Tips From the mind Spa

Use a daily planner and keep it with you at all times

Make "To Do" lists, enabling you to see all that needs to be done.

Attend to the most pertinent items first

Assign tasks to days: Ex. Read Biology chap 5: Tues

Assign tasks times and stick to those times

When estimating the amount of time a task will take, add more time. It is more common to underestimate completion time than to overestimate it.

Do not wait until the last minute to begin working on the task

Know when your best time of day is and try to plan tasks around these times

Choose a place that you can work efficiently with few distractions

Go to class prepared, having read the material

Pay attention to the lecture

Write down major concepts, definitions, details, facts, and examples

Write down material written on the chalk board

Write down information that is repeated or spelled out

Develop your own style:

Start each lecture on a new page, with date

Use headings

Write on one side of the page, so can lay out pages when studying

Develop a system of abbreviations and symbols

Use highlighters: highlight concepts unfamiliar or need extra attention

Highlight concepts emphasized by during class

Note concepts you do not understand

Re-write notes the same day they were taken. Ideally they should be re-written immediately following class.

Use an audio recorder to ensure you do not miss any information

Use color for emphasis

Write legibly

Review notes within 24 hours

Your memory is like a clay tablet you can shape and write on, as you go through your life. The more you learn, the bigger it gets (it is not possible to run out of room), but it takes time to expand it. Also helpful to know, the more you trace your previous writings, the deeper and more permanent the impressions 
will be. Everyone has a different strength when it comes to memory. It takes some people shorter time to learn when they hear materials; it is more helpful for some to see them; others like it when they can touch and/or do what they are trying to learn. The more sensory organs are involved in learning, the easier it is to learn; and this is true for everyone.

What does all this mean?

Do not wait until the night before the exam to start studying for all the materials. It takes time to expand the clay tablet.

Leave yourself enough time before an exam to study the same materials at least a couple of times. The more you trace your previous writings, the deeper and more permanent the impressions 
will be.

Attend class (hear, see); take notes (see and touch); prepare colorful flash cards with relevant questions (see and do); record lectures to listen to them again later (hear).

Studies show that a healthy dose of anxiety during studying and exams actually improves performance. Therefore, as uncomfortable as it may feel, it is good to feel apprehension and worry a little about your performance. When does it become "unhealthy?" When anxiety is too much for your good, you start having difficulty concentrating on what you need to do. What would normally take you one hour starts to take much longer. Even though you allocate more time, in the end you find yourself not that much further than when you started a few hours ago. If your mind is preoccupied with other things, it is also hard to focus on what you need to study. So the worry or the anxiety does not need to be just about the class or the exam for it to get in the way of your optimum performance. You can actually relax on your own, to be able to help you focus and get the most out of the time you have.

Although health professionals such as complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, doctors and psychotherapists can teach relaxation techniques, you can also learn some on your own. Relaxation techniques usually involve refocusing your attention to something calming and increasing awareness of your body. It doesn't matter which technique you choose. What matters is that you try to practice relaxation regularly.

Autogenic means something that comes from within you. In this technique, you use both visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress. You repeat words or suggestions in your mind to help you relax and reduce muscle tension. You may imagine a peaceful place and then focus on controlled, relaxing breathing, slowing your heart rate, or different physical sensations, such as relaxing each arm or leg one by one.

In this technique, you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. This helps you focus on the difference between muscle tension and relaxation, and you become more aware of physical sensations. You may choose to start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your toes and progressively working your way up to your neck and head. Tense your muscles for at least five seconds and then relax for 30 seconds, and repeat.

In this technique, you form mental images to take a visual journey to a peaceful, calming place or situation. Try to use as many senses as you can, including smells, sights, sounds and textures. If you imagine relaxing at the ocean, for instance, think about the warmth of the sun, the sound of crashing waves, the feel of the grains of sand and the smell of salt water. You may want to close your eyes, sit in a quiet spot and loosen any tight clothing.

Other relaxation techniques include those you may be more familiar with, such as:

Yoga

Tai chi

Music

Exercise

Meditation

Massage

As you learn relaxation techniques, you'll become more aware of muscle tension and other physical sensations of stress. Once you know what the stress response feels like, you can make a conscious effort to practice a relaxation technique the moment your muscles start to tense. This can prevent stress from spiraling out of control.

Remember that relaxation techniques are skills. And as with any skill, your ability to relax improves with practice. Be patient with yourself. Stay motivated to reduce the negative impact of stress on your body and to experience a greater sense of calm in your life.

And bear in mind that some people, especially those with significant psychological problems and a history of abuse, may experience feelings of emotional discomfort during relaxation exercises. Although this is rare, if you experience emotional discomfort during relaxation exercises, stop what you're doing and consider talking to your UCC counselor or mental health care professional.

GOOD LUCK!