Getting anxious and stressed is a very common problem faced by students while preparing for UPSC exams. As you get close to the examination time, you may get all nervous and keep wondering whether everything will be alright or not. While preparing for the exam, you would probably be going on a rollercoaster ride of emotions ranging from anxiety to relief, impatience to enthusiasm.
Stress and anxiety are the silent enemies that abrade you from within physically, mentally, and intellectually. It can wear and tear your body, thereby decreasing the activity level of the brain and, ultimately, efficiency. If one needs to have any realistic chances of clearing the Civil Service Exam, then it is of paramount importance that a person is able to control the stress. Hence, in this article, we have come up with solutions to deal with stress in the UPSC exam. These tips below will help you keep calm and composed during exam preparation, as well as in the examination hall.
Tips to Stay Calm and Composed in The UPSC Examination
- Meditation – Meditation has multiple benefits for your mind and body. Meditate and do breathing exercises, like the Pranayama, to feel stress-free and relaxed. This keeps your mind and body fit and healthy. Meditating for just 10 minutes a day can do wonders for your brain. It will train your brain to be quiet. You will be able to deal better with a lot of things in life. Most importantly, it helps eliminate the random negative thoughts that occupy your mind and contribute to stress and anxiety.
- Keep away from negative people – The very first thing that you should always remember is that there will always be someone trying to demotivate you. They may try to bring down your morale by taking potshots at your ability by constantly speaking of the difficulties involved in scaling the colossal task of clearing the Civil Services Exam. It is always important to stay away from negative people and their influences and strictly stick to your task of achieving your objectives with unwavering commitment, dedication, determination and discipline.
- Ensure that you sleep well – Many aspirants believe that preparation for UPSC requires less sleep. You need to understand that every day your body and mind both need a proper rest phase so that you can continue to work hard the next day. Lack of sleep will cause havoc to your system and also tire you out badly, leaving you with no energy and will to study. Have adequate sleep of at least 6-7 hours per day. Sleeping is not a waste of time when you do it at the right time and for the required number of hours.
- Maintain a personal diary – Now is a luxury time that can be ill afforded by those preparing for the exams. But it will hardly take five minutes at the end of every day, to sum up the activities of that day in a diary. You can at least write down what you studied during the day. Writing a diary has many benefits, such as helping manage stress and also increasing your optimism, and will also help in remembering key points later. And of course, it is a good exercise for your brain as well.
- Exercise and yoga – The most effective stress-buster and its practice will take you a long way not only in your UPSC preparation but also in your life. Exercises are very good for the brain, as they help release the feel-good hormones like endorphins. It helps improve your brain’s cognitive performance and problem-solving abilities, as well as boost long-term memory. You can choose to do yoga, cardio exercises or something simpler like running or brisk walking. There are several asanas that you can practice, especially for stress, like Simhasana and Anjali Mudra.
- Right eating habits – Make sure to eat healthy foods. The stress levels will be reduced if the brain functions at optimum levels; the brain will function at optimum levels only if the body is functioning at optimal levels. Hence, make sure to eat healthy food at the right time. Don’t eat food late at midnight hours, the time when you should be sleeping. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, which will boost your metabolism and boost your brain to function properly.
- Find a hobby– Happiness is a habit and not an effect as most people would like to think. Nothing causes a person to be happy; you are happy because you want to be. So, you must never stop wanting to be happy. Look for what you can do to become a much happier person each day, and find a hobby and stick to it. Any hobby or art keeps you occupied in a meaningful way and also helps you destress. A positive mindset is the key.
Anxiety and stress are bound to occur when you are studying for such a tough exam. You need to be smart enough to handle this to be a winner of this battle. You should keep faith in yourself and believe in the fact that you are putting efforts in the correct direction. If you have doubts about your own abilities, you can never succeed in life. It is important to keep calm and collected during exam days. If you have worked hard and smart, there is no reason for you to worry incessantly. Success will find you if you’ve done your part. With that in mind, aspirants can go through the key points on the Battle of Plassey for a quick but comprehensive revision.
