Teens, School, and Stress Management

One of the most important components of stress management and a busy schedule is prioritizing.

A lot of the anxious, perfectionist teens I work with feel overwhelmed by the amount of things to get done during the busy school year.

Rather than letting all of those tasks feel insurmountable, you can break down what needs to be done and when.

Step by step.

Figure out the steps needed to reach your goal, and keep those steps really specific and time-sensitive (such as, "I need to research 10 articles for this upcoming history paper by Tuesday," vs. just "I need to start work on my history paper.")

Getting stuff done while taking care of you.

It's also important for teens to build in lots of self-regulation and coping time. So, schedule it in. Along with breaking down homework into manageable, tasks, add 5 or 10 minutes of a guided meditation, walk outside, or listening to calm music.

If you're interested in yoga, try going to teen-friendly yoga classes once or twice a week.

Be proactive.

Regular relaxation skills help manage stress overall, which is why it is so important to be proactive about stress management rather than just waiting to use a skill when you're already totally stressed out. And the more you practice relaxation skills, the easier it is to use them in the moment.

Curious to hear more about anxiety and perfectionism counseling for teens and college students? Kelsey Torgerson works with kids throughout St. Louis to help manage their big feelings. Her office is located in Clayton, MO and she works with families throughout Ladue, Town and Country, Creve Couer, Brentwood, and surrounding areas. You can reach her at 314-339-7640 or kelsey@compassionatecounselingstl.com

As an anxiety and anger management specialist, I provide counseling for kids, teens, and college students. I work with itty-bitties in pre-school to young adults graduating college, because I know anxiety can impact all of us, at all of these different ages.