How to look after your wellbeing during the lead up to exams?
Currently, many students across the country are preparing for their exams.
Whether you are studying for GCSEs, mocks, or A levels, it’s important that during these periods of high-intensity stress, you remember to look after your well-being. It is essential your mental and physical health is not negatively impacted, simultaneously preventing academic burnout, which could jeopardize the overall outcome of your hard work.
So, here are some steps to look after your general well-being:
Practice efficient time management
During a period when you may feel burdened with an overload of tasks and assignments, it is significant to organize your time to make tasks more manageable. Don’t let the things you love be left undone!
An underlying theme throughout whatever method you use to manage your time should be to prioritize tasks, which will alleviate the bulk of your workload. By prioritizing chosen tasks, you can feel on top of everything without setting unrealistic standards. A technique you may implement into your routine is making a to-do list of the top tasks that come to mind while thinking about what you need to complete. These tasks are more likely to be the most pressing assignments.
Take care of your physical health
Times of high-intensity stress can take a toll on one’s mental health, and if not addressed, it can also be detrimental to your physical health. Exam anxiety is a common obstacle among many students, with reports finding that approximately 40% of students experience it. Thus, to look after your physical health, it is salient to remember to have a balanced diet, exercise, and acquire a sufficient amount of sleep. It may sound like generic tips you hear from those around you, but these are the keys to preventing stress-induced ailments such as headaches, high blood pressure, insomnia, and much more. Moreover, by taking care of your physical health, your brain will have increased alertness, making you better prepared for your exams.
Take time for yourself- relax
Finally, the most commonly forgotten thing during exam season is to take time for yourself. You may wonder why relaxation is important when there’s so much to do. The exam season is busy, and it's easy to forget to take time for yourself. Taking time to de-stress can improve brain function, mood, and memory. As a result, you will be able to process the information you have learned from revision to a greater extent. Therefore, not only does relaxation give you a chance to recharge after hard work, but it also enhances the effects of your revision.
All in all, amidst the uncertainty of the exam season, remember to look after your well-being so that you can put your all effort into achieving your desired grades.
Written by Ayanfe O
Moderated by Joanna
