Write
to Panacea and you might be answered! We want to wipe that frown off
your face. Remember, all askers remain anonymous. Just drop your
question into our mailbox, or write to us at salford.psy.hk@gmail.com.
The Goddess awaits your worries and woes.
Kristen Pereira
Dear Panacea,
Hi! Nice to meet you! Exam month is definitely a torture to all
students. I find that particularly one type of stress is killing me. It is the
stress of uncertainties. I used to plan everything well before I start to work
on it. Yet, if the dates and appointments are not confirmed, I just become
stuck and lost. Another problem is that, I always want to make my sleep pattern
right, that is to sleep and wake early. However, I often start to work in late
afternoon, so it pushes everything in my schedule back. Could you kindly offer
some advice on my situation?
Out
of schedule
Dear Out of schedule,
‘P’ is for procrastination. Luckily, ‘P’ is also for
Panacea. Obviously, you are very stressed or anxious, which is causing you to
procrastinate more. The anxiety comes from not knowing exact exam dates, which
also adds more stress.
You might also procrastinate because you’re afraid of
failing. It’s what’s making you delay starting your work. It’s a kind of
‘self-handicapping’, to protect your self-esteem.
You seem like the kind of person that can’t cope with a lack
of structure. It’s simple then. Make one for yourself instead of waiting for
one to be given to you. Set a date for yourself, and this is the difficult
part: Stick to it.
Actually, your poor sleeping pattern can also be accountable
as a possible source of procrastination. If you don’t sleep enough, it will
leave you with a lack of energy. You also mentioned you start working late in
the afternoons. Assuming that you wake up late and then procrastinate, there’s
something you can do to avoid procrastination in the morning. Before you sleep
each night, make a list of things to do as soon as you’re awake. That gives you
the organized life you need to stop procrastination. Again, assuming you start
working after having your lunch, try not to eat a heavy lunch. It leaves you
feeling lazy and lost when you get back to work.
As a student, there’re few things you can do to alleviate
stress. Understand that you can’t always be perfect. When there are complicated
tasks, break them down. Don’t try to tackle it all at once. Keep your
distractions to a minimal. And finally, organise your work area. If you don’t
have one, find a quiet, clean one. Good luck!
___________________________________________________________________________
Dear Panacea,
I’m an only child. I live with my father. My mom passed away
a few years ago. My dad’s been fine up till now, but recently, he’s been
getting on my nerves! We hardly talk, but when we do, he follows this constant
cycle of anger, guilt, sadness and ends up crying and I’m 14, how am I supposed
to handle it? Seriously, I think the best way to describe it is Man PMS. Help
me deal with him before I explode too! (Imagine two people PMS-ing. It’s not
pretty.)
Parent
PMS-ing
(N.B. PMS = pre-menstrual syndrome)
Dear PMS-ing,
As funny as it sounds, Men PMS is real! Only it’s called the
‘irritable male syndrome’. I’m sorry, but
as a woman, you must be prepared to handle such situations, as he will have to
learn to handle yours. Basically, normal symptoms include anger, irritability,
hypersensitivity and all the other normal girl PMS symptoms (like mood swings,
depression, back ache, headaches, etc.)
Watch out for a few things:
Is
your dad going through a stressful period in life? (no pun intended)
Is
he on new medication?
Is
he eating well?
Does
he sleep a good number of hours, uninterrupted?
Has
he been drinking lately?
Is
he/has he been sick?
It’s important to understand, he’s not
doing it on purpose. When you have your next conversation with him, try to be
patient. He needs you right now. Give him a nice, big hug. Tell him it’s going
to be okay. Try your best not to cry if he shouts at you, because that is only
going to add to the guilt. If necessary, avoid him at those times, and talk to him
when he’s in a better mood. Take care of him, instead of the other way around.
Now’s your turn to shine as a daughter.
And don’t worry, it’ll be over soon!
References:
Q1:
11 Causes and Cures for Procrastination. (n.d.). Purpose,
Meaning, Accomplishment, Success, Happiness -- John Place Online . com.
Retrieved January 31, 2012, from
http://johnplaceonline.com/stress-management/11-causes-and-cures-for-procrastination/
Best Way To Overcome Procrastination. (n.d.). How To Stop
Procrastinating . Retrieved January 31, 2012, from
http://www.procrastinatorhelp.com/overcome-procrastination.html
Q2:
Male PMS: Irritable Male Syndrome - Health & Wellness -
Tree.com. (n.d.). Tree. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from
http://www.tree.com/health/pms-male-pms.aspx
No comments:
Post a Comment