For students, parents and teachers it is important to know what is exam anxiety. It is equally important to know about effective techniques to manage it.

1. EXAM ANXIETY
BUSTERS……….
Naumita Rishi, MS
Counseling Psychologist
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2. EXAM-ANXIETY
• It is normal for students to feel anxious when exams are
approaching. Rather it is, in a way, good to have some anxiety.
• Mild level of tension motivates students to study.
• It increases their determination and concentration.
• It also improves their decision-making, problem-solving and time-
management skills.
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3. EXAM-ANXIETY- (Impacts)
• High level of tension is overwhelming.
• It interferes with students’ preparation and
performance in the exams.
• It negatively impacts their-
– Concentration and focus.
– Thoughts organization.
– Ability to understand concepts and questions.
– Recall of important information.
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4. EXAM-ANXIETY (Impacts)
Exam-Anxiety may affect the physical and mental health too. The
symptoms may include:
• Headache.
• Insomnia.
• Upset stomach.
• Increased heart rate.
• Increased perspiration.
• Sweaty hands.
• Frustration.
• Fear.
• Nail biting.
• Mood swings.
• Panic and hopelessness.
• Excessive daydreaming.
• Increase or decrease in appetite.
• Negative self defeating thoughts.
• Procrastination.
• Escaping behaviours like increase in
partying or roaming here and there
without work. Etc.
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5. EXAM-ANXIETY BUSTERS
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6. TIME-MANAGEMENT
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• Before exams there is a lot to read, understand, revise and
retain within a short period of time.
• The best way students can reduce this pressure is by managing
their time.
– The first step to manage time is to plan it-
• Writing down what one wants to achieve.
• Then converting this objective into two types of goals-
– First long term goals and then short term goals.

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• Long-Term Goals-
– Planning for a month.
• Short Term Goals-
– Planning for a week, for a day or for some hours.
• Short terms goals are actually the sub tasks to
achieve the long term goals.
• Both types of goals are set, based on ‘SMART’
strategy.
TIME-MANAGEMENT-(Goals)

8. TIME-MANAGEMRNT-(Goals)
• Writing down a structured plan may increase students’
confidence, focus, efficiency and productivity.
• There is no hard and fast rule for goal presentation.
– Some students write in tabular form, long-term goals on the top and short
term goals below them.
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-Some choose to draw stairs, Last step on the
top represents long-term-goal and other
steps represent short term goals or tasks to
achieve the long term goal.

9. TIME-MANAGEMENT-(Goals)
Some students benefit by drawing floors, top floor is
the long-term-goal and different floors are short
term goals.
Steps and floors give the clarity what to do first and
what next and next.
Students can be creative in developing their own plan.
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10. TIME-MANAGEMENT-(Reinforcement)
Students may reward themselves for successfully completing their
goals. Rewards will keep them motivated.
• They may also set a fine for themselves for not achieving the
target. It could be, for example, skipping their favourite TV
show.
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11. TIME-MANAGEMENT-(priority
setting)
• Now the question is which goal to achieve first?
– The answer is simple- ‘Set Priorities’ -
• Make a ‘To-Do-List.’
• Do one task at a time.
• First complete the tasks which are urgent or have
deadlines.
• Next focus on the difficult and important tasks.
• In the last focus on simple and interesting tasks.
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12. TIME-MANAGEMENT-(Reminders)
• In the initial week it is important for students to assess their
accomplishments.
• They might need to do some adjustments in their plan, as they
may not be able to make an achievable plan in the first go!!
• Students need to be aware of the time of the day when their
energy levels are high and plan accordingly or, in other words,
whether they are ‘a morning person’ or ‘an evening person.’
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13. TIME-MANAGEMENT-
(Reminders)
• Students need to plan a common free time with
their friends so that they all can meet and spend
time together.
• Sharing light moments with each other will break
their monotonous routine and keep them
energetic.
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14. TIME-MANAGEMENT-(Reminders)
• Students may also like to get away from things that can distract
them from their aim.
– Electronic media may consume their time and drain them
of their energy.
– Comfortable cosy beds.
• Taking small breaks and do what they like to do within that
time.
• Keeping enough time for revisions!! & last but not the least-
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15. RELAXATION TECHNIQUES-
(Deep-muscle-relaxation)
• When we are tense or anxious, we feel stiffness in
our muscles.
• Deep-Muscle-Relaxation technique help in relaxing
muscles and releasing tension.
• It is a very flexible technique and can be done
anytime and anywhere.
• One can decide to relax one’s whole body or a
particular group of muscles.
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16. RELAXATION TECHNIQUES-
(Deep-muscle-relaxation)
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17. RELAXATION TECHNIQUES-
(Stretching exercises)
• These are very simple exercises yet very effective to
tone muscles and release tension.
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18. RELAXATION TECHNIQUES-
(Jogging)
• For some students, light jogging may help relax their mind and
body.
• There are other multiple techniques to reduce tension.
• Students can make a list of activities they really like to do and
spend some time doing those in their ‘defined break-time.’
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Meditation Light reading
Gardening Cooking
volunteering Writing
.
.
.

19. COGNITIVE TECHNIQUES
• These are very effective techniques to master one’s
thoughts.
• Most of the time it is not the situation but negative
thoughts that trigger anxiety.
– For example, a student who is not able to complete one of his/her
task on time , starts thinking that he/she will not be able to
complete the course before the exams.
• Anxiety can be reduced by altering the irrational thoughts.
• This process may seem somewhat unusual, but sometimes
doing something different is more effective than doing
something usual!!
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20. COGNITIVE TECHNIQUES-
(Thought-Stopping)
• Write down all the anxiety provoking thoughts on a paper.
• Arrange these thoughts from least anxiety-provoking to
most anxiety-provoking ones.
• Focus your whole attention on lease anxiety-provoking
thought and listening to it as one may listen to a person.
• While listening, deep breath, stay calm and do not respond.
• After sometime the thought will fade away.
• Practice this process with other thoughts too.
• Apply the learned technique in anxiety state.
• Soon thoughts will lose their controlling power.

21. COGNITIVE TECHNIQUES-
(Thought-Stopping)
visualization technique-
• Visualize a negative thought as a bully.
• Shout “STOP” at the thought and ask it to go away.
• Or imagine creating a bubble around your thought.
• Hold the bubble and press it hard and burst it.
• Watch it disappearing and then re-focus on the task.
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22. COGNITIVE TECHNIQUES-
(Rational thinking)
• There are two main parts of exam anxiety.
a.Thoughts b. Feelings
• Thinking affects feelings.
• Negative and persistent exam-related thoughts may
create anxiety, fear and apprehension in students.
• Replacing these negative thoughts with positive
thoughts help reducing anxiety.
• Positive thoughts can be past achievements, present
achievements, anything that enhances confidence.
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23. COGNITIVE TECHNIQUES-
(Rational thinking)
Developing rational thinking is a skill and it requires practice to
master it.
• Students can remind themselves that-
– ‘I will do it.’
– ‘I will give my best.’
– ‘I will pass this exam.’
– ‘I will focus on my readings.’
• Students can also make their own positive
statements to change their thoughts.
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24. But always remember that you
students are much more important
than the exam score !!
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