Are you stressed thinking of what you have to get done before the semester ends? As students know best, finals can be mentally and physically hard on the body. Provided below is a 5-tip countdown to help you reduce stress and dominate these last weeks!
Tip # 5: Fuel Up and Stay Hydrated
- Drink water
- 85% of the brain is water. Brain function depends on having enough access to water.
- Low water consumption can affect concentration, memory, and cause brain fatigue.
- Check out this article for the linkage between Water and Brain Energy.
- Watch your caffeine intake
- Try to limit caffeine intake to the recommended maximum of 4 cups of coffee per day.
- Avoid emotional eating.
- Try to find other ways to feed your feelings, for example by calling a close friend or watching your favorite show, instead of going for that big bag of chips.
Tip # 4: Make a Study Plan
- Break up your study notes by sections
- Make your study material look approachable.
- Use Western Sydney U’s Assignment Time Line to mark checkpoints once you complete a section.
- Allocate a reasonable amount of time to each section
- Stay Focused
- Make sure to turn off or put away all distractions as you study each section to fully focus on retaining material.
- Music is also proven to improve concentration and motivation. You Tube’s Study Playlist is a great option. You can also look up study playlists on Spotify, Coffeetivity, or on any music apps you may have.
Tip #3: Take Breaks
- Take 10 minute breaks for every 1 hour of studying for maximum retention
- Just move around
- Moving around increases oxygen to the brain which enhances your ability to learn and sharpens your focus.
- Ted Talk: Why Sitting Is Bad For You explains the importance of moving around after long periods of sitting down.
Tip #2: Sleep
- Make sure to plan for at least 7-8 hours of sleep the night before an exam or presentation. Anything under can make you drowsy and impair your concentration.
- University Health Services also provides tips for getting optimal sleep.
Tip #1: Be Confident
- A positive attitude keeps your mind open and makes it easier to concentrate.
- Changing your posture can affect the way you think about yourself and your outcome. Amy Cuddy talks about Power Poses you can use in her popular Ted talk.
