Exams coming up? – I know the feeling. Need ways to de-stress? Work more efficiently? Get better nights sleep? Well let’s see if this can help YOU!

Ways to de-stress:
When it comes to exams, everyone knows that they can stress you out way beyond your limits. That’s why you need to get on top of work before it piles up a few days before your exams.

One of the greatest ways to avoid stressing leading up to an exam is to prepare yourself throughout the whole year. This may be in the form of ‘study notes’ as a chapter passes which is a small summary that details all the ‘must knows’ of that chapter. This not only saves time, but will be easy to revise over because you have keys points to follow.

Setting up private tutor sessions with your teacher. I found during the year, if I kept up to date with my teacher on how I was going progress wise, I knew what areas I had to work on for my exams. This may be as simple as once a month seeing him/her and asking: how they think your going, what they think you could do to improve and how ways you could go about improving.

Keep on top of all the work throughout the year. Hand in homework tasks so everything gets marked, do all practice exams for feedback. You will find if you stay on top of everything throughout the year, when it comes to exam time you will not be stressing because your ARE prepared to do your best.

If you find yourself stressing for exams, the following are a few tips on how to relax.
  • Do something you enjoy. By this I, mean take a break. Just put down your books and watch TV, go for a run, have something to eat or call someone. Moving away from the stress of work will relax you and put you into a positive mind frame to return to it.
  • Have a bath. It mat sound stupid, but studies have shown that being around water in a stressful time is very relaxing. Fill up the bath tub, light a few candles, put on some soft music and you have created a cliché relaxation time that is guaranteed to work.
  • DO NOT DRINK COFFEE. Whatever you do, do not drink anything caffeine related whilst studying. As it only heightens your energy, it will disrupt your mind set and stress you out. For some it might have the opposite effects, but generally caffeine of any time will stress you out when trying to concentrate.

Ways to work more efficiently:
Ever felt like you have done hours of work, but nothing has really been accomplished? Or you keep getting distracted by the computer? Maybe you need to work out a more efficient way of doing work.

Here are a few steps to working more efficiently when it comes to study:
  • Remove yourself from any distraction. Set up a space to study that is noise free. Do not sit by a computer where you might just ‘check’ your e-mail and just end up as anotherprocrastinator. I know, we have all been there, but when it comes to exams we need to buckle down and get the work done. Make sure you are away from younger siblings or others that may talk to you.
  • Set up your workspace to minimize clutter. Where you study is a vital part of working efficiently.Studies have shown, that working in a well lit room with a large desk space enables the studier to spread out and work better. For this reason set yourself up on a large desk or table that is in a well lit room. Have everything you need on your desk/table to minimise movement away from your study which may break your concentration
  • Make yourself a planner. I have found that creating a plan for my study days is a vital part in my study cycle. It means I know when I have allocated time to certain subjects and when I will break. The following is a very rough draft of what a study planner would look like for a weekend. Make sure you plan most things precisely so you know when to finish and when to start again

  • Take breaks. The biggest thing in studying is keeping your mind active. It is less productive to set 2 hours of hours on hard study for one subject as chaces are after half an hour you WILL get bored. I have found if you study solidly for 30-40minutes on any one subject at a time, you will work efficiently. You may take 5-10 minute breaks to get a drink, have a snack, watch a little TV or just play with a pet for a little while to take your mind off whatever you were just doing. When you go back you are relaxed and ready for another 30-40 minute session before your next break.
  • Set yourself goals. If you set yourself a goal to get 3 pages of notes done in one session block, you will find you will strive to meet them. Start small with something like a single maths exercise or one page of notes. As you get better in studying, set yourself bigger goals. The mind will try and reach everyone, and if you do reach it, reward yourself with a longer break time.
  • Set out what you intend to do in the session. By writing out what you want to do in a single sitting, it will contain you to doing that and that only. Writing as much information on your planner will work in this instance by detailing what you want to do and any references you may need for it. (see study plan)
  • Keep yourself in a good routine. The more you practice a routine, the better you will work. Every time exams come up – get yourself in the habit of copying what you did last time if it worked. This will ultimately minimise stress during the process.

Ways to get good nights sleep:
Thee night before exams, you can’t sleep and you’re stressing. No fear, I have the simplest trick in the book for you.

If you are studying a day before your exam, finish mid afternoon so your body can unwind from working hard all day. Then to follow, do something that you will enjoy. I highly suggest avoiding the following:
  • Alcohol – it reduces tiredness and overall quality of sleep
  • Caffeine – it will keep you awake for hours
  • Smoking – nicotine will stimulate your body causing the same effects as caffeine
A rich, hearty dinner, topped off with a big slice of chocolate cake might seem like the perfect way to end the day, but it’s wise not to eat a large meal within two hours of bed. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods as bedtime snacks.

Foods high in Tryptophan will help with a good nights sleep. These include:

Almonds, Beans (soy, cooked), Carrots (cooked), Oatmeal (cooked) Potato (baked), Rice (brown, cooked) Chicken (breast), Cow (beef roast) Milk (skim) plain yoghurt, skinless chicken and turkey.

Try a few of those for the dinner before your big exams and see how well they work getting you to sleep.

Hopefully some of this helps the time around your exams to be less stressful and you embrace the soon to be A+’s!