Effective Techniques To Reduce Test Anxiety And Exam Stress

Effective Techniques To Reduce Test Anxiety And Exam Stress

Exam stress is no joke: heavy heart palpitations and shaky hands, all the while being so fearful of failing that you can’t even find the motivation to begin studying. Save yourself all that stress and anxiety with these effective techniques and make learning simple for you.

1. Focus on learning, not perfection

Studying is about making mistakes and learning from them. Don’t feel discouraged when you get a question wrong. It takes you a step further than if you had never tried at all. If you’re stressed about not scoring well for practice papers or exams looming nearby, remember that no one begins their journey as a master of their craft.

Do the best you can and work your way up to improve. Expecting perfection often sets people up for failure (and frequently doesn’t exist!). If you’re feeling unmotivated, set time aside while studying to reward yourself. After every 30 minutes to an hour, allow yourself a little break and a nice snack to propel you forward when you hit the books again. Your effort deserves praise.

2. Work smarter, not harder

Know the right methods for effective learning without overwhelming yourself. Studying can be easy (when done right for you). Maximising study time with tailored learning styles can make content much easier to digest. Understand which learning method engages you the most and stick to that to facilitate your studying during revision sessions. This can keep you present and focused and cut short the time it takes to learn and memorise concepts.

Studying doesn’t have to be long-winded and strenuous. A typical test paper is around an hour and 30 minutes long. Time yourself to complete papers within that timeframe, check to see your score, and focus on honing your understanding of the concepts you’re unfamiliar with for perhaps an hour after. This makes a possible 3-hour study session incredibly effective and leaves you with free time for the rest of your day. Take breaks in between to rest your mental energy. Learning can feel peaceful with proper care.

3. Take care of yourself

Neglecting your well-being can lead to more harm than good. Cramming content and not taking time for yourself can lead to mental blocks and burnout sooner rather than later. While studying, take breaks to stretch, hydrate, and get a snack. Study sessions can be strenuous to the mind, a mental workout. Nourish yourself so you have the energy and momentum to continue.

There is one form of care that trumps all others: sleep. Getting proper rest before and after studying is essential to caring for your mind and makes the entire process manageable enough to carry on for the long term. When churning out revision time for extended periods without proper rest, the act or studying will seem extremely difficult to pick back up again in the foreseeable future. Maintain long-term learning by taking the time to rest now.

4. Consistency is key

Learning over time preps you for long-term memory retention and alleviates overall stress.

Be consistent with your studying. After each week, sit down and revise what has been covered in class. This saves you from cramming multiple topics into just one study session and makes learning more concise and organised.

By being consistent in your revision, you can afford to take things slow and focus carefully on learning the concepts from each topic. When we rush, we are forced to pick and choose what we want to remember as we don’t have time to absorb all the information presented. Maximise your learning by giving yourself the luxury to move slowly and steadily.

Conclusion

Exam stress doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Minimise your anxieties with these techniques mentioned and be more proactive than ever in keeping atop your studies and personal well-being!

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