Do you sometimes feel that you can’t keep everything under control?

In this, you are not alone, as our survey of JGU students shows. But such thoughts often generate unnecessary stress. How do you get a grip on things – a process that will both enhance your well-being and make for a more stress-free and a successful time at university?

Do you finally want to become more organized? Looking for tips to help you escape the spiral of stress? Here we show you how stress develops – and a few simple exercises you can do to counteract it.

Study and everyday life too demanding for you? Too much stress? Don’t worry: Many people feel the same.

This has been demonstrated in many scientific studies. The results of our In-house survey show that: Students at JGU also feel stressed. The biggest challenges they specified were:

• “Managing the workload and the amount of material” and
• “Time and study management”

Seem familiar to you? There are good reasons for this.

Why we get stressed – and what effects it has on us.

The stress reaction is very old from an evolutionary biology point of view. When we are confronted by dangers, it prepares our bodies to fight or flee. This means it is essential for our survival. In today’s stressful situations, however, fighting or fleeing is usually neither necessary nor wise – after all, we are no longer being threatened by wild animals.

Instead of wild animals, we now encounter ‘modern’ stressors, such as times in which we are required to sit examinations. These occur much more frequently and are longer lasting. The problem is that all that energy that is generated in the body for fighting or fleeing is not consumed. As there is no time for rest and relaxation, our body is thus constantly on high alert.

Long-lasting stress not only has a negative effect on your physical health, but also interferes with your mental well-being and can result in the development of psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety or burnout. How can you avoid such serious consequences? One important component is stress prevention – and good planning, along with a little know-how, is a great help.

Good planning reduces stress.

There is a lot to coordinate while you are studying: There are lectures, exercises, deadlines for submissions, homework, exams and study groups. Not to mention everyday tasks such as household chores; you might also have a part-time job and then there are your family, friends, hobbies and leisure activities. In order to minimize stress, good organization is necessary.

If you find it difficult to keep everything under control, lose sight of things or you’re afraid of forgetting something important, try to draw up a project plan (for your Bachelor’s thesis for example) or a weekly schedule.

You might be thinking at this point: “I’ve tried it all before but it doesn’t work for me.” Again, you’re not alone. At first glance, schedules seem constricting and if you pack in too much, you’re planning for failure. We will show you how to make your schedules realistic and flexible to your needs.

When planning, it is also important to keep an eye on things that are likely to waste your time. These tend to be chance occurrences that can take up your time without actually getting you anywhere. Sometimes we also use these occurrences to put off important tasks.

Don’t forget to plan in enough time for unforeseen events, periods in which you are unfocused or your concentration is low and for routine tasks, such as copying documents.

And more importantly: Be realistic in your goals. A weekly schedule with many gaps is better than no weekly schedule at all. Don’t give up if you don’t follow the schedule. Instead of giving up on it completely, just try again. Each time, you’ll find that you are improving.

Be bold and set priorities.

So much to do and you don’t know where to start? This is what many students think. It’s impossible to do everything at once. So first, gain an overview of all your upcoming tasks and appointments. Then prioritize them.

Former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower used to divide up his tasks on the basis of how important and urgent he considered they were. A task is important when it brings you closer to your personal goals. Of course, you need to decide for yourself what these goals are – you might want to be successful in your studies, learn a new skill or even change habits you have that stand in your way. On the other hand, a task is urgent if there is a deadline by which it must be completed – this is usually set by someone else.

If you now differentiate between high and low importance and urgency, it creates a four-field matrix into which you can sort your tasks.

Trying to wear too many hats at once can be overwhelming.

While at university and in our private life, we take on various roles which the time management expert L. Seiwert calls “hats of life”. If you have a lot on your plate and you feel stressed or overworked, it is especially helpful to look at the individual hats you wear.

Think about which hats are currently a priority and what you might want to change. You may even want to get rid of some hats – Seiwert recommends limiting yourself to a maximum of seven.

Your thoughts determine your level of stress.

Your thoughts influence how you feel. Imagine you have some important exams coming up: If you think “I can’t do that, it’s all way too much” then this probably triggers feelings of being overwhelmed, distress or even hopelessness in you. As a result, you become too tense to learn properly.

But if you simply turn this thought around, the world can look very different: “I have quite a lot to do in the next few weeks, but with good planning I can do this.” With this in mind, you’ll find you’ll be able to take a more positive approach to your exams and you’ll be able concentrate better when it comes to learning. The important thing is to ensure that your thoughts are appropriate and realistic; they should not exaggerate or undermine the situation.

Whether stress has positive or negative consequences depends on your attitude to stress. Consider the things you think about when you’re on your way to university in the morning or when you’re sitting at your desk and intend to study. You will find more information on the topic of thoughts and feelings here: ‘Controlling thoughts and feelings’.

Balance can provide more energy.

There is no fixed end to the working day when you’re a student. So it is all the more important that you make sure you have the opportunity to recharge your batteries. Playing sport, meeting friends, doing nothing at all… it is important that you do something that really helps re-energize you at that moment in time.

Financial worries can drag you down.

Financial needs are existential needs – that’s why we concentrate on them so much. This makes it difficult and sometimes impossible to focus on studying and other things that are important to you. Therefore it’s very important to get a grip on this source of stress.

Students often receive financial support from their families. However, some parents may not be able to do this or may only be able to contribute to part of their children’s living costs. In these cases, there are several ways to help fund your studies.

For example, you can find out if you are entitled to a grant through the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), you can apply for a student loan or a scholarship. The JGU put together relevant information for you and can also provide you with Advice. The General Student’s Committee AStA also offers help when it comes to financing your course of study and accommodation. Many students also look for a part-time job. The JGU Career Service and the Hochschulteam der Arbeitsagentur (university team of the Federal Employment Agency) can help you here.

Just can’t get to grips with self-organization?

You can book an individual counseling session at the Mental Health Services for Students. In addition, each semester there is a workshop about time and stress management or you can sign up for a blended counseling module on the topic “Planning projects”. And there are Courses on the topics of ‘Time management and learning’ and ‘Stress management’ (only in German).

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