BONUS: Exam stress
This time of year comes with many sources of stress, one being exam stress for most students.
Before we get into the details of exam stress and the management thereof, have a look at my previous post about general stress management.
First things first, what you need to know about stress:
Stress is a normal reaction of the body to external stressors such as exams, tasks, etc.
Short-term stress does not necessarily cause major health concerns, however uncontrolled and unmanaged stress will cause short-term restrictions if not dealt with properly.
Not all stress is bad. Short-lived stress can have powerful benefits, such as improved alertness, performance, and memory boosting.
Once we recognize our stressors and stress response we can manage our stress effectively.
Every individual will respond to stress differently, and the same stressor will cause different reactions from different people. It is your responsibility to determine how you react to stress and thus figure out how to manage your stress.
Now, here are a few practical tips on how to deal with exam stress:
Declutter your mind and workspace:
To avoid any extra external stressors such as a messy room, messy desk or messy mind ensure to keep your working/studying space clean and neat.
Pack away all unnecessary items on your desk/workspace. Only keep the necessities for your studying and writing close by.
Make sure you have enough supplies at hand for every day. Stock up on pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, paper, etc.
Have a dustbin handy to eliminate any extra garbage after every studying session.
Leave your workspace clean after every session and before you go to bed at night.
Messy space = messy mind
Plan, plan, plan:
Planning might seem very unattractive to certain personality types, but planning is essential in managing stress and decluttering the mind.
Use a calendar or dated diary to set out exam dates and times.
Schedule time for studying for each test.
As you progress tick off each activity, day, and exam.
Prepare ahead:
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Preparing ahead is crucial to managing a stressful exam roster.
Use your preplanned schedule to allocate time for studying each module, chapter, and subject.
Very often thoughts, to-do lists, and things to remember that float in our heads cause extra unnecessary stress, thus writing them down and organizing these thoughts and to-do lists relieves an enormous amount of stress.
Just as much as the above is essential, so much so is it essential to take care of yourself:
Nutrition:
A healthy body is a healthy mind and one of the most important aspects of a healthy body is good nutrition. For your mind to optimally think, learn, and retain information for a long period, you need to fuel your body properly with the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Eating proper meals three times a day is essential to fueling the brain. Here is a few healthy brain food:
Protein: | Fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, meat, lentils, dairy and soy products. Protein helps with brain messages and mood stabilizing. |
Antioxidants: | Fruits and veggies such as berry fruits, pomegranates, etc. Antioxidants help prevent brain aging. |
Omega 3: | Oily fish, flax seeds, eggs, chicken and beef. Omega 3 helps your brain work harder and improve mental health. |
Dietary cholesterol: | Dairy and egg yolks. Your brain uses cholesterol to create cells that send messages to the rest of the body. |
Monounsaturated fats: | Avocados, nuts, olive oil, etc. These oils can improve memory and help the brain work harder and faster. |
Caffeine: | Tea, coffee, and dark chocolate. Small doses of caffeine can help you feel refreshed and focused. |
Water: | Water is vital to keeping your body and brain in good shape to work. |
PSA to all parents of stressed students: Make healthy, nutritious, and brain-conscious meals for your child during these stressful times.
Clearing the mind and destressing:
Clearing the mind of stress actively is important to ensure that the brain gets a break. Clearing the mind is different for all people, thus you need to identify what clears your mind the best.
After a long time of studying take some time to relax in whatever way your mind relaxes the best. Here are a few examples of stress-relieving activities:
Exercising
Hobbies
Self-care
Watching a movie, series/videos
Socialising with friends and family
Breathing exercises, meditation
Sleep:
Above all else, sleep is the most important aspect of a healthy, alert, and strong brain.
It is very tempting to study until the early morning hours, and you might feel that you can function effectively with little to no sleep, but many research studies show that without sleep the brain functions at a lower level of alertness and concentration.
It is essential for you to not only get enough sleep at night but also have a healthy nighttime routine.
Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep.
Avoid any electronic devices about 30 minutes before bed.
Avoid rushing in the morning therefore get up early enough to have a relaxing breakfast and morning routine.
Before bed, make sure to declutter and destress your brain by journalling, doing breathing exercises, reading, etc.
In conclusion, although stress is inconvenient and a burden to most, remember that all focus is manageable under the right circumstances. Create the optimal environment for yourself from the start to ensure you manage exam stress effectively.
As in life, balance is the most important aspect of a healthy and happy life. Find balance not only in your daily life but also during exam time, with that said there is enough time every day to do all the things that need to be done.
At the end of the day, regardless of how stressful exams might be, unnecessary stress often does more bad than good, therefore manage your stress from day one for a successful exam period.
Good luck for all writing exams
xx
See a few printables down below for you:
Calendar
Journalling guide
Weekly planner
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