Skill: Using Calming Strategies
How Do You Keep a Cool Head In a Stressful Situation?
Marines, doctors, etc. — people with high-stress jobs use a variety of techniques to manage stress.
Grades: 9-12
Benchmark(s): 9-12.SM.1.1
“When I’m hunting, I get into this really chill headspace. All my stress just melts away. If I could just press a button that would make me do that wherever I am, I’d be so much less anxious and angry at people.”
On a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you relate to what she’s saying? Why?
👍 👎
What’s your take?
What connection(s) do you see between our topic and any of these values? Why?
You are getting ready to take the ACT and you are really nervous. You've already taken it once and really want to get a better score.
What strategies could you use to manage your anxiety in this situation?
What wisdom would you share with a younger person about how to handle it when they feel anxious or frustrated?
Picture this!
Some of the strategies work “slow,” so this symbol marks strategies that work fast in high stress situations.
We’re going to investigate five groups of strategies designed to help people manage stress.
Calm Your Body
Calm Your Thoughts
Express Yourself
Change Your Space
Take Care of Yourself
If we’re interested in a strategy, I can press this button to open a website with more tools and information about it.
OR
open a browser window and type
tinyurl.com/
calmingstrategiestoolbox
scan with your camera app
We’re all unique, and a strategy I find helpful might have little appeal to the person sitting next to me.
Want to follow along?
Calm Your Body
When you feel stress (e.g., worry, nervousness, anxiety, anger, etc.), your body starts to work differently. Your muscles tense and your heart beats faster.
These tools send a signal to your body to stay calm or to bring itself back to normal.
Deep Breathing
Slowly breathe in through your nose, into your belly, and out through your mouth.
Muscle Relaxation
Tense and relax different muscle groups (arms, then legs, etc.).
Take a Walk
Pace back and forth or go for a walk.
Yoga
A series of poses that tense and relax different muscle groups.
Diving Response
Splash your face with water or submerge it for a few seconds.
Squeeze a stress ball or another fidget or sensory tool.
Use a Fidget
Calm Your Thoughts
When you feel stress (e.g., worry, nervousness, anxiety, anger, etc.), your brain starts to work differently. It becomes harder to talk and harder to solve problems.
These tools help your brain to stay calm or to bring itself back to normal.
Count to 10, 100, backwards, etc.
Count all the objects of a certain color.
Count
Use your imagination to distract yourself from what’s making you upset.
Visualize
Focus on a coloring sheet instead of what’s making you upset.
Color
Spend a few minutes with a soothing or “oddly satisfying” video.
Investigate your negative thoughts and reframe unhelpful thoughts.
Use Positive Self-Talk
Repeat short, positive phrases to yourself, such as: ‘This too shall pass.’
Use Positive Affirmations
Watch Calming Videos
Adjust your “diet” of news stories and social media to find what’s healthy.
Focus on the present moment and your senses.
Be Mindful
Think about the things that bring you joy so your brain doesn’t take them for granted.
Practice Gratitude
Limit
Stressful Media
Express Yourself
If we have a tornado of negative thoughts in our heads, it will be harder to calm down and to stay calm. We might take deep breaths or distract ourselves, and that "pumps the brakes" on our stress for a while.
However, as soon as we start thinking about what made us stressed in the first place, those emotions will start to bubble up again.
Most of the time, it helps to find some way to "get it out" in a safe way.
“Name it to tame it” — labeling our emotions gives us back some control.
Name Your Feeling
Hit the pressure release by sharing with someone who will really listen.
Talk It Out
Hit the pressure release by writing down what you’re thinking and feeling.
Write It Out
Draw; paint; or write a poem, story, song, etc.
Create Art
Change Your Space
Your senses of sound, smell, touch, etc. can help you to calm down but they can also amp up your stress level.
The more you know about yourself, the better you'll be at changing your space to help yourself calm down.
If you need to change your space by leaving it (i.e., taking a break), be sure to ask permission from an adult if you need to.
Avoid clutter, stay on top of cleaning, decorate, and add pleasant scents.
Keep Your Space Clean & Pleasant
Listen to nature sounds, calming music, or use noise cancelling headphones.
Change Your Audio
Step a few feet away or move to a different room.
Walk Away &
Take a Break
Take Care of Yourself
Calming strategies aren't just there to help us "pump the breaks" when we're about to lose control of our behavior.
Taking care of yourself by building positive relationships with people, staying organized, making good choices, asking for help, etc. can help your stress level from getting out of control in the first place.
Watch a funny show, eat some comfort food, play a video game, etc.
Connect with the people who care about you and bring you joy.
Prioritize your needs and be clear on where your responsibilities end.
Do Your Favorite Things
Spend Time With Your Squad
Set Boundaries
Manage your time and stay organized so that life is more steady.
Focus on the concerns that you can control or influence. The rest? Try to let it go.
Move your body with low or high intensity activities for even a few minutes a day.
Keep a Regular Routine
Get Regular
Exercise
Focus Your Energy Where It Counts
Adequate sleep is very important to mental health. Rest up!
A well-balanced diet and plenty of water support your mood and wellbeing.
Eat Healthy and Drink Water
Get Enough Sleep
The skills and values that we discussed included: