Business students have it rough. An MBA program is a grueling time in the life of a recent college graduate, especially at a top tier university like Wharton or Stanford. Undergraduate life is full of carefree relaxation and some study time on the side, but the life of an MBA student is far from relaxed.
While business itself may seem like a realm of personality and sales acumen, understanding the underlying financials and relationships of a business opportunity is where MBA students really shine when they enter the job market. Enrollment in a Wharton, MIT, or Harvard Business School MBA education will send you far beyond your wildest dreams in the corporate world. But getting there and then making it through with an outstanding graduate degree at the end can be a major challenge for even the most gifted among us.
In addition, speaking with an MBA consultant as you are preparing as an applicant to an MBA program can help you mentally engage with the tasks that lie ahead. Coming to grips with the program requirements while still in the applicant phase is a great way to drive yourself toward a great GMAT score, applicant essay and GPA that will get you into your dream school.
Exercise
Exercise is a fantastic way to release stress from your daily routine. Getting out for a run or frequenting the gym weight lifting session at the end of a long day will often do you a world of good. Exercise in all its forms is proven to eliminate the tension that you carry around with you all day. Business school students might find it hard to work in the time for these stress relieving activities, but even a fifteen minute jog around the block can have you feeling like a whole new person. Take the time to invest in your mental health and your grades and performance in the classroom will show a marked improvement.
Try healthcare supplements.
Supplements are another good way for both undergraduate and MBA students to level out their minds during the course of a particularly difficult semester. You can easily improve focus with CBD supplements, for instance. CBD is a hemp plant product that has been shown to improve both cognitive function and relaxation. While the plant has been known to provide health benefits for years, there is an obvious stigma surrounding the use of the intoxicant that is most commonly extracted from the plant.
Using CBD products will allow you to add the health benefits such as relaxation, stress reduction, and improved sleep to your routine without the side effects commonly associated with the more infamous compound THC. While many states have opened up the marketplace for legal marijuana sales, many students find the compound to be a distraction, but CBD products are different. With CBD, you get all the pros of hemp without any of the cons that come with THC. By using alternative cannabinoids found in the plant’s leaves and stems you can get the best of both worlds.
If you’re considering adding CBD to your supplements, always ask a physician first, as you need to ensure that there will be no conflicting side effects with any medications you may already be taking.
Speak with a therapist or consultant.
Speaking with a mental health professional can also work to your advantage while going through business school. You don’t need to be suffering from anything in particular in order to speak with a therapist or psychiatrist; you simply need the desire to talk to someone. These mental health professionals are experts at listening and giving feedback on whatever you have going on in your life. They are well versed in stress-related issues and can provide you with coping mechanisms or simply act as a sounding board for you to vent at the end of a long and particularly stressful day.
These days, online therapy slots are abundant in therapy offices, and there are a plethora of apps and digital connections available through a variety of mediums so that you can access the help that you need from the comfort of your home or in the safe space of an office. Connecting with someone to talk to is the priority and therapists are incredibly flexible and adaptive to your unique needs and circumstances.
While business school is a fantastic ride for many MBA pursuing students, learning how to de-stress and maintain serotonin levels is one of the first and most important lessons you will learn in this fast paced new environment. Whether you’re participating in an accelerated graduate business degree or a more traditional path, taking advantage of the tools out there to reduce stress is a crucial component of your ultimate success in your MBA program and in life on a grander scale.
Managing your stress is a part of life as a student. No matter where you go to business school, you will need to fight against all manner of stressors that only get worse with time. Learning to defeat these productivity killers now will prepare you for the world of business to come after you’ve finished your program and have obtained your MBA.
