Before we begin on how to prevent burnout during your end-of-the-year assessments, let us just applaud you and remind you that you made it to the end of the year! You attended your school-college, extra-curricular classes, and managed to spend quality time with your friends and family! You should be proud of yourself for accomplishing an all-rounded academic year!

Now, as the final examinations commence, and the stress levels rise, here are a few suggestions on how to prevent burnout at one of the most important times of the year:

  1. Remind yourself of the bigger picture: There is no doubt about the importance of examinations or their results; however, it is also important to remember that your health and well-being come first. Yes, your marks may determine the next step of your academic trajectory, but your health will carry you to the end of your life.

  2. Stop being too hard on yourself: At this stage, you have done everything that could have been done, and even if you could not do it all, this is not the time to beat yourself up for it. Accept the level of preparation you are at, and work with a realistic picture of how much further you can push yourself to do better in your examinations.

  3. Take a few minutes off between each study session: A few minutes to relax, unwind, and refresh are very important when you are revising the day(s) before your exams. After every study session of 45-50 minutes, take 10 minutes off, where you can take a quick walk around your home to let your body unwind. You could also lay down quietly or can listen to relaxing music before you begin again.

  4. Turn towards art for further destressing: A few minutes of doodling, zen-tangling, coloring, or sketching without an end goal in mind can be significantly beneficial for you to destress and release the pressure from your mind and body. Creative work such as this can also help you concentrate, learn and remember better when you resume your studies.

  5. Believe in yourself: Above all, remind yourself that you are capable and you will excel in your examinations. Positive affirmations can change your entire mindset and make you feel more confident and prepared when the examination begins. This self-belief can often be the difference between failure and excellence.

Director Dr. Jinal Joshi- Department of International Relations by SVKM , Head of Communications and skill development KSV Kadi Gandhinagar

Once again, we wish you all the best!

Dr. Jinal Joshi