So exam period is upon you and it all feels completely hopeless! How ever will you study that much material in a week? How on Earth are you going to memorise all that information? So you start to feel down and demotivated, which leads to even more procrastination, and ultimately you get stuck in a vicious cycle.
STOP!! I’ve been there, exactly where you are now! Just stop whatever thought is hindering your process and read these tips to help you revitalise your attitude and get you back on track…
- Make a list – Create a list of all the things you want to achieve throughout the day, making sure that you’re not setting the bar too high. If everyday you fail to reach your goals, it can be very disheartening. I like to make sure to include even the small things on my list, such as showering, doing the washing up, organising my notes, etc. This gives you a sense of achievement every time you tick something off your list, which in turn makes you more motivated to carry on with your study plan or schedule.
- Go for a walk – When you get into that stress spiral, that makes you panic and feel useless, halt those emotions in their tracks. Now grab your coat and head outside. Even if you just walk down the street and back again, it gives you a few minutes away from the situation and allows you to look at the big picture. Breathe, calm down and tell yourself that you can do this.
- Keep chugging along – Stress spiralling only makes things worse. If you add up all the minutes you spend worrying about the exam and how you’re never going to be able to study everything, you could probably have spent an extra few hours, if not more, studying. Those few hours could be the difference between a fail and a pass. Every moment you spend stressing or procrastinating is a moment you aren’t studying.
- Have a shower – This tip may seem like a bizarre one, but when you get up in the morning and get showered and dressed, you are starting a new day with a positive attitude. Sometimes throughout the day that attitude fades and you need a reboot. Firstly having a shower is relaxing and secondly it’s a way of tricking your brain into a attitude reboot.
- Smile – Take a moment and think of a happy memory, or ring a family member or friend who makes you laugh. When we smile we release endorphins and serotonin. It’s a hell of a lot easier to be positve, when we have the right sort of hormones coursing through our bodies.
- Grow up! – It’s all too easy to say that bad things happen to you and play the victim. When you have this sort of attitude you attract negative situations and emotions. Take responsibility for you. Tell yourself “I am in charge of my life!”, “I make my own future” and “things won’t just fall in my lap, I must make them happen”. I recently got into some very bad habits; I stopped going to class everyday, I told myself that my course was hard and near-on impossible. Yes it’s a more intense course, but I was building it up in my head and making it harder for myself. Once I took responsibilty and realised that I had been acting like a child, things got better. I made them better for myself. I got things done and my school life improved.
- Wiggle your toes – Take a moment and wiggle your toes, roll your ankles, stretch your legs. It’s amazing how such a simple thing can make you feel better. When we get wrapped up in our stresses and hectic lives, it’s easy to forget just how incredible we are, how complex our bodies are. Remind yourself of this by appreciating what your body does for you. And recognise that you are stressing because of the release of certain hormones and the triggering of certain chemical reactions.
- Blast some music – Finally, take a couple of minutes to play your favourite happy song. Immerse yourself in positivity and some of it is bound to sink in!
I hope this has helped. Remember it’s not worth worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet. Take your time and keep studying.