Hyderabad: Every year, scores of competitive exam aspirants begin to create a timetable in order to achieve their dream of scoring a coveted and well-paying government job. The goal requires them to spend hours together reading across subjects. While spending 6-8 hours on studying is good, anything more than that and one risks suffering an […]
Hyderabad: Every year, scores of competitive exam aspirants begin to create a timetable in order to achieve their dream of scoring a coveted and well-paying government job. The goal requires them to spend hours together reading across subjects.
While spending 6-8 hours on studying is good, anything more than that and one risks suffering an early burnout. Burning the midnight oil is okay, but it should not be done at the cost of one’s health. Now that one is midway through the process of preparing for the TSPSC exams, it’s important to be on the lookout for the signs of burnout early on.
Identify the signs
Burnout is feeling excessive emotional, mental and physical tiredness all the time, usually caused by stress. Stress and feeling exhausted go hand-in-hand for a TSPSC aspirant as they are dealing with copious amounts of syllabus involving subjects that may/may not be their strong suits. So, stress is unavoidable and so is fear of failure. If you feel chronic fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, demotivation, loss of appetite, exhaustion, poor academic performance, and fall ill pretty frequently, then that means you are suffering from a burnout and you need to act quickly.
Manage time
One of the most common reasons for undue stress is the lack of time in the absence of a timetable. Without one, an aspirant’s day-to-day preparation will be haphazard and soon the exam date arrives. Lack of time management and schedule can lead to stress that can leave one feeling demotivated.
Cut out negative individuals
Aspirants will often get unwarranted and harmful suggestions from people who have no right or position to give unsolicited advice. It’s important to ignore such people and not pay heed to such talk. Instead, associate with family and friends who motivate you and create a positive vibe around you.
Work up a sweat
Only studying, eating and drinking won’t get you anywhere. You may get ahead in your syllabus, but you may not feel so fresh. In fact, a lot of people put on weight during this time, thinking that they can lose the weight after the exams. That never happens. Try to do 5-10 minutes of brisk walking or stretching exercises, if you can’t spend 30 minutes on it. Exercise releases endorphins which make you feel good and energetic. Your body and brain will thank you for it.
Eat well
During exam preparation, you might be tempted to eat sugary foods and aerated drinks that offer quick bursts of energy, but do little to sustain you through your study. Moreover, the high calorie intake can make you sluggish and make it difficult to concentrate on what you are doing.
Think of the present
Determine what you need to do today. Instead of thinking of the past or obsessing over the future, focus on achieving your immediate goal. This could be finishing a chapter or revising a topic. Doing so will help distance yourself from worry about the exams and thus avoid stress.