How to use your internship as a stepping stone to a successful career

In today’s fast paced business world, taking on a full-time internship can be daunting and, at times, stressful. Taking on that challenge in a foreign country and a new business culture takes it up a notch. Learning how to deal with stress in a professional setting is an excellent skill to develop early in your career. Effective stress management is one of the best ways to stay ahead in challenging environments, and will also allow you to develop into a top-notch leader or manager.

When you’re feeling stressed at your internship, or even in your personal life, it’s important to analyze where the stress is coming from, and to take proactive steps to deal with your stress. Discover how to deal with stress at your internship through these tips:

Get enough sleep
Sleep has been scientifically proven to reduce levels of stress. However, at the same time, high stress can also make it difficult to get enough sleep. If you’re feeling stressed during your time abroad, take a look at how much sleep you’re getting. In between social events, networking, interning and traveling, a good night’s sleep doesn’t always come first. However, getting between 7 and 8 hours of sleep is crucial to a successful, low-stress experience. For many young professionals, a rejuvenating night of rest is how to deal with stress.

Exercise
One excellent way to ensure you’ll sleep well at night is to incorporate regular exercise into your daily routine. Exercise produces endorphins, hormones that are natural painkillers. The release of endorphins makes it easier to sleep, which as we know, decreases stress levels. In fact, exercise is one of the most common ways global professionals deal with stress.

Practice good time management
Time management and stress management go hand in hand. For obvious reasons, good time management is one way to keep your stress levels low during your internship. Of course, this is easier said than done, when you have an entire country to explore and a full-time internship. When you’re managing your time well, you feel more in control, and less stressed.

Slow down
Slowing down can be very difficult when there’s a lot to do and see, for example when you’re living abroad. However, if you slow down and focus on one thing at a time, it can also help you to manage your stress level. Taking time in your day for a few deep breaths, or stepping out for a walk on your lunch break are great examples of how to deal with stress during your internship. Additionally, consider blocking out one day a week for yourself. Without any events or plans for the day, you can spend the time to gather your thoughts and enjoy some peace and quiet.

Ask for help
Sometimes, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, the best thing to do is ask for advice on how to deal with stress. As an intern abroad, you’ll have a strong support system, both in person and online. Utilizing TalkSpace is one of the best ways to get help dealing with your stress. As an intern with The Intern Group, you’ll have access to this anonymous online platform, where you can speak with a professional about culture shock, stress, and anything else related to living abroad.

This article was originally published by Golden Key partner The Intern Group. You can see the original article here.