Conquer Test Anxiety in 4 Steps



Transcript


Today I wanted to talk to you about conquering testing anxiety with 4 simple steps. Now everybody has felt test anxiety. Sometimes you feel the butterflies in your stomach. I've heard a phrase about butterflies, that it's not about getting rid of them, it's about getting them to fly in formation.

That's what we need to do. So let's do that.

The first step to getting rid of test anxiety is good preparation.

Now this happens obviously well before the test. But good preparation will not only prepare your mind but it will also build confidence. you will be able to build confidence, you will be able to eliminate the fear and the uncertainty of the test because you will know the topic well.

This is why it's number one. This is the best way to eliminate that test anxiety, to prepare well for the test.

Number two is to use visualization.

Now, the way that you do this is before the test, you can do this a few minutes before the test or several times before the test, but you need to visualize yourself doing well.

So take a deep breath and relax yourself. I prefer that you do it sitting down wherever you are comfortable, close your eyes and visualize, see yourself in your mind, picture yourself in the test and picture yourself doing well. Visualize yourself answering the questions with ease. You are just answering difficult answers with ease. Visualize yourself doing that.

And visualize yourself doing it over and over and over. This will help reinforce to your mind that you can do it. It will help build your confidence even more. And another visualization tip is right before the test visualize your favorite vacation spot, or visualize yourself there, just to relax yourself.

This also works well in job interviews, but for test anxiety purposes, visualize yourself relaxing in your favorite vacation spot and you can kind of get rid of those pre-test jitters.

Number three, practice good test taking skills.

Now, these are some things that you actually have to learn and apply and they can be learned and I actually a have a page on my website that has several of them and I'll post a link in the description area but you need to learn good test taking skills and be able use those in the test.

Lastly, number four, is take a deep breath, and breathe slowly and controlled.

So control your breathing. Make sure that when you breath, take a deep breath in through your nose, let it slowly come out and just relax yourself. I prefer to do this right before the test. Even before I open up the test. Once I sit down for it, I close my eyes, take a deep breath in and let it go out slowly.

Learn to control your breathing and as you control your breathing you will be able to think more clearly and be able to control your emotions much better and you will be able to do much better on your test.

So, again, in review: The four steps to conquering test anxiety are:

  • Number one: Good preparation,
  • Number two: use visualization,
  • Number three: use good test taking skills, and
  • Number four: control your breathing.

I hope that these help. I hope that you utilize them and you do better in your test taking because you control your test anxiety.

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