How To Reduce Exam Stress and Get The Results You Want!

The exam season kicks off in a few short weeks. The lead-up to GCSE, A Level, and University exams is often a very stressful time. Panic often sets in, especially if you feel unprepared or have gaps in your knowledge. During this time, it's common to doubt yourself, and worry about what will happen if you don’t get the results you are aiming for. These doubts can lead to procrastination and anxiety!

Luckily, there are ways to minimise this stress and prepare effectively, so you can enter the exam season feeling confident. In this post, I'll share a few tips to help you reduce exam stress and achieve the results you want.

What Is Stress?

First things first, I mentioned reducing stress–– not eliminating it. There's a reason for this! Stress, in small doses, is a natural part of life and can actually be beneficial. It helps you focus on tasks and take actions to achieve your goals.  By taking these actions and overcoming discomfort, you build resilience––a vital skill for your life!

However, stress becomes a problem when it gets overwhelming or lasts for prolonged periods. If it starts impacting your sleep, appetite, or causes anxiety, it's a sign that the stress is too much. That is why it's important to focus on controlling the things you can to minimise its impact.

Control What You Can Control

Before starting any activity, it is important to develop a positive mindset. Believe in yourself and take the time to create a plan that works for you.

To develop a positive mindset and reduce exam stress, focus on the things you can control:

• Manage your time effectively.Create a schedule that balances study, rest, and leisure.

• Identify how and where you work best. Choose a study environment that minimizes distractions and maximizes productivity.

• Utilise your strengths. Play to your natural abilities and use them to your advantage.

• Look for opportunities instead of threats. Focus on what you can achieve rather than what might go wrong.

• Remind yourself that you’ll soon have time to relax and celebrate your hard work. Keep the bigger picture in mind to stay motivated.

Block Out The Noise and Do What Works For You

There are one hundred and one influencers out there that will tell you exactly how to get an A*, but their approach might not work for you. With so much advice available, it can quickly become overwhelming. Instead, focus on blocking out the noise and finding what works best for you!

The key to successful revision is to find methods that make sense to you and that remove some of the ‘meh’ from the process. That is why I always recommend playing to your strengths and letting that guide you.

For some of you, this might mean getting out your pens, pencils, and colourful bits of paper and creating flashcards or mind maps. For instance, one of my current students enjoys creating pictures and paintings to visualise key points. By using their creativity, they reduce stress and make the process more fun!

Others might prefer breaking things down into themes and bullet points, speaking aloud, or gamifying the process by using apps or setting challenging but fun targets . The key is to do what works best for you.

What creative methods could you try to make revision more enjoyable and a whole lot less 'cringe?'

Sleep, Rest and Have Fun

I often get asked, “How many hours should I spend doing revision before my exams?” The answer to that will always be personal. However, one thing that I always emphasise when discussing revision schedules is the importance of scheduling rest and fun activities. Sitting at your desk for ten hours is counterproductive and can quickly lead to revision fatigue.

Getting a good night's sleep and taking regular breaks throughout the day are crucial for helping your brain process and retain knowledge. Likewise, having free days in the week to relax and spend time with friends is a great way to take the pressure off.

A great way to manage your time is by using the Pomodoro Technique. This involves dividing your tasks into smaller activities, such as revising one topic or character. The technique works like this:

• Set a twenty-five minute timer.

• Work continuously on that one task.

• Take a short five minute break (get a drink or have a walk around––don’t doomscroll).

• Repeat the process four times (pomodoros).

• Then take a longer 15-30 minute break.

Give it a go and see how you get on!

When Do You Work Best?

Choose times to study when you work best. If you are most productive in the morning, focus on completing challenging tasks during that time. For those of you who work better at night, avoid scheduling difficult tasks in the morning.

There is a reason why straight after school is rarely a productive time: you are tired from your day. When you get home, take a break by doing some light exercise, such as a short walk, run or yoga, or enjoy a healthy snack. Then, if you find that you are more productive in the evening, do an hour or so either before or after your dinner.

How To Silence the Mind Monkeys

In the lead-up to exams, you are likely to experience fears and doubts about your results. This is totally normal, as uncertainty about the future or pressure to get certain grades can feel overwhelming. However, there are times when the ‘mind monkeys’ can get out of control, saying unhelpful things like, ‘You are going to fail!’ or ‘You know nothing!’

When that happens, it is useful to ask yourself: where is the evidence? Often, the mind monkeys will quiet down after that. If you still find yourself feeling anxious––especially the day before or just before an exam–– try this effective technique to calm your nerves.

• Think about a time when you were worried about something but ended up achieving a good result.

  
  

• How did you feel 20 minutes later, or when you found out the result? Amazing, right?

  
  

• Visualise that day: where you were, how you felt and if you did anything to celebrate.

  
  

• Stay in that moment and remind yourself that you were nervous then, but you still smashed it––and you will again!

You Can Do This!

Your mindset is crucial. Throughout the revision process, remind yourself repeatedly: YOU HAVE GOT THIS! Believe in your ability to achieve the results you need.

Keep telling yourself this as you take positive steps forwards, and you will smash your exams!

Remember: YOU HAVE GOT THIS!