Here’s what it’s all about:
Your time at university is an exciting period: you meet new people, gain lots of fresh inspiration, enjoy plenty of freedom and are spoilt for choice when it comes to how you spend your time. At the same time, however, this very same freedom often brings stress with it. Deadlines, exams and the pressure you put on yourself can quickly feel overwhelming.
✨ The good news is that stress isn’t a sign that you’re overwhelmed – it’s a signal that you can understand and manage.
With the right strategies, you can manage stress during your studies, study more relaxed and learn more effectively. We’ll show you step by step how to do it.
Stress during your studies stems less from the subject matter itself than from thought patterns, self-perception and emotional reactions. So it often starts in your head. Thoughts such as ‘I’m not good enough’ or ‘Everyone else is better than me’ put you under pressure and can lead to procrastination or a fear of making mistakes – even before you’ve started studying at all.
This is precisely what exacerbates stress. The first step is therefore to become aware of these thoughts and to question them.
💡Try to change your inner dialogue: mistakes aren’t proof of incompetence, but part of the learning process. Setbacks are part of the journey and are often even necessary for true understanding.
A realistic, positive self-image helps you deal with challenges more calmly. You’ll notice: as soon as you put less pressure on yourself, your studies will feel easier too.
Success at university has less to do with talent than many people think. What really matters is how you study.
Everyone has different strengths: some learn better by
It’s worth actively trying these out. For example, you could record your own podcasts, present content visually or write down connections. We’ll provide you with some engaging study methods, such as role-play, right from the start of your studies.
It is also important to reflect on your own learning habits. What works well? What causes you stress? The better you understand how you learn, the less learning feels like a chore – and the more control you gain over your stress during your studies.
💡Tip: Keeping a small study journal can help you spot patterns and make targeted adjustments.
Your brain loves routines. If you always study in the same place, it automatically associates that place with focus and concentration.
Whether in the library or at home: the important thing is that you have a fixed environment that is used solely for studying. This helps you get into ‘work mode’ more quickly. The more clearly structured your environment is, the less energy you need to muster to get started – and the less stress you’ll feel.
In addition, small rituals can help reinforce the context and overcome a lack of motivation when studying.
💡Tip: Choose a regular playlist – perhaps featuring lo-fi music or binaural beats – that signals to your brain: ‘Time to study’. You could also use different playlists for different activities – one for studying, one for working or writing, and one to help you fall asleep.
Make a conscious effort to set aside periods of study free from distractions. This will help you stay focused in a world full of stimuli and distractions (such as social media). Every time you’re interrupted, your brain needs time to get back into the task at hand. This takes energy and increases stress.
Put your mobile phone in flight mode or place it out of reach. Set yourself clear time slots during which you concentrate on just one task. Our brains need breaks. Even if you feel you need to be constantly up to date: taking occasional time out is an important prerequisite for critical thinking and deep learning.
The saying ‘The brain is a muscle’ isn’t without reason: long, unstructured study sessions lead to exhaustion just as much as long training sessions in sport. It’s more effective to work in clear intervals.
Why not give the Pomodoro Technique a go: you study for 25 minutes with full concentration, then take a 5-minute break. After four rounds, you take a longer break. Just like with sport, you can tailor the work and break times to suit your individual needs.
This method helps you break large tasks down into smaller units and bring structure to your studies. This reduces feeling overwhelmed and makes progress visible. At the same time, your brain gets regular breaks. Use these for a relaxing snack, some exercise or a chat. This way, you’ll stay focused for longer and feel less drained.
When stress levels rise, your body reacts immediately: your heart rate, breathing and muscle tension all change.
You can consciously counteract this with what is known as ‘box breathing’. To do this, you breathe in for four seconds, hold your breath for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds and hold your breath again for four seconds.
This simple technique signals to your nervous system that there is no danger. Your body relaxes and your mind becomes clearer.
With a little practice and self-awareness, this breathing technique is an extremely effective tool for managing stress during your studies, particularly in exam situations or when you’re feeling under acute pressure.
Relaxation is a skill you can practise, for example through
💡 It’s important that you practise these techniques regularly, rather than only when you’re completely stressed out.
Guided meditations are a good place to start. Just a few minutes a day can make a big difference. Over time, you’ll notice that you’re able to calm down more quickly, even in stressful situations.
As a student at our university, you have free access to the 7Minds app, where you can not only play the meditations (which last 7 minutes, hence the name) but also delve deeper into the topic of mental health during your studies.
Stress is not just a mental phenomenon, but a physical one too. When you’re tense, your body stores up this energy. Exercise helps to release this tension. A walk, a light workout or simply a few minutes of movement between study sessions can work wonders.
It’s not about peak performance, but about finding balance. Exercise helps you organise your thoughts, process your emotions and then carry on working with a clearer mind. Often, the best ideas come to you precisely when you’re moving.
So if you’re feeling stressed during your studies, exercise helps your body release that energy. In the long term, regular exercise helps keep your overall stress levels lower. So make exercise a regular part of your routine – not just when you’ve got a lot on your plate.
Try to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep regularly and stick to a regular sleep schedule, as good sleep is crucial for concentration, memory and emotional stability. Not getting enough sleep
Reduce screen time before bed so your brain can switch off more easily. If it’s unavoidable, use blue light filters in glasses or adjust your screen settings. If possible, switch to warm lighting in the evenings.
Many students treat free time as something they first have to ‘earn’. The opposite is true. Rest is essential for your brain to remain at its best. Make a conscious effort to set aside time for things that do you good: sport, nature, friends, or simply doing nothing.
These breaks help you recharge your batteries and gain some perspective. This allows you to work with greater focus when the time comes. Incidentally, according to brain researchers, social media doesn’t fall into this category, even if it often feels that way to us.
Hobbies and social activities are good for your self-esteem, help combat loneliness and offer new perspectives that help you not to take stress so personally and to put it into perspective.
Sometimes self-management alone isn’t enough. If stress is taking a constant toll, it’s important to accept help. After all, early intervention prevents chronic stress or burnout. This could be a chat with friends, or professional support from counselling services or therapists. Seeking help early on isn’t a sign of weakness, but of strength. It shows that you’re taking responsibility for your health.
⚠️Important: Even though digital tools such as AI can be helpful, they are no substitute for real support.
Studying successfully doesn’t mean avoiding stress entirely. It means learning to cope with it effectively.
👉 If you boost your self-esteem, make a conscious effort to maintain a balance and learn how to work effectively, you’ll not only study in a more relaxed way – but also be more successful.
