Mindfulness is a form of meditation, a tool you can use in daily life to lower stress, improve focus, or treat anxiety or depression. You can use it when you are stressed about an exam, anxious in social situations, and many other difficult times.
“Mindfulness” is a mental state achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
Place one hand on your upper chest and one on your stomach. Take a breath, let your stomach swell forward as you breathe in, and fall back gently as you breathe out. Get a steady rhythm, taking the same depth of breath each time. The hand on your chest should have little or no movement.
When you’re anxious or stressed, your breathing can become quick and shallow, which reduces the amount of oxygen going to your organs. Learning how to breathe deeply can help reduce some of the physiological symptoms of anxiety.
Put aside some time each day to discover which relaxation techniques work for you. They can be active (going for a walk or swim, doing a puzzle, learning yoga, play sports) or passive (having a bath, reading a book, sitting in the park, listening to music, meditating).
Many forms of relaxation, like walking or sitting quietly, are very simple, easy to do and cost nothing. Others, like yoga or meditation, require some training or discipline. Going fishing or playing sports can be a great way of relaxing too.
It’s easy to forget to make time for yourself when things get stressful, so make sure you don’t get so pre-occupied that days can go by without you doing anything for yourself.
If you have less than six weeks until the exams, be realistic about what you can revise. Ask for guidance from your teachers who should be able to identify core material. If you think you will become more anxious, learn relaxation techniques now.
Making unfair comparisons between certain individuals and yourself is a common thinking error, and can leave you feeling inadequate. When you do this, you compare yourself with people who you know have a specific advantage over you in some area.
If you find yourself thinking in black-and-white, instead look for the shades of grey in between. Is it really so bad? Are you taking an extreme view? Just because something isn’t completely perfect doesn’t mean that it’s a total disaster.