What causes stress for students? Tests? Presentations? Expectations? All of these? As educational demands become more rigorous, so too do students’ stress levels. We all know that stress can have a negative effect on student performance, inside and outside the classroom. It’s important to help students manage this in order for them to have stable, happy, productive lives.

For our own well-being, we work hard to be aware of our emotions and reactions to situations. We look for suitable stress management techniques to help us cope with the demands that we face every day, whether they are academic, social or even environmental. It’s important that we also do this for the young people in our lives. The tips below can greatly help students to achieve learning success under stressful conditions! Try talking through these ideas with your child and helping them try out some new techniques to keep their stress under control.

Time management and organization

Be clever about how you use your time. Set up a schedule or system that works for you and try to stick to it (Mr MacDonald has some great techniques to try here). Avoid mental clutter by keeping on top of deadlines and test dates to prepare in due time.

Study environment

Create a distraction-free environment to improve concentration and make the most of your study time. Having the right environment to focus on studies can help you to retain information and produce higher quality work.

Attitude: Be proactive and not reactive!

Finding suitable stress-management techniques that are right for you can reduce stress and improve test performance. These techniques can also prepare you to cope with challenges later in life. Meditation, for example, is a great technique to improve your emotional health by training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts. It also helps to boost your attention span!

Finally, nurture a positive outlook and practice optimism! Optimists have been proven to be generally happier, healthier, less stressed and more successful.

For more tips on helping your child manage their stress, take a look at this article from our Parenting Series.