Tips to reduce stress around submitting your application
You have a lot riding on the work you’re doing, and we get it! It can be easy to underestimate how much the pressure can affect us, sometimes taking a negative toll on our physical and mental health. With the application deadline for the 2025 R-1 Main Residency Match approaching on November 29, 2024, at 12:00 (noon) ET, it’s important to make sure you complete the task at hand, but that you take care of your mental health too. We’ve put together some tips to help you set yourself up for success.
Create a plan and stick to it
Often, we can feel overwhelmed with all the pieces involved in a large task. To set yourself up for success, create a plan with a series of incremental deadlines to manage your applications in workable chunks, with the ultimate goal of submitting all of your applications before the deadline. Setting goals to hit along the way can give you more control over the process and make it feel less overwhelming as you can see each step you need to take to submit your applications on time.
Don’t leave your applications to the last minute
Leaving anything to the last minute can be stressful, but when you have a deadline this important, you can really feel the pressure. By setting a goal of early submission and creating a plan for yourself that leaves plenty of room for the unexpected (because we all know life can be unpredictable), you can feel confident that you are setting yourself up for success by ensuring your applications have been submitted ahead of the deadline.
Keep your space tidy
If you have a designated working space for yourself at home, make sure you keep your space tidy. A disorganized workspace may lead to a loss of productivity (we’ve all put off tasks to clean).
Use relaxation techniques
When we can’t avoid stress, we need to find ways to minimize it. Relaxation techniques can help us respond to it in a healthy way. Some techniques that can help are:
- Breathing exercises
- Taking long, slow and deep breaths can help increase the oxygen in your body, lower your blood pressure and release tension within the body. They can also be done anywhere and do not require any special tools or equipment.
- Body scan
- After a few minutes of breathing exercises, focus on one part of your body or muscle group and mentally release all the tension you feel in this area. Continue through the rest of your body to help relieve tension.
- Meditation
- Meditation has been growing in popularity and is easy to do anywhere. Take a moment, get comfortable and start to focus on your breathing. Bring your attention to the present moment without focusing on anything else. There are plenty of meditation apps and videos out there if you’re having trouble staying focused on the present moment.
Take time to recharge
Taking intentional breaks can be incredibly beneficial to your productivity levels. Well-timed breaks throughout the day can give your brain and your body a breather and help you come back to your work feeling refreshed and recharged. Using your break to get your body moving – maybe working out or even going for a walk – is a great way to recharge your brain before coming back to work on your applications.
