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This Teacher’s List of Tips for Managing Stress Will Change Your Life

Brett Phillips
Student Kelsey Thompson with teacher Brett Phillips Courtesy Brett Phillips

Senior year is hard. Which is why Brett Phillips, a teacher at Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard, California, gave his Introduction to Psychology class a list of ways to cope with stress. 

The tips went viral after Phillips’ grateful student Alina Ramirez tweeted them on September 2. Ramirez highlighted the points that she found especially helpful.

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Phillips’ guide, which he’s been handing out for 10 years, includes 101 suggestions such as “prepare for the morning the night before,” and “always make copies of important papers.”

Other highlights include:

  • Get up 15 minutes earlier.
  • Make duplicate keys.
  • Say “no” more often.
  • Avoid tight-fitting clothes.
  • Practice breathing slowly.
  • Know your limitations and let others know them too.
  • Buy yourself a flower.
  • Talk less and listen more

Phillips tells Us Weekly he compiled the list from various articles and textbooks in hopes of helping his seniors manage their anxiety.

https://twitter.com/lovelyyy_lina/status/771858389181661188

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“The biggest thing with my students is time management,” the 40-year-old father says. “A lot of them have jobs, they have household responsibilities and they want to keep their grades up because they’re trying to get into college. Many of them play sports and aren’t getting home until 8 … then there’s homework. It’s a grind.”

His tips have since been retweeted more than 24,000 times. “Sharing this with one of my kids,” wrote one person, while another raved: “Wow, this is amazing. Thank you! Therapists need to use your list as a set of coping skills.”

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