CBSE Board Exams Begin: Tips to Beat Stress & Stay Motivated!

With the CBSE 2025 board exams underway, many students are experiencing heightened stress and anxiety. Exam pressure can take a toll on both mental and physical well-being, impacting self-confidence, relationships, and overall quality of life. If not managed effectively, it may lead to serious issues like anxiety and depression.

Spoke with Sanskriti, the Wellness Coach at BLS World School, Greater Noida West, to discuss an important topic—overcoming exam stress. She Said,

Exam stress is absolutely normal and expected. All of us who have given exams at any point have felt stressed. But do not be afraid, you can figure out ways to manage your stress so that you can perform well without feeling overwhelmed.

Our brain is built in a way that it does not  recognize the difference between physical dangers and emotional or psychological challenges. So exam stress is our bodies response to perceived challenges. And that stress can lead to you feeling anxious, having trouble concentrating, having trouble retaining information, being not able to sleep properly or procrastinating studies.

But not all stress is bad, though some stress is useful, as in if you do not feel stressed about your exams at all, how would you prepare for them?

So we can start by reframing stress in a way that not all stress is bad, we only need to manage the part of it that creates the problems.

How to Handle Exam Anxiety Pre-exam Routine

Now lets address how to handle exam anxiety pre exam routine.

●        First, make sure that you are well slept, well fed on the day of the exam and avoid last minute cramming.

●        You can try and do some breathing and relaxation techniques in the morning during the exam.

●        Make sure to read the question paper thoroughly, slowly.

●        Start with the easy questions first.

●        Yes, here we go with the easy questions first and if you feel overwhelmed during your exam, just pause and do this box breathing that I just taught you post exam.

●        Do not discuss the answers excessively.

●        You may be worrying about your mistakes but try to move on to the next subject to the next exam.

●        Remember students, exams are important but they do not define your worth.

●        You are good as you are with whatever scores you get.

We hope that you believe in yourself as much as we, your teachers, your mentors do.

All the very best for these exams.

How to Manage Stress During Exam

Now that we have covered the study techniques, lets talk about managing stress.

Making a Proper Routine

Now of course everyone around you is telling how its important to sleep on time, wake up on time, to eat well, to exercise in moderation while they are not  just giving you lectures.

Thats true and it has been found in studies that doing these things, these basic routine things really helps with managing stress.

Slow Breathing Technique for Relaxation

So I would also reiterate the importance of the same. I would also talk about taking some time to do some relaxation techniques.

It could just be slow breathing or if you are into yoga, you have learnt that, then yoga could be it or it could even be listening to some music as you relax. But be sure to incorporate certain relaxing techniques in your routine. Let me teach you a slow breathing technique. Practice with me.

“Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds through the mouth and now pause for 4 seconds. Now start again.”

Positive Self Talk

Along with that what Id suggest you is to use positive self talk or if thats not possible at least neutral self talk. So instead of saying things to yourself like I will fail, I cant do anything good, this is going to be disastrous. Replace it with more helpful or neutral self talk.

●        Like if I put enough effort I can manage.

●        I may not get the best grades but I will pass.

●        I think I can do well with some more practice, with some more studies.

Thats very important in managing this exam stress, the way you interpret the situation and the way you talk to yourself.

Study Techniques for Better Exam Preparation

Now lets talk about certain study techniques that will help you to prepare better.

Pomodoro Technique

Now the Pomodoro technique talks about studying for 25 minutes, then taking a 5 minute break, then studying for another 25 minutes and again taking a 5 minute break and going on for about 4 or 5 cycles before taking a longer break.

I know that 25 minutes studying might seem to be less, but thats when you are  most productive and that could really help students with poor concentration. So try that.

Feynman Technique

Feynman technique is when you pretend like you are  teaching a 5 year old, you are  explaining concepts in a very basic way as if you are  teaching a 5 year old, and that could really help fill gaps in your knowledge.

Visual Learning

It is a technique where you use a lot of visual aids, meaning diagrams or mind maps or graphs or flow charts to help you learn.

Mock Test

What I would suggest is try to do as many mock papers as possible. I know that a lot of you use YouTube and other sources to understand concepts which is a very good thing, a privilege really that you have in your time. But where you all miss is that you do not get enough experience of writing, enough practice of writing the answers.

So mock tests or previous years papers are something that you should definitely be giving time to.

Start with Difficult Papers

Some other tips that I would like to give you related to studies would be to try to prioritise difficult subjects in the first half of the day.

I know a lot of us get started with easier subjects because its easy to start with those subjects really, but getting done with more difficult or time consuming subjects first leaves you with a better, clearer frame of mind to study for the rest of the day. And half your job is done by half of the day. So prioritise difficult subjects first.

Taking Frequent Breaks

Some of you do not take breaks while studying at all because you feel guilty for losing that time, but Id suggest taking frequent breaks.

Remember the Pomodoro technique where we were taking a break every 25 or 30 minutes?

Why we need to do that is to be more productive. That also helps us engage productively and actively with the material rather than just passive studying.

Best Wishes for Exams from BLS World School

As you prepare for your CBSE exams, BLS World School, a leading CBSE school in Greater Noida West, wishes you the very best! Stay confident, believe in yourself and give your best effort. Hard work, dedication and smart preparation will lead you to success.

Study Smart, Stay Positive and Shine Bright!

Remember, exams are just a stepping stone to your bright future. Stay calm, manage your time well, and approach each question with confidence. Your efforts will surely bring great results.