• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

TheHomeSchoolMom

Homeschooling help and encouragement from experienced homeschoolers - find out how homeschooling works and how to start, get tips & ideas for when things need adjusting, read curriculum reviews before buying, learn how online schools work, gain confidence about homeschooling high school, and more.

The Home School Mom The Home School Mom The Home School Mom
  • Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Home
  • Subscriber
    Exclusives
  • Homeschooling
    101
  • All About
    Deschooling
  • Homeschooling
    Styles
  • Homeschool
    High School
  • Help By
    Subject
  • Homeschool
    Curriculum
  • Local
    & State
  • Homeschool
    Planner
  • Meal Plans
    & Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • How To Homeschool
  • Homeschool Curriculum
    • Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum
    • How to Choose Homeschool Curriculum
    • Online School
  • Homeschool
    Co-ops & Groups
    • Homeschool Conventions & Events
    • Homeschool Field Trips
  • Homeschool ID Card
    • Printable Homeschool Planner
    • Transcript Template
  • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • How To Homeschool
    • Homeschool Curriculum
      • Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum
      • How to Choose Homeschool Curriculum
      • Online School
    • Homeschool
      Co-ops & Groups
      • Homeschool Conventions & Events
      • Homeschool Field Trips
    • Homeschool ID Card
      • Printable Homeschool Planner
      • Transcript Template
    • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Blog » High School

    How to Manage Stress & Find Balance in High School

    Living Education by Oak Meadow

    This post is contributed by Oak Meadow, the sponsor of our Living Education series.

    For a high school students, seeking balance is essential. Being out of balance almost always leads to feelings of stress, which can limit our ability to absorb new information and engage with learning in a meaningful way.

    To help your high school student maintain a sense of balance and joy amidst the day-to-day stresses of high school, consider sharing these six tips with them.

    How to manage stress & find balance in high school

    1. Reconnect with what energizes you

    What energizes you? What helps you feel centered and creates harmony within you? You might reconnect through hiking, yoga, journaling, gardening, art, or some other activity.

    Find something that works for you, and do it every day. Do it first thing in the morning to help you embrace the day with greater purpose and energy. Do it when you need a break to help you clear your mind and recharge for the next thing. Do it after your work is done to help you unwind and relax.

    1. Re-examine your routine

    Through our thoughts, feelings, and actions, we all create our lives moment by moment. And our daily rhythms and routines can set the stage for either a balanced and productive life or one that increases feelings of stress.

    Start first with your basic eating and sleeping habits. Studies show that actions like reducing the amount of sugar or processed foods you consume can improve your mood, and getting a solid 8-10 hours of sleep per night can improve your attention and memory.

    You should also revisit your homeschooling schedule. If work is feeling overwhelming, you may find balance by organizing your schoolwork using a weekly planner. In your homeschool planner, divide large projects and assignments into smaller tasks, and check them off as you complete them.

    Make sure you schedule in designated times for breaks and fun. Giving yourself permission to stop working and knowing that you have planned when the work will get done can help eliminate any nagging feeling that you should be working all the time.

    1. Pay attention to your internal GPS

    Envision a see-saw with mental activity on one end, physical activity on the other end, and feelings in the middle as the balance point. We all know how easy it is to overemphasize or ignore one or more of these aspects, and we know what happens to the see-saw when we lean too far in one direction.

    Get Our Planner & More
    Sign up below for access to our homeschool planner and more.

    Check in with your internal GPS every now and then to figure out where you are. For example, if you’ve been engaged for long hours on a computer, you probably need to switch gears and do something physical. If you’ve been busy with athletics or a job, you may need to sit for a bit and read a book.

    Remember to check in with yourself and strive for a balance between mental and physical activities in the rhythm of your day.

    1. Allow yourself to feel

    Our innate capacity to feel is one of our greatest tools. It helps us to clearly perceive what is going on in ourselves and others, and to communicate effectively. When you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, don’t force yourself to swallow and bury that emotion.

    Acknowledge what you are feeling, and tune into the thoughts that keep rising to the surface. Allowing yourself to feel and recognize your emotions will allow you to manage your stress and communicate your needs more effectively.

    Additionally, tapping into your emotions not just in moments of stress but also in moments of joy will help you maintain perspective and balance. If you are walking down the street, look at the trees, the plants, and the sky around you and appreciate nature’s beauty. Soak it in on a feeling level.

    By opening your heart to simple acts of feeling as you experience the events of each day, you will find that your mind becomes quieter and you feel more stable and poised.

    1. Recognize your triggers

    It’s no surprise that life often feels unbalanced. Consider how we are bombarded by external stimuli: masses of information, constant sounds, looming due dates, social media updates, household responsibilities, relationship issues, and more. By learning to recognize what triggers a sense of stress, we can help restore balance.

    If you feel you can never get anything done because you have to respond to every text message as it comes in, maybe you want to turn off your phone or silence it when you’re doing schoolwork. If chores are stressing you out, add them to your planner so you know when you will take care of them. If the noise of younger siblings or a television bothers you, try using sound-canceling headphones or listening to music. Take notice of what triggers your stress, and make changes to limit their effect on your mood.

    By following these guidelines, you can regain your innate balance and become more effective in school and life. Learning is not just about developing intellect; learning should be about developing intelligence, which arises from physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual balance. This balance will help you become a fulfilled, self-directed learner and a dynamic individual who can have a positive impact upon the world.

    1. Don't be afraid to pause

    Finally, if you ever find yourself seriously worried about your stress levels, don’t be afraid to hit the pause button. One of the benefits of homeschooling is the freedom to set your own schedule, and that includes taking a break from school all together. Take the time you need away from academics, and seek guidance from a counselor, therapist, or other professional, if you need it, for stress-management tools and techniques.

    It may sound counter intuitive, but taking a break each day to recharge can help you be more productive and successful. So, slow down, take a deep breath, and take the time to reconnect to the joy of learning.

    How to manage stress & find balance in high school

    Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Email Share on X (Twitter)

    Last updated on November 2, 2023.
    Topics: High School

    Living Education by Oak Meadow

    Oak MeadowEnjoy these posts from the pages of Living Education, the seasonal journal from our contributing sponsor, Oak Meadow. Visit the online archives of Living Education to celebrate, explore, and get inspired with more in-depth articles, stories, and crafts brought to you by Oak Meadow faculty and families.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Your Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    sidebar

    As featured on

    US News & World Report, Forbes, KQED, HuffPost, AL.com, Money, Healthline Parenthood, Family Education, Parents, Scholastic US News & World Report, Forbes, KQED, HuffPost, AL.com, Money, Healthline Parenthood, Family Education, Parents, Scholastic
    • Home
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Contact
    • Terms / Disclosure
    • Accessibility
    • Privacy
    • Do Not Sell My Information

    Return to top

    Copyright © 2000–2025 · Kelley Media, Ltd. (TheHomeSchoolMom.com)

    As an Amazon Associate TheHomeSchoolMom earns from qualifying purchases.

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    How to manage stress & find balance in high school