Handling exam pressure

If you want to do well in any exam, the first and foremost step is to focus on the EFFORTS and shut out the RESULTS from your mind. Effort is entirely within your power and capability whereas Result is not so.


Plan and phase your efforts consistently over a period of time instead of exerting too much at the last minute. If there is not much time between now and your exams, do not attempt to make major changes to your study pattern. Additional over exertion at the last minute is usually counter-productive.


You must remember that you have been putting efforts over a period of time. The fear that you are not fully ready is merely an illusion because you cannot read your brain like the contents of a hard disk. Slow reading of important chapters will reinforce your learning and sub-consciously invigorate the storage in your brain. When you are in the studying or reading phase, do not try to test your memory by attempting to recall what you have studied. You can always take a mock test for this purpose but that too not very often.


Schedule your late night or early morning efforts depending on your comfort level because doing both at the cost of a good sleep will be counter-productive. Listen to your instincts and take regular breaks by listening to music or taking a short walk or even a nap, if you feel like it. It will make your efforts more productive.


Find the time for making notes or recording chapter highlights when you are not in the mood to study. These notes or highlights will be useful for review on the day before the exams. Stop studying at least a couple of hours before the exam. Instead relax and chill out confident with the belief that you have put in your best efforts. You will then be able to coax your brain into high productivity during the actual exams.


Remember that discussing questions and answers after completing an exam serves no purpose at all. After getting back from an exam take a well deserved break before starting the preparation for the next exam.


Most importantly, you must always remember that it is only YOU and not the exam results which will determine your future. You can master every result, every situation and every challenge by continuously adapting and reinventing yourself. All the best.