If you must be in a stressful situation, try to change it. Figure out what you can do so the problem doesn’t come up in the future. Often, this means changing what you say and do in your daily life.

• Express your feelings instead of hiding them. If something is bothering you, talk about it in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation won’t change.
• Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behaviour, be willing to do the same. If you can change at least a little, you have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground.
• Be assertive. Deal with problems directly and do your best to anticipate and prevent them. For example, if you have an exam to study for and your chatty roommate just got home, let the know you only have 5 minutes to talk.
• Manage your time. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. Plan ahead and make sure you don’t try to do more than you can handle. Make to-do lists, and use a calendar, day timer, or your phone to schedule your appointments and tasks.
• Get organized. Reduce clutter and make a system for storing items and information.
• Re-think your workload. When stress gets too much, try to do less, if possible. This can mean working with your friends, family, employer, and teachers to decrease your social activities, household chores, volunteer commitments, work responsibilities, school or work. ​
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