It is no surprise that many students face pressure, stress, and worry during the build up to exams. This especially occurs during the time of GCSE’s, A Levels, and University. However even though you cannot eliminate the feeling of pressure, nervousness, and stress, you can help reduce it using some of the tips I am going to share with you

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An important tip I can give you is that you shouldn’t try to tackle too much work at once – break work into small, manageable chunks that you can comfortably handle during a particular study time or lesson. It’s demoralizing and overwhelming if you have a huge amount of work sitting in front of you, so break it down into stages – for example, rather than setting yourself an entire essay to research and write in one go, break down the work into the preliminary research and notes, then the actual essay.

One of the main tips I can give you is do not work for long periods of time as your brain will not only lose focus it will also forget all the information which you have attained. almost all studies on brain function and concentration agree that most people cease to maintain their level of productivity after 50 – 90 minutes of continuous work. Sessions of longer than an hour will leave you exhausted and frustrated. One way to not work for a long period of time is by taking a break and it’s important to note that the most effective breaks are those where you get away from your study space and take your mind off of the task at hand. You’re not really going to be resting your mind if you’re still at your desk and thinking about all the assignments you have to do. Instead, walk around the house, take a short walk, get something to eat, and just clear your mind as much as you can.

The Biggest problem students now face when it comes to studying is procrastination. STOP PROCRASTINATING. I know it is easier said than done, but to boost your productivity, you’re going to have to stop procrastinating. Don’t put off till tomorrow what could be done today; don’t think to yourself that you’ll just check your phone one more time before you start studying. Take the plunge and force yourself to knuckle down to your work.

A final tip is don’t leave everything until the last minute Even if you work better under the pressure of a looming deadline, it’s never advisable to leave any work until the last minute. Plan to complete work with plenty of time to spare to allow for any unexpected delays, such as taking longer to read something than expected, or longer to understand it. Finishing in plenty of time also then frees up more time for working on other things.

A physiological way to improve your productivity is by eating well and healthy foods, drink plenty of water. Dehydration kills your concentration by making you sluggish and headachy and finally the most important way to improve you to improve your productivity is by getting good rest and sleep. Some psychological ways to improve your productivity is is by developing a positive mental attitude, by developing this you will have more motivation to continue your studies and remain productive. A final way you can psychologically improve your productivity is by rewarding yourself when you have accomplished something and by being productive in groups. For example, studying in a group will help you remain productive and keep others in check too as you are surrounded by people who are going through the exact same thing you are going through.

Talk to your Parents :

about how your home life Is affecting your studies. Have a gentle talk. Talk about your stress to them and they’ll be able to help, especially with your home studies. As for household chores, make sure you do them first before any studying. This will ensure you have a peaceful time studying without the thought of having to add on to any other things on your ’to-do-list’. Make sure to keep your working space clean, it helps with your concentration, it would put your mind at ease. Let your family know when you're going to revise to ensure that you have a a nice quiet environment to. Study and revise in.

Distractions:

One thing that can really put anyone of studying would be distractions. Ranging from a noisy working space or entertainment sources. This can really put you off studying and lead to procrastination which isn't a good thing. If the cause of your distractions is out of your control, then make sure you have a space for yourself to study i.e., your own room or go to a quiet library. If the source of the distraction is sort of your own doing, like social media, then make sure during your study time you keep it away from you, as far as possible. This would help you focus and get what needs to be done. (Electronics are causes for many distractions and limits the development of the brain.)

Stress:

some can't stick to timetables on when to do homework, and when to revise. Have a piece of paper, list all the things you must do that day including studying and house chores. Don't forget to put times where possible e.g., school finishes at a certain time. This would help you see what to do and when. Furthermore, creating a list would help you prioritize what to do first and when to do it. Timetables can be intimidating and can make you feel like you must do things precisely. However, creating a list would ensure a more relaxed routine and can fit in with your needs. 

Look into your wellbeing :

make sure to take care of your health, take breaks, study for 45 minutes and take a 15-minute break instead of cramming everything in one go. It helps not only with concentration but remembering things. Make sure to NOT skip your meals no matter how urgent you need to study. Make notes that are suitable to your style, e.g., colourful notes or flash cards. And don't forget to push yourself out of your comfort zone, study topics that are hard for you and not the ones you know. It would help if you focus more on the things you don't know instead of the things you do know.

Sleep enough

Have a good night’s sleep before the exam. Staying up late to ‘cram’ is never a good idea. Stop revising at a point which gives you time to calm down, then go to bed at a decent time.

Stop and reset

If your mind goes blank during the exam, do a simple breathing exercise to focus yourself, then have a calm read through the exam paper to find something you know well. Start by answering that, to bolster your confidence, then move on to the trickier stuff.

Focus on you

Don’t focus on what other people are doing in the exam hall. You can’t judge how well you are doing by how other people are behaving.

Move on

Don’t keep re-living the exam when it’s over. You’ve done what you can and you can’t change anything now. Move onto the next one.

The Soul Journal Youth Team