How to Deal with Exam Stress and Anxiety during Preparation
Are you worried about your upcoming exams next month? Fear of exams is not a new thing. Everyone feels stressed or anxious during exam preparation. Whether we admit it or not, we can perform well when we are less anxious, less stressed, and bold enough to tackle problems. We can deal with exam stress and anxiety with the help of some great strategies. Here we are going to discuss coping strategies for exam stress.
What is the best way to get rid of the stress of exams?
There is no such fast & forward technique to tackle exam pressure. But you can use some exam stress relief tips for coping with examination stress & pressure:
- Eat Well & Healthy
- Take Proper Sleep
- Physical Activity & Exercise
- Set Realistic Goals
- Believe in Yourself
- Relax Yourself to Deal with Exam stress
- Talk to Family and Friends
- Enjoy the Process
1. Eat Well & Healthy
In order to keep functioning properly, your body needs the right nutrients that it gets from foods. The food you eat affects your physical as well as mental health. When your body has the optimum nutrients it needs, it makes it easier to manage feelings of stress and anxiety. Keep your body & mind energized by eating healthy foods like fruit, veggies soup, etc. And avoid foods with lots of fats or sugars that can make you feel heavy or sluggish. Also, drink lots of water and abstain from too much intake of carbonated drinks and caffeine.
2. Take Proper Sleep
A night of good sleep helps you remember what you had learned earlier. Get enough sleep during your exam preparation. For your body’s best performance, make sure you’re getting 8 hours of sleep. A night of sound sleep helps you to overcome exam stress & anxiety. If you’re stressed about not being able to sleep, you should calm down and not take load & relax your body.
3. Physical Activity & Exercise
You should keep an active lifestyle. Doing physical activities like running, walking and swimming, will leave you feeling fresh, calm, and energetic for the whole day. Exercising is one of the most effective ways to deal with exam stress & detox yourself. Inhaling fresh air during exercise will clear your head and make your mind fresh. Hence build a regular exercise routine and add it to your timetable.
4. Set Realistic Goals
You should set up some realistic goals, not unrealistic ones. Setting realistic targets, whether you have several weeks, or days before your exam helps you to create a blueprint of preparation that assists you to manage exam stress. You need to identify your weak area and where you stand. Next, accept your current situation and start working to achieve your goals by maximizing your productivity. It will help to deal with exam stress without burning out yourself.
5. Believe in Yourself
Believing is as important as doing. You can’t do or achieve anything if you doubt yourself. Instead of underestimating yourself, you should think about how far you have come already. You have already done incredible work and achieved something worthy already. As you have already prepared well, there should be no reason to worry. However, if you are experiencing any negative thoughts, try to change them with a positive one and this positive thought will give strength to deal with exam pressure.
6. Relax Yourself to Deal with Exam Stress
Reduce feelings of stress or anxiety when studying or preparing for exams by relaxing yourself. Doing any activity on a regular basis becomes monotonous & causes boredom. The need for a proper break becomes a necessity, allot some time for leisure to feel regenerated. You can read exam stress quotes, watch a movie, play a game, go for a walk or for shopping, etc. These activities only take a moment and help your body and mind to relax so that you feel better and concentrate on your study again with a fresh mind.
7. Talk to Family and Friends
If you find that you are still feeling stressed then talk to your near & dear ones like parents, friends, teachers, or a counselor. Sometimes just a good conversation can make you feel better and the person listening to you may provide some guidance to you. If you’re feeling really anxious, a good chat with friends or family members helps you to get out of anxiety. Also, they can share some tips to deal with exam stress and anxiety.
8. Enjoy the Process
You should enjoy the exam preparation process rather than panicking and being stressed during the study. If you experience low points at any time, take deep breaths, hydrate yourself, and then go back to where all it started. You should think about why this particular exam is important to you and how it is going to benefit you. Remember that usually there is a rational solution to every problem & obstacle, even if you can’t see it at first glance.
Final Thought
Exams aren’t everything; either you pass the exam or fail the exam. Whatever happens with your competitive exam, you can still be successful in your life. Exam success doesn’t define you as a person or human being. You are a good person and you will achieve many things and deal with exam stress with ease. There’s nothing you can do about exams, and worrying won’t change your mark. So if you don’t do as well as you expected, try to keep positive thoughts & stop worrying about results.