Battling the Testing Heebie Jeebies

Marybeth Everhart, MA, RPR, CRI, CLR, CPE

Suffer from test anxiety?

“Ready, begin. . .”

Know your anxiety patterns:• Do you snap at the

beginning?• Do you crackle in the

middle?• Do you pop at the end?

Write the first 5 sentences of an exercise.

– If using Realtime Coach™, focus on “Ready, Begin”.

– If using something else, repeat “Ready, Begin” to yourself prior to starting.

Beginning snapper:

• Replicate the crackle• I’m getting it!• Force yourself into the negative

conversation

Crackle in the middle:

Practice on longer material– Work on material 6-10

minutes long.– Helps build your endurance

as well!

Pop at the end:

Stop, reset, and repeat.

Once comfortable, expand to first 10 +/- sentences.

Stop, reset, and repeat.

Continue to lengthen until you get through the exercise.

Practicing for Test Anxiety:

Practice at speeds higher than the test speeds, 20 wpm, but no more unless those speeds are comfortable.

Practice taking the entire test, not just the writing portion.

As much as possible, practice at the same time of day the test is given.

As much as possible, practice in the same setting as the test.

You are what you eat!

Stress-relieving foods can help, so limit caffeine

on test day.

• Berries, any berries. Eat them one-by-one instead of M&Ms when the pressure's on.

• For those tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another.

Some stress-relieving foods:

The bonus:

They're a good source of vitamin C, which helps fight a jump in cortisol, a stress hormone.

• Pack some snacks!

• Sit by yourself & practice quietly.• Repeat your “Ready, begin” routine to yourself over and over again.

Enjoy your

success!!