During my days as a student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, I always took out time to admire those that were ahead of me who graduated because of the stress associated with the final year.
Most times when I see them—I mean my graduate friends—I always say I can't wait to be like you, and on one such occasion,one of my friends said to me he wished he could ungraduate himself. I know that sounds like a tautology.
When I probed further, he said although school was stressful, real life is even harder because people believe after school you should be able to take care of yourself and also take up some responsibility, even though no one tells you audibly; they just expect you to know.
This can cause stress to a lot of people, and as a recent graduate, I can totally now relate. Especially when the question of what next pops up, it can cause some real stress to young lads out there, and in respect to this, I picked up a book from a friend's place, which I just started this weekend.
In the book titled "Overload," written by Joyce Meyer, she speaks on the topic of the stress and pressure of life, using her life as a case study. She talks about the pressure of being abused by her father as a child and the pressures of life as a young minister.
The book is a blend of psychological and spiritual methods of handling stress, which I think resonates with me right now as I transition from the phase as an undergraduate student to a recent graduate navigating life.
If you're currently finding it difficult to navigate the pressure and stress, whether it is finally related to work or even relationships and life generally, then this book is more straightforward for you, as it teaches practical ways by which stress can be overcome.
It's not a book I can finish over the weekend, but after doing chapter one of the book, I am currently on chapter two, and I would share with you the five ways you can de-stress, in no particular order.
Practice shrugs therapy by not getting frustrated by the things people do.
Find your comfort zone. From my understanding of reading this point, the author advises you to do things within your capacity to avoid frustration that comes with not being able to meet some deadlines, and she gave a practical example of how her husband rejected a promotion because of how he saw that the promotion was going to push him further away from his family.
Seek social support either from church, a book club, family, or other social support systems because man is a social entity, and isolation can lead to an increase in stress level.
Nutrition: The importance of this can't be overemphasized because without proper nutrition the body can easily break down.
Rest and relaxation as important as the fourth point. Without rest, it is almost not effective because our bodies need time for nourishment. Sometimes when I am stressed personally, I take time to sleep, and I wake up refreshed and ready to face the situation.
Remember, when stress sets in, your productivity is reduced, so do what it is you have to do in order to overcome stress and stay productive in this new week.
This is in response to the hive #weekend experience second topic, "What book are you reading this weekend, and why?"
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The image used is mine.