Examination stress: ways to reduce it and have a normal routine
All of us want to be the most productive and useful during the study sessions. But stress is something that could get on the way and ruin plans, making you mentally and physically drained. The most it affects mood – feeling anxiety about not passing the test and lack of motivation to do any preparation. It also could be the overwhelmed feeling that it is not enough time to study everything, and after that sadness and depression period comes. Stress has an impact on the health in general – headaches or no appetite. That’s why it is essential to bear in mind that there are lots of ways to pass exams without stress or at least reduce its level to a minimum.
Ten ways to deal with stress during exam period
1. Create study routine
According to team at Brainy Bro, creating a unique routine is the way to make a profit in the minimum of time. Start with making the calendar of exams, then isolate enough time to prepare for each test and do not put any other things on that day. Try to determine which hours of the day are more productive and use them at full strength. It will help to manage the studies without hurrying and create a space to explore the hardest topics.
2. Sleep enough
During the exams there are lots of information to keep in mind and revise, that’s why the organism should get enough sleeping time, for teenagers and adults is more than 6 hours per day. It could prevent the body from exhausting and give the time to the mind to process data. Also after good sleeping, it is usually more motivation and power to get everything done.
3. Eat healthy food
The main priority is trying not to miss the meals. The brain needs food to work, and it consumes not less than 20% of energy which comes to your body, that’s why it is essential to eat enough during the stress periods. Keep your healthy diet, get a regular dose of vitamins and proteins and do not forget that to function nutritionally your mind need glucose. If it is not home study day, prepare food to take with and do not put the organism in a pang of hunger.
Water should be the fundamental part of your day. Dehydration is only aggravating the situation with stress.
4. Exercise
One more way of managing the stress is doing sport. It can be some home exercises, going to the gym or the running in the morning. It is not only to keep the body fit and in tonus, but also gives an opportunity to change the activity and the scenery. It is the best way to feel more relaxed and comfortable. If exam preparation requires lots of working on the computer, the eyes relaxation exercises should be on the routine, as well as rest for the back.
5. Meditation
The meditation is the process of connecting with inner self and way to relax after a busy day. Just sit for 5-15 mins and concentrate the mind on the breath. It helps to experience what interrupts the most and after finishing this practice, try to reduce the impact of irritant on life. Being in touch with yourself during the hard, stressful times is significance and creates the most friendly living environment.
6. Create revision notes
It can be challenging to remember all the information at one time and revise it one hour before the exam. Creating individual notes during the studying process will make life much easier, and it is no need to spend lots of time to read again through unimportant texts. If the revision notes are made as flash cards, it is the way to have a quick view on each card and create mind associations.
7. Get rid of your phone
The main destruction of the modern people is the cellphone. There are lots of social media, games, videos, photos, news to read and all of these things are not helping with the examination preparation. That time spending on procrastination can play a terrible trick when the exam is on the tomorrow morning, and the revision process is still not started. Because of that phone should be placed far away from the studying place or if it is needed during the learning, set up limiting access apps and use the time to the advantage.
8. Music
Studying session doesn’t mean all of the entertainment things should left the life. Listening to music is the relaxation for mind and soul. Download some favorite songs and listen to them during the breaks to fill with happiness and energy. Classical music could help when it is a need to have a short nap, turn it on and calmly go to sleep.
9. Walk outside
Most people do not understand how important it is to be in connection with nature during the stressful periods. A long walk is a time to rethink what is going on, breathe fresh air, give yourself a rest and also refill with the energy. It is also possible to study outside, for some people it is more effective and faster way to memorize.
10. Start preparing before the last day
Thinking that you have enough time for preparation and revising is great, but usually, people forget how fast the time is and they are not ready the day before exam/test. And for most, it is the most stressful moment when it feels like everything is ruined and it is no way to manage tasks. Mainly these things happen with assessment/paper/programming/art deadlines. That’s why do not forget to use planner and start the groundwork in advance. Read through the texts, highlight the most necessary information, ask the professor any questions you are struggling. In such way, it wouldn’t be panic and anxiety the last days, and overcome the process without suffering and sadness about wasted time.