l********z
发帖数: 810 | 1 Your inability to focus is likely just due to anxiety. One simple method
that seems to help others minimize how often their mind wanders that you
might want to try involves a simple tallying procedure. Each time you
notice that you aren't focusing on the task at hand, make a tally mark on a
separate sheet of paper. The mere act of having to tally the instances
gradually reduces the frequency, probably due to some subtle process of
negative reinforcement. At any rate, it's worth a try and actually has
decreased the problem for many who have tried it. But don't expect this to
be an instant fix. You have to keep making yourself keep the tally for a
number of days or even a few weeks to begin to see the impact.
You may also need to vary your study mode more frequently, switching from
just review reading to trying some questions or to summarizing key aspects
because each mode switch reawakens attention. Others find that taking short
breaks more frequently in a long study day helps them stay focused.
Here are some tips on handling anxiety:
Tip 1
Some weeks or days prior to the exam, use an index card to list several of
your greatest personal strengths and attributes. Examples: I am an
intelligent and caring person. I react well under pressure. I am going to
be a great (fill in career goal). Keep the card handy so that whenever
negative thoughts intrude while you are studying or practicing, you can pull
the card out, read each statement and reflect on your abilities. Luxuriate
in the calm, positive feelings that are associated with each of these true
statements. Fairly soon, you won’t even need the card because you will
know the statements by heart and be able to mentally review them as an
antidote to the welling up of negative thoughts.
Tip 2
Keep a master tally sheet nearby each time you sit down to study. Make a
tally or hash mark each time you find yourself engaging in negative thinking
, daydreaming or otherwise mentally escaping from the study situation. For
many students, the mere act of tallying reduces the frequency of these
behaviors and they find that their daily tally decreases over time. This is
really a mild form of behavior modification that you can apply to your own
study behavior. Though simple, it works well for many people.
Tip 3
Months (or at least a few weeks) prior to the exam, spend some quiet time
thinking back in your life to recall an event in which you were the hero of
the situation. Perhaps you walked in on a serious fight between two friends
and were able to bring it to a peaceful resolution. Perhaps you
administered CPR successfully to someone or orchestrated a successful
fundraising event for a charitable cause during high school or college.
Whatever life event you select, it must be a situation in which your
abilities and actions solved a problem or saved a bad situation. Now spend
at least 10 minutes each day in a quiet place reliving this event, trying to
bring back the memory in as much detail as possible. What time of year/day
was it? What were you wearing? What was the setting like? As you
practice, it will take less and less time for you to get back the memory in
graphic detail. The purpose of this exercise is to allow you to mentally
revisit the event quickly, because stored with this event memory are all of
the associated feelings of being in control, being a successful problem
solver, being confident, being a winner. When used as part of a time-out in
an exam, these associated emotions then act to counteract the negative
emotions associated with the test-taking process.
Tip 4
During the actual test, have a thought-through pacing plan that you used in
practice testing in the final week or two. By knowing what time you have to
complete each section of a test, you can establish 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 points
before you even begin answering questions. Then, when you reach a time
marker item, check your time use. Worrying about running out of time
contributes to anxiety and often leads to time-wasting behaviors such as
checking the clock every couple of minutes--a nervous habit that actually
increases the time it will take you to finish the booklet because frequent
glances at the clock continually interrupts your thought process and often
results in the need to re-read once you look back at the question.
If you do run short of time toward the end of a block, use question "triage.
" In other words, scan the remaining items to find ones that are easier and
mark these on your grid sheet first (taking special care to find the right
bubbles to mark). Then return to the remaining items and mark an answer for
all of them. Remember that no answer is an automatic error, so never leave
items blank. Pacing problems will be far less likely to occur if you work
through lots of sample tests during your preparation. With practice, you
will sense the right pace and so be able to walk in on test day confident
that you can handle it because you have already done so in practice mode.
If you do this, the test setting will feel more familiar and less strange,
and the more familiar it feels, the less anxious you will be.
Tip 5
If you feel anxiety welling up during the exam that is interfering with your
ability to concentrate on the questions, shut your eyes, lean back, roll
your neck and rotate your shoulder muscles. Take several slow, cleansing
deep breaths and exhale slowly. This "mental time out" helps break the
cycle of anxiety and will usually help you return to the task at hand with a
greater sense of calm and better concentration.
Note:
If you experience significant anxiety symptoms such as muscle twitching,
insomnia, nausea, or chest tightness when you think about taking exam or
during them, then these tips may not be enough to help you overcome the
problem. If this happens, seek professional help from either a psychiatrist
or a cognitive psychologist who is experienced in helping people overcome
situational anxiety. Therapies can include anti-anxiety medications, self-
hypnosis instruction, etc. But don’t delay because each of these
treatments requires time to become effective. In seeking a professional to
help you, don’t see just anyone. The professional needs to have experience
in treating this type of problem, so not just any therapist will do. | c****r
发帖数: 494 | | m******e
发帖数: 574 | | l********z
发帖数: 810 | 4 what is your step1 score? PM me.
【在 m******e 的大作中提到】
: 好朋友 过来帮顶
| s********o
发帖数: 373 | | w********7
发帖数: 46 | 6 Thanks a lot. Hope they will work for me. | s****7
发帖数: 194 | | D********r
发帖数: 119 | 8 great post! thank you for sharing!
:)
a
to
【在 l********z 的大作中提到】
: Your inability to focus is likely just due to anxiety. One simple method
: that seems to help others minimize how often their mind wanders that you
: might want to try involves a simple tallying procedure. Each time you
: notice that you aren't focusing on the task at hand, make a tally mark on a
: separate sheet of paper. The mere act of having to tally the instances
: gradually reduces the frequency, probably due to some subtle process of
: negative reinforcement. At any rate, it's worth a try and actually has
: decreased the problem for many who have tried it. But don't expect this to
: be an instant fix. You have to keep making yourself keep the tally for a
: number of days or even a few weeks to begin to see the impact.
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