Study Stress and How to Overcome it!
Hi everyone!
Very soon exam periods (or study for exams) will start and I for one struggle with staying stress-free during this time. I thought I'd start a thread so everyone can share their little tricks to keeping sane during exam time and give ideas to the people who might be struggling.
I personally like to workout in the morning! Whether it's going to the gym or just a walk around the block. It gets me out of bed in the morning and gives my day a productive and refreshing start.
Let me know what works for you!
So many good tips in this thread. Checking in to see how everyone who is preparing for exams is going right now?
We've organised a live ask me almost anything event where we will be chatting about "redefining pathways to success". This is a good one to join if you worry about the future of your career/study results, whether you are at school or in tertiary education.
We're also chatting here about the stress of studying during the lockdown. You'll find some tips, links to resources and referrals to support services.
I don't have exams coming up but my thesis is due in a month!! Very stressful times but I find exercise/ getting out for a walk is super helpful, particularly during lockdown
@Bingo1234 That's so exciting about your thesis being almost finished! But completely understandable how stressful it must be for you right now 💙 I'm glad that you can go out for walks during lockdown - I always find that something like that can clear my head.
Do you have anything else that helps too? Good luck with your thesis 😊
@Emily-RO thesis is finally done! I also found doing zoom exercise classes with friends in the morning really helpful. Helps me to stay motivated and connected
Good luck to everyone who has exams coming up! 
@Mia238 I'm the same as you and I love working out first thing in the morning! It's a really good way for me to clear my head and focus on myself.
I also love listening to podcasts which help me relax. I normally do this before bed so that I have something else to think about, other than study stress, allowing me to fall asleep more easily.
I'm also a big tea drinker and that always calms me down - my favourites are chamomile tea and chai tea 
making really in depth lists/ tasks always helps me with stress and best feeling is ticking of al the tasks you do. the smaller the task the more easy it is to finish and see all your goals getting ticked off. another thing is to focus on one thing at a time, have a planner on hand so you can see everything is out in front of you it may be overwhelming at first but when you start you cant stop. take breaks 45 min of study 15 min breaks stick to it so you don't loose your rhythm.
@November13 I also really like your take on it, I think I'll try reframing my stresses like that! Something I really like to do when I'm studying is plan my week in a diary on Sunday night so I know that I've allowed enough study time for everything and know what's coming up and when I'm doing it so I don't forget anything.
@mol1912 I would like to add my congratulations on finishing your final exams awesome job! 
What do people do when they lose focus during a task i.e. any tips for keeping your mind on the task you are completing?
Thanks @celestialdreamer !
When I am losing focus I find it good to take a quick break before getting back to study. I also find that making a list of tasks to do and ticking them off when completed helps me to stay focused as I feel some satisfaction when ticking things off.
Hope this helps @celestialdreamer
Thank you @mol1912 I think I definitely need to get better at pacing myself and knowing when to take breaks so will definitely try that!
I have just finished my final university exams and found it pretty tough at times to keep motivated studying. I found that having a routine really helped me, so planning out what exactly I was going to be studying each day and planning breaks. I also would make sure I exercised regularly to clear my head and reduce stress.
Congratulations on finishing your final university exam @mol1912 !
You're so right about having a routine and actually scheduling in study breaks because sometimes when I'm super stressed out whilst studying I forget to do anything else besides to keep on studying 
Thanks @Sunnybear ! I'm very excited to be done haha.
I totally agree, it's easy to lose track of time when studying. Having breaks for me was so important so that I didn't feel burnt out.
The thing that worked best for me during the exam period was to maintain physical activity (stretches, walks), getting enough sleep at night, and taking regular study breaks. I find that when I'm just constantly glued to my chair without taking any breaks I'll less productive and I end up procrastinating more. Being physically active helped me stay more alert and focus more on the tasks at hand, this also ties into getting enough sleep! Sleep is so important because that's when your brain consolidates all the information you're learning!
Fab idea @Mia238!!
Working out helps reduce my stress also, but I like to exercise in the afternoon because I am a slow mover in the mornings 
Regular breaks and rewards are also super useful! I usually study for about 50 minutes and take a small rest. This stops me from burning out and makes a day of study more achievable/bearable. Another strategy is deciding on a finishing time at the start of a study day (i.e., 4pm). This means you work productively during the day and get to relax in the evening.
I find that planning out what I'm going to do on a study day really helps that way I find you're less likely to fall into the trap of feeling like you're never doing enough on a given day. when you've finished what's on the list, it's time to sit back and relax!
Make sure to keep the list realistic though, otherwise it can get really overwhelming.
great thread
im not currently studying but i have done plenty so im happy to share some tips with you
for me
-i had to pick a time that suited me and found what times i studied best. For me i was better at studying in the afternoon/evening/later at night so i would spend the day getting chores, work or whatever else i needed to do done that way when i was ready to study i wasnt stressing about other things and therefore more focus so i wasnt as stressed about the content or assignment etc.
- take regular breaks. every half hour i would just get up and have a drink of water or check the mailbox for some fresh air
-find ways of studying that work for you. some people just find it too stressful to read out of textbook. i found flashcards, and quizes on the topic i was studing quite productive and felt less like studying as well so i spent longer doing those activities.
-When it comes to different classes we know that sometimes a class has more or harder work to do so i often broke it up. if i had 3 or 4 things i had to do for classes i would start with the easiest/fastest ones to do that way they were out of the way and finishes so i could focus on the harder ones.
The best way I study is to try and make it fun! I create acronyms or stories to help me remember the content (especially the content I struggle with!). I also make things colourful and bright so my recall when I'm in the exam is better because I associate part of the content with a colour and it helps me to remember!
I like to look at what I'm actually afraid of and how I'll cope if it happens. For me, I don't want to fail a subject because I don't want to be seen as a bad student, and it will take a bit longer for me to complete my degree. But then failing one out of 24 subjects won't erase my previous good marks, and having to spend another 3 months as a student is nothing compared to the 30 years I'll be in the workforce. Of course I'm not aiming to fail but if I do, it's not the end of the world!
@November13 I really like your take on this It's such a good way of keeping things in perspective, trying to remember that although we want to do well and study stress is real, remembering all the things that we've already achieved and that there are always ways of moving forward.
I have exams coming up too! The stress is totally relatable. One of the methods I personally use to overcome stress is to simply hang out and talk with my family members. I find that it takes my mind of school work! This is particularly effective if you have a lot of siblings, but even if you don't, talking to your parents about anything can be a great way to relieve stress!
I would say taking frequent short breaks is important because it boosts my productivity for periods of time and during the break, i just stretch, get a snack or talk to a friend to rest a bit
I really agree with wanderingwasp on this one!
I think nowadays we feel pressure to be super productive all the time, which sometimes results in practices that are actually less productive. For instance, studying non-stop for hours on end, in which you lose concentration and end up hating life. For me, very short breaks (5 mins) every 25 minutes keep my brain feeling fresh.
Here is a link to the specific technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFW3Ld7JO0w
@Abderian Agreed. I've played around with 25/5 and 50/10 (study/break time). For me, I feel like 25/5 is just about right
