Managing student stress and workload at Northbridge

Whilst the pressures of student life may be felt by students of any age it is perhaps in Grades 11 and 12 that this will be most acute.

The IB Diploma is academically rigorous and broad in scope requiring students to not only study for final assessments in their 6 chosen subjects, but also complete the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and Creativity Activity Service components.

Students need to balance these demands with family commitments, social time with friends, sports teams and the myriad of other demands on their time. Achieving balance is the key to managing stress and maintaining good mental health. This is a skill we all continue to work on throughout our lives as our situations change. 

Check out this list of top tips for managing workload and stress. Talk through the list with your children. What are they doing well, and what do they need your support with? 

• Maintain regular sleep routines - electronic devices off and out of the bedroom before you sleep!

• Eat healthy meals

• Be organised - have clear plans for long, medium and short term deadlines

• Create a study timetable - this is particularly important for revision for exams

• Prioritise - work out what is most important and urgent and what can wait until you have more time. You don’t have to do everything at once!

• Talk as a family about upcoming deadlines, assignments exams etc. so that you are all aware of how this might impact on other activities

• Keep talking to your teachers and positively advocate for your needs - address concerns early on before they become something bigger

• Stay connected to your friends and family

• Make time for the things you enjoy

• Keep physically active

• Practice gratitude - find something each day to be grateful for - for example watching a sunset, or appreciating a delicious meal that has been cooked for you. 

It’s important to recognise that healthy stress is a normal and natural part of life. Stress is healthy when the person feels able to cope because of the support and resources they can access.

Talk with your child about the support and resources available to them, and if they don't have enough, encourage them to reach out to another trusted adult for help - for example their advisor, subject teachers or counselor.