As we head into another busy academic year, whether it is starting a new school, stepping into a higher grade, or beginning college, the transition back to school can feel overwhelming. New classes, unfamiliar teachers, packed schedules, extracurriculars, and that ever-growing to-do list… It’s a lot to handle.
The good news? we don’t have to do it all at once, and we definitely don’t have to do it perfectly.
Let’s explore some practical strategies to manage stress and workload, so we can begin the year feeling more balanced, confident, and in control.
1. Naming the Stress
First, let’s just acknowledge that feeling stressed right now is completely normal. There’s a lot of pressure to start the year off strong: to get perfect grades, join every club, maybe even prepare for standardized tests or college applications. But here’s the thing: stress is our body’s way of warning us and it becomes a problem when it builds up without a plan to manage it. Left unchecked, it can affect our sleep, focus, mood, and overall health. It can make small tasks feel overwhelming and lead to burnout before the semester even really starts.
That’s why the first step to feeling more in control is simply to name the stress.
Ask ourselves:
- What exactly is making me feel overwhelmed?
- Is it fear of falling behind?
- Is it social anxiety in a new environment?
- Is it the number of things I feel responsible for?
Write it down. Say it out loud. Once we name the stress, it becomes something we can work with, not something that controls us.
2. Prioritize and Plan
One of the biggest causes of school stress is having so many tasks floating around in our head that everything feels urgent. A simple solution? Get it out of our head and onto paper.
- Write down everything we need to do from assignments, practices, to social events.
- Then, choose one priority for each day. Not three. Just one. By focusing on the most important task first, we set ourselves up for progress instead of burnout.
And if we’re someone who loves lists, we can try the “Eisenhower Box”: separate tasks into four categories: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither. It sounds fancy, but it’s basically a way of saying, “What really needs my energy today?”
3. Build Routines, Not Perfection
It’s tempting to set huge goals like, “I’ll wake up at 5 a.m. every day and study for three hours before school.” But that usually leads to exhaustion by week two.
Instead, focus on small, sustainable routines:
- A five-minute check-in each morning to plan our day.
- A dedicated homework spot that signals the brain, “It’s focus time.”
- Ten minutes before bed with no phone to help we wind down.
Routines take the guesswork out of our day and lower decision fatigue, which is a sneaky source of stress.
4. Make Space for Ourselves
When life gets busy, the first thing we tend to drop is self-care. But that’s exactly when we need it most. Even short breaks can make a difference:
- Take a walk outside between classes.
- Listen to a favorite song or podcast episode (maybe this one!).
- Practice a 4-7-8 breathing exercise: inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8.
Think of self-care like charging our phone. We wouldn’t expect our phone to run all day on 2% battery, so why expect that from ourselves?
5. Ask for Help Early
Sometimes, stress can become overwhelming. If we notice ourselves constantly anxious, not sleeping, or feeling hopeless, please reach out for support. That could be:
- Talking to a parent or guardian,
- A trusted teacher or counselor,
- Or even a mental health hotline if we’re feeling really overwhelmed.
Remember, asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.
Back-to-school season can be exciting, but it doesn’t have to be chaotic. By prioritizing our tasks, establishing routines, taking regular breaks, and seeking help when needed, we can begin the year feeling more balanced and prepared to grow.
