The CBSE board exams are the tipping point culminating more than 10 years of learning and preparing for the future. It is a defining academic milestone for students. We have extensively covered the mental health issues and stress caused by high expectations, fear of exams and anxiety about the future during the time of board exams.

However, the exam preparation process itself comes with numerous challenges. Last-minute exam prep involves revising everything within a limited time. Since covering entire books and a multitude of subjects and topics does not come easy for everyone, it is the time students usually suffer from a lot of stress due to the pressure of missing out on something important during the preparation.

Whether you are preparing for the Class 10 CBSE board exams or the Class 12 CBSE board exams, the pressure to cover everything thoroughly can be overwhelming. Unmanaged stress caused by heavy workloads and targets can derail their exam preparation. It can negatively impact focus, memory, productivity, and even physical health. It can ultimately affect your performance in the CBSE board exams.

This article explores how stress interferes with CBSE exam prep and lists seven effective ways to manage stress so that you can study smart for CBSE board exam success. 

How Does Stress Affect Your CBSE Exam Preparation?

Stress is your body’s natural response to overwhelming demands. Vast syllabus and non-stop revision for Class 10 CBSE or Class 12 CBSE board exams place such extreme demands on body and mind. Unmanaged stress results in:

• Reduced ability to focus, internalise, and retain information
• Procrastination and low productivity
• Fatigue, anxiety, headaches, and poor sleep
• Inefficient and insufficient revision
• Unorganised studying and poor time management despite having a schedule and study plan
• Self-doubt, loss of confidence, and negative thinking

Despite having an extensive revision timetable, you can veer off track and stray away from your study plans with unchecked stress. So, what can you do about stress during exam preparation?

7 Incredible Ways to Manage Stress During CBSE Board Exam Prep

1. Find Out Which Revision Method Works for You

Every student is different, and how you like to revise your subjects matters. Some students prefer covering the most difficult topics first; some prefer starting easy to gain momentum and confidence and increase the complexity of topics as they get into a rhythm. Some students like to mix complex topics with easier ones to relax a little after focusing hard to cover a complicated topic.

Only you know what works for you. If you follow someone else’s revision method, it can amplify your stress. In contrast, customising your study plan according to your comfort levels and convenience makes your exam prep feel more doable and reduces stress. So, it is critical to identify the revision method that works for you.

Depending on the method that works for you, prioritise topics and create the most suitable order for covering topics and revising for your class 10 CBSE board exam. 

2. Allocate More Time in your Revision Timetable for Every Complex Topic

The revision timetable is one of the most vital revision tools. Sticking to it is crucial. Falling behind the schedule and exceeding the time allocated for a particular topic can create a ripple effect, causing further delays downstream and derailing the entire revision plan. So, being unable to cover a topic within the allocated time can cause stress.

You can prevent that situation by allocating more time than necessary for complex topics, giving yourself additional room to cover the topic without completely ruining the study plan.

3. Get Assistance to Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

While mindfulness and meditation during the breaks can help relieve stress, you must know how to do them correctly. Otherwise, they may not work and can be counter-productive, wasting time and energy. When you cannot practise them correctly, you may not be able to address your underlying stress.

So, instead of practising mindfulness and meditation following the methods you know, choose some form of assistance and expert guidance. For instance, numerous apps help you practice mindfulness by creating calming visuals and sounds and enabling an ideal ambience and mood for practice. Even the sounds and visuals alone can help you with stress management.

Similarly, numerous wellness apps provide guided meditation and help you follow proven methods to train your mind to focus better and manage stress while preparing for class 12 CBSE board exams.

4. Mix Passive Breaks with Activity Breaks

Taking planned breaks while revising and spending that time within your study space can help you remain in the same ambience and mood. It can help you return to work quickly and easily after the break. On the other hand, sitting in the same place for a prolonged period can lead to fatigue and stress.

So, you can mix those passive breaks with activity breaks involving some basic physical activities. You can choose to remain in your study space during some planned breaks. During others, you can move out of the room and indulge in light exercise or even basic yoga stretches between study sessions. Movement boosts your energy and improves concentration during long hours of exam preparation.

5. Use Smart Techniques and Revision Tools

Since revising every topic within a limited time can cause stress, you can skip unimportant topics entirely or assign low priority to those topics. You can identify the important topics by referring to question papers from previous years and referring to specialised tools like the most important questions and other sample papers. Instead of re-reading everything, you can use techniques like active recall and mock tests. This approach can help you study smart for CBSE board exam.

6. Revise Visually

Reading small, printed text continuously for hours is hard, and revising chapters day in and day out can be monotonous, causing fatigue and stress. You can avoid this by converting lengthy texts and complex topics into mind maps, flowcharts, and colour-coded notes. Visual learning simplifies revision and keeps your brain engaged, reducing stress from information overload. If you find it difficult to visualise everything on your own, you can get help from your parents.

7. Limit Information Sources

When you revise some topics, you may find them hard to comprehend. It is natural to refer to additional sources like YouTube videos. However, relying on them too much can be counter-productive, as going through too many YouTube videos or websites for the same topic can confuse you. It is critical to stick to a few trusted resources. A focused and consistent study source reduces mental fatigue and keeps stress levels low.

Final Thoughts

Stress during CBSE board exam prep is normal, but it should not get you down. By following these seven techniques during the exam prep process, you can stay in charge of your CBSE board exam preparation journey.