Dear Friends, just found this article somewhere on the web and found it quite useful....I dont know who the author is so am just reposting it for the help of students who are about to appear in CA May exams....
On a crucial time when CA Exams are approaching it's highly recommended to all students appearing the exams to be relieved from stress.
As two sides of coins Stress can make us study harder under exam pressure, however it is the only reason that results into Pressure of Performance and Anxiety as well.
The following few stress busters that can help you get through it with much greater ease and likely more success!
1) Be Organised: (Few days before exam) Start with arranging and keeping your books subject wise. Do ensure all the material that you had referred during the preparation time is kept along with the individual subject appropriately. Now when the exam starts and one by one papers are dealt with properly keep aside the individual subject whose exams are already done. Trust me it gives great relief to see the burden of entire subject stepping aside from other course.
2) Study Smarter: (Few days before and even during exams) ICAI has always laid it's success formula for exams within RTP, Past exam paper and Practise Manuals. Be smart instead of practising all new and undone sums and theory question during Last Minute Revision (LMR) .It's proven in Human Physiology that more and more times a matter is been read and processed by a human brain more and more clarity to it is obtained. So avoid undone and Redo already done.
3) Visualize Success: (During Exam Preparation) A greater way to remove your exam stress and regain your self confidence is to visualize yourself fulfilling goals set by you. Detailed visualizations can help you feel like you’re really experiencing something, and visualizing yourself doing well is a way to ‘practice’ success in a way that can actually help you perform better. A very nice quote in "In order to succeed in life be sure what do you want and how to achieve it."
4) Understand Your Body Cycle: (During Exam days) It's Scientifically proven that every human being runs on basis of a individual Scientific Clock. According to it he/she feel fresh at some part of day however sleepy, Bored or disinterested on other. It tends to differ amongst all. Understand your Peak Performance Time try to read as much as possible during those hours it's like reaping more fruits by doing bare minimum hard work.
5) Eat Healthy and Rest Well: (During Exam Days) Do ensure that you are on light diet during exam days especially on such odd exam timings. More the brain is anxious and stressed more it tends to eat so be watchful of your eating during exams. One of the simplest way to avoid overeating is to Rest well and provide the well needed rest to your brain during exam. Trust me the Essential sleeping hours not only makes you refreshed and prepare for the next day but it also ensure you mental sharpness in the further activity of reading compared to a mental state of sleep deprived brain.
6) Take A Well Deserved Break: (During Exam Days) Many times even after trying all stress busters still if you feel that the exam anxiety has not left you take your best buddy (your mobile of course) with you set a alarm of 5 or 7 minutes close your books and take a small walk (More preferably be near to nature) in grass or around trees etc. Take a break either it be of walk, nap or music but No TV (No and Never TV Breaks during exams it's a Idiot Box which will never let you leave itself so avoid Flickering Channels during study breaks) be sure you return back to reading in due time more appropriately even before alarm strikes.
7) Make the list of Activity you want to Undertake after Exams: (During Preparation and LMR) The only thing quite exciting before the exam days are planning for the activities to be done after the exams. Make a habit to note down all your such desirable activities you are willing to undertake once exams are over (Keep it a note of it and keep it updating every time you get a new idea of enjoying your exam free time) It's really Fun and Refreshing to Read and Update the list of Desires. Eventually, not only you are getting your desires in writing but indirectly your are collecting such fun thoughts to a special corner of your mind which will be well tackled once exams are over which currently saves your mind and time preoccupied by it's further planning.
8) Avoid Negative Thinking: (Always) Negative thought or thinking is one of the biggest reasons of exam stress and consequent failure in exam. Without any proper reason avoid thinking that your preparation is bad or you are weak in theory or practical paper. Just go ahead and give your best shot. Do not allow negative thinking and consequent exam stress to distract you and your positive energy. Your confidence is more important than your competence. CA examinations is a test for your emotions and confidence. Many students fail not because of lack of preparation but because of lack of confidence.
Stay away from unnecessary examination pressure. Remember exams are just to test your knowledge and should not be treated as a pressure cooker.
To avoid exam stress always believe in action. Thinking without action will increase your stress and adversely affect your positivity.
Always make provision for a small break during long study sessions to rejuvenate your energy and strength.
Slight nervousness is perfectly fine and inevitable during exam time. But excessive stress can be very harmful and block your thinking process. So just be careful.
Last but certainly not the least to avoid exam stress or any kind of stress in life it is very important to have faith in your abilities and efforts. Remember nobody is perfect so always ready to improve yourself. Even in CA final, first rank holder has got just 58%.
Failure in CA exams does not mean that it is the end of the life. Try again and reach your goal.
Don’t forget it is a professional examination and it is so common to fail in exams. But this should not be an excuse always.
Always try your best with utmost sincerity and dedication.
All The Best
CAclubindia
