimize stress. A teenager should learn to accept things that cannot be amended. Real life is more challenging, painful and not as good as fantasy. For example, the unexpected loss of a close person can make a teenager feel like the world has ended. They should be aware that death is something that is beyond their control. Thinking about it over again with endless weeping will do no good. Teenagers should learn to face it like an adult, accept the fate that cannot be changed, and carry on with life. Besides, teenagers should expect and accept some frustrations, failures and sorrows in life’s journey. Poor performance in certain area does not signify others seem sub-standard because usually we express something small to seem bigger than it is unless if we describe it very precisely, the weaknesses may only involves a minor area because of common mistake (Makin & Lindley, 1991). For example, failing in exam once does not mean failing in exams forever. A broken friendship or breaking up with a girlfriend or a boyfriend, leads teenagers to a stressful situation. Teenagers are supposed to understand that those common experiences help in developed positive thinking, decision making and judgement over the situation. Although it is hard to think positively in such situations when they are overwhelmed with emotional frustration, teenagers should learn to forgive and forget. Teenagers should recognize their weaknesses as well as others’ around them because nobody is perfect and find a way to improve it somehow. Moreover, according to a saying, ‘Every illness has its medicine to cure’; there is no problem without a solution. ‘Do not put salt into an injury’. The phrase gives meaning not to put in more tense to a situation that is already stressful. Enough with dealing with minor stress, a teenager should tolerate with the situation and face it calmly and prudently without adding more tense into it.
Secondly, teenagers can also adopt a skill of avoiding the unnecessary stress in their life. Not everything handed to teenagers is bearable and should be accepted and taken by them. The main key is to learn to say ‘No’ over situations or things that can put more pressure on their life. It is normal for teenagers, especially students to be burdened with lots of homework, assignments, and school project at the same time. Teenagers should know their limitations in handling work at crucial and hectic moment. For example, when rushing to finish assignments before the deadline and a friend from far comes for a visit and asks them out, this situation creates a tiny stress in choosing between the two options. Teens should know which option is more important and which option to say ‘No’ to. Furthermore, teenagers can also take control over the surroundings and any circumstances that can cause anxiety and stress. For example, when a teenager trying to study in a room, which have been share with two other siblings that making noises by playing with each other or making irritating sounds. They cannot focus on their study because of the noise and this leads to stress. Either to solve it, they can tell their siblings to lower down their voice and stop making noises or they can just find another place to study with less distraction. For example, they can choose to study in the library. Other than that, good practice of healthy lifestyle can also reduce the unnecessary stress in teenagers’ life. A healthy diet is essential. A balanced diet gives sufficient nutritious food supply for the body. A healthy eating habits practice is essential for a proper nutrition that provides the necessary nutrients and other food components for the body to sustain a busy pace of life (Norimah A. Karim, 2008). Teenagers should take enough sleep. Unhealthy diet habits and lack of sleep will lead to stress and lack of energy and focus during the day. Teenagers should also take some time to relax in order to release stress. Some relaxing techniques like yoga, site seeing, listening to music, playing sports, hanging out with good friends, or raising a pet can also minimize and avoid the unnecessary stress in teenagers’ life. Physical activity like Yoga does not only help to improve physical health but also to advance an overall sense of well-being such as to promote flexibility and strength, as well as control breathing and really helpful in stress reduction (MacDonald, 2002).
Finally yet importantly, stress can be minimized by altering the situation that leads to pressure, tension and anxiety in everyday routine of teenager’s life. Some causes of stress are unavoidable. However, by making a change can reduce it somehow. The implementation of effective and proper time management can reduce the stress level a youngster is having. Time management is include plans which have a schedule timed that consist of all the activities that responsible to handle, set the most priority of activities to handle and down to least important tasks according to time changes (Varsamis, 2006). Regular time management can help teens with having proper daily schedule to arrange and fulfil their 24 hours time in a day with beneficial activities. Thus, time for leisure, time for study, time for friends, and time for other work can be spent wisely. With effective time management, time will not be wasted on unnecessary things. In fact, it will put a stop to last minute work; prevent procrastination, give a better quality use of time and give a set of priority to teenagers’ life. Besides, teenagers should be more assertive in communication with other people and to themselves. Effective communication is to send and express ideas or thoughts to other people and they understand a message one is trying to deliver and give respond to it. For example, if teenagers feel that their parents are neglecting them due to busy pace of life, they have to tell their parents how they feel instead of keeping it down. In this context, do not bottle up things alone. Problems at home can be solves with effective communication and discussion. Furthermore, teens can also enlarge a strong social circle by joining a social activity. The solution to teen’s social stress is by creating a bond within a social circle with others whereby they will experience the ability to deal with the complexity in social situations but still gain self-esteem (MacDonald, 2002). Joining social activities can build positive skills such as self-confident and independent. Sharing thoughts and experience with other members in social circle can assist teenagers to manage stress. It can also discipline the them to follow the rules when participating in social activities.
In conclusion, stress is common in teenagers’ life but it can be managed effectively through the implementation of skills to overcome it. Teenagers can put into practice their positive thinking when facing with difficulties, take on a skill of avoiding the unnecessary stress, and change the situation that leads to pressure and stress in life. Stress is bad for health and can leads to depression. ‘A happy face comes from a happy mind’. Therefore, living happily and taking control of stress can prevent teenagers from any negative unexpected results.
References
MacDonald, A. (2002). Stress management techniques for teens. Retrieved February 17, 2009 from http://www.essortment.com/family/stressmanagemen_siqn.html.
Makin, P. E. (1991). Positive stress management. London: Kogan Page Limited.
Norimah A. Karim. (2008, June 1). YourHealth: Get jump start on a healthy life. New Straits Times. Retrieved March 19, 2009 from http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/Focus/ 2254005/Article/pppull_index_html.
Varsamis, C. (February 9, 2006). Advantages of time management. Retrieved March 30, 2009 from http://www.articlealley.com/article_28248_24.html
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