Tips to tackle stress, build concentration for exams amid Covid-19

Here are six tips to tackle stress and build concentration for exams amid Covid-19.
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted our lives.
Its impact has been profound in education, heralding the shift towards online learning.
Maintaining continuity amid Covid-19 has been a challenge to educational institutions and the student community.
The Covid-19 has exacerbated uncertainty for students preparing for competitive examinations, with most of them postponed due to the transmission risk of the disease.
Spending most of the time indoors has taken a toll on mental health.
According to the global research by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), almost 50 per cent of the participants surveyed experienced anxiety and depression due to being confined in the house and stretched working hours.
The effect can be seen on the students as well.
Students must try to stay calm and focus on their studies during this time.
Times are tough, no doubt, but keeping a check on our mental health is as necessary as wearing masks and staying home.
So here are some tips on how to maintain best your mental health, tackle stress and build concentration for exams amid Covid-19:

Meditate in solace
A peaceful mind improves the ability to focus on the tasks at hand.
Although meditation can be boring for beginners, it surely helps increase concentration and stay optimistic amid these unprecedented times.
A brief meditation session in a peaceful environment will help you stay focused throughout the day.

Establish a daily routine
It helps to jot down important tasks for the day. Always plan the day (realistically) and pick up a subject on that basis.
Lockdown is probably the best time to study for your examinations before revised dates for the postponed exams are announced.
Study systematically by making notes and revising them multiple times.

Get a workstation
The first instinct of many students during the online classes will be to attend them in bed.
Studying for long hours on a bed can distract you and lead to major health issues with strain on your eyes.
Your surroundings play a vital role in your mental wellbeing.
So, have a workstation set up for your studies and take care of it.
You may decorate it by putting some photographs or posters of your loved ones or anything that motivates you to study.
The cleaner and organised your workspace/study area will be, the more you will be productive.

Take time out for physical exercise
Work-out improves your physical health and contributes to mental wellbeing by helping you cope with stress. It is imperative during the lockdown when physical activity decreases drastically.
Devote at least 45 minutes to moderate physical workout such as weights, cardio exercises, skipping, etc.

Cut your screen time
One of the significant and most important aspects of this lockdown is our screens.
Most of us spend more than half of our day before television screens or mobile devices and laptops, which is harmful to the eyes and reduces focus and concentration.
Thus, limiting screen time to a bare minimum will keep you away from distractions and give you more time to focus on your studies.

Set realistic goals
“One step at a time” is the mantra here.
Don’t set up big goals for yourself.
Always be realistic and practical both in your ability and approach.
While studying, start with something simple and slowly build your way up towards more challenging chapters, and keep rewarding yourself every time you succeed in your daily tasks.
If you want, you can set more than one goal for yourself to achieve during a day.
Remember that the Covid-19 is only a temporary phase and like other crises, “this too shall pass”.
Stay optimistic and take it as an opportunity to achieve your study targets and spend time with your family.
Realise that you are one of the first and maybe the only generation of students going through this phase that will strengthen your resilience and enhance your adaptability to tackle any challenge head-on. – India Today