Guide on wellbeing: recovering from stress 

Most of us know that restoring our energy levels after working hard is important, but what we actually do with this knowledge in our daily lives is a different thing. We maybe know that we should take time to rest but then feel guilty about not checking off every possible item on the to-do list. Fortunately, it’s possible to learn to allow your mind and body to rest without guilt so that you can experience that high-quality recovery time without anything getting in the way. This requires practice – especially if setting aside time for recovery is something new for you. 

Constant effort makes you ill

Studying and creating art are very intensive activities in many ways. Many students experience intense pressure to be overachievers and do more than their body and mind can handle. Both external and internal pressures easily create an environment where it’s difficult to relax on a regular basis with a good conscience. Because of these circumstances, many people push through their own feelings and make taking care of their own needs their last priority. 

Often, it’s also challenging for arts students to distinguish between study/working time and free time. Many students work alongside their studies, either during the summers or during the academic year. Incorporating necessary rest into everyday life can seem very challenging, especially when money is scarce and there are household chores to take care of, as well. 

In the long run, however, if you don’t have breaks, free time and high-quality recovery, you will start to get strained, exhausted and sooner or later, ill. This applies to everything, even to studying the arts. 

Over time, insufficient rest and free time will also affect your ability to think and act creatively. Ultimately, your ability to function may slowly begin to worsen, which, in turn, may also lead you to doubt your ability to be an artist at all. Burnout is a serious condition that can lead to lifelong challenges such as difficulties with memory and concentration. If you aren’t fully aware of the potential consequences of a burnout, this lack of awareness can also lead to a difficulty of taking your own boundaries seriously.

It’s important to remember that if we don’t make sure we get the rest we need by our own initiative, our bodies and minds will eventually force us to rest. It’s important to learn to listen to yourself well in advance. Knowing how to rest and recover from stress is actually one of the most essential study and career skills for a student and professional in the arts. 

Tips for restoring balance in life

A common reason people experience burnouts is the experience that there are no alternatives to the current way of doing things. This experience of tunnel vision is real, but it doesn’t mean that the thoughts it produces are true. The more you feel pressure, the more important it is to stop and think of creative solutions for creating some space in your life. You can do this together with a loved one or an outside professional. 

Doing things in the smartest and most efficient way (even in the short term) is easier when we have room to breathe. Then we can make use of the creative parts of our brains, not just tap into our panic mode.  

To get out of the tunnel, try the following tips: 

• Take breaks and make time for recovery. To support the sustainability of your work, try taking breaks in what you do. You can try the pomodoro technique, for example. However, taking breaks within activities is not enough, and it’s vital that you also set aside time for recovery on a regular basis. Mark your leisure time in your calendar in the same way that you might also mark your study and work sessions. 
• Try doing things that balance your everyday activities in your free time. To support your wellbeing, it can be useful to do something completely opposite or different to everyday study and work life, and this way balance the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Sometimes it’s also worth doing nothing in your free time and just practising relaxing in your own company. You can try relaxation and breathing exercises first to get you started. 
• Pay attention to your lifestyle. Try increasing the amount of physical activity in your life. Exercise is a very important resource in recovery, as exercise where you build up a sweat burns stress hormones in the body. Then again, some people benefit more from and recover better by engaging in a calming activity that lowers the heart rate. Sleep, good relationships, diet, and avoiding substance use are also very important for recovery. However, focusing on the physical means of recovery alone is often not enough. It’s also important to reflect on your own attitude towards recovery and work so that they are sustainable and supportive of a healthy and happy lifestyle. 
• Practise working with a relaxed but effective attitude. It’s important to realise that working efficiently doesn’t always require internal stress and pressure. You can get as much or, in fact, much more done and achieve more high-quality results by consciously taking time to breathe and listen to your needs and feelings throughout the day. If you find it difficult to work with a relaxed attitude, pay attention to what kinds of thoughts prevent you from working in a relaxed way. Write down these thoughts and explore them with constructive curiosity. 
• Practise relaxing without guilt. Many people find it challenging to relax their minds in their free time. If you find that your mind is tense in your spare time, take a moment and plan when you will return to the things that are weighing on your mind. When deciding this, it’s important to check in with yourself about what would be sustainable. This way, you’re actively prioritising a smart and strategic approach to work and a good quality of life. Then, when your thoughts about work or studying show up again in your free time, you can, in good conscience, ask them to come back at the time you previously decided. 

If you find that the above measures don’t help and you feel exhausted, it’s important to take a closer look at your situation and how you do things so that you get a new perspective on a more sustainable way to study, work and live. So don’t leave yourself alone in this situation. Instead, remember that you’re warmly welcome to seek support from the Finnish Student Health Services (FSHS) or the study psychologist, for example.