Move your body

Being a teenager is hard. Managing schoolwork, college applications, and extracurricular activities can be quite challenging. So, when you start feeling stressed and overwhelmed due to your responsibilities, I encourage you to take a moment and move your body.

You might think taking a break is the last thing you should do when you are busy, but that's not true. Pushing yourself to continue when your mind and body need rest reduces the quality of your work and even leads to burnout. If you stop for 2-3 minutes to get your blood flowing and let the tension out, you will be more relaxed and have increased energy to get everything done. Short bursts of movement are scientifically proven to enhance chemicals in the brain that are associated with improved mood and decreased stress too.

The next time it's all becoming too much, and you feel pressure taking over, step away from what you are doing and let movement come to the rescue. Go outside and walk around the block, dance in your living room or bedroom, or shake your arms and do a few jumping jacks. Whatever works for you.

Always remember, taking care of yourself is productive.