4 September 2015
Techniques for Working with the Mind During the Exam Period
Your mind evaluates and labels things to assign significance to events in your life. This is what minds do. It is a natural and normal process and is often quite helpful. However sometimes the mind is not so helpful and buying
into our thoughts can lead to all sorts of suffering in our lives. This can be particularly true around exam periods!
Fortunately, it is possible to become less ruled by your mind by learning the skill of watching it or ‘being mindful’. Mindfulness can simply be described as paying attention in a particular way, on purpose in the present moment, non-judgmentally. Anyone can learn this skill it-but it takes time and practice. It is not a magic bullet! Even setting aside 10-15 minutes per day to practice these skills is a good starting point.
Try the exercise below and the steps below:
Mindfulness of daily activities
- Identify daily activities that you can practice mindfully-for example showering/bathing, eating a meal, preparing a meal or even chores such as washing dishes, ironing.
- Select an activity/activities that you are willing to practice mindfully each day for the coming week
- Bring your attention to the activity that you have selected. Examine this activity as if you are experiencing it for the first time-as if it is completely new and foreign to you. You may like to imagine that you are a curious scientist who has never experienced it before. Check in with your five senses. Notice what you can hear, smell, touch, taste, see. Closely attend to the experience that you are engaging in.
- If at times you notice that your mind drifts away from the particular activity and you find yourself distracted by thoughts of other things don’t worry. This is what minds do. Just take a moment to notice what it was that distracted you, without judgement and bring your focus back to the particular activity.
- Continue practising this for as long as you like (at least 5 minutes is recommended)
- Try and bring this focus on the present moment to the rest of your day
Working with the mind in the moment
1) Try to treat your “mind” as if it is almost a separate person. When you notice anxious, ‘future orientated’, judging, blaming, and assuming thoughts, say to yourself, “there goes my mind again”.
2) Put your thoughts into categories such as ‘should story’, ‘predictive thinking’, and cause/effect story, focus your attention on what you need or want in a situation, or in that particular moment, or time period, make a decision about what to do based on what is most likely to get your needs met.
3) If you notice yourself “buying into” anxious, catastrophizing or judgmental thoughts or assumptions, ask yourself, “have I bought into this thought before?” “Is this an old and familiar pattern?” “In my experience, will it help to continue buying into this thought right now?”
4) Ask yourself this question: “Will buying into this story lead to a more vital and fulfilling life, or will it lead to more pain and suffering in the long run?” “Will buying into this help me in this time to prepare myself before the exam?”
5) If strong “should” or “must” thoughts show up, imagine that it was someone you don’t take seriously (e.g. donald duck) and then imagine them standing there repeating the “should” or “must” thoughts to you.
6) When you notice that your mind is buzzing with judgmental or blaming thoughts or assumptions, imagine that your mind is a radio station and that these thoughts are just “background music.”
7) Label your thoughts as thoughts. For example, if you are thinking, “I will fail this exam” say to yourself, “I am having the thought that I will fail”, “This is an assumptive thought” or “this thought is a future projection and it does not help me engage in the study material at this moment”.
8) Label your feelings as feelings. For example if you feel frustrated, say to yourself “I am having the feeling of frustration”, or “there is anxiety in my body at the moment”.
9) Treat your thoughts like a story. Make a decision about what you are going to do based on what you want or need in a situation, not on what makes sense according to the story.
10) Watch mental images like you would watch commercials on tv.
11) Imagine that mental images are like movies on the DVD player. Imagine using the volume controls, fast forward, rewind, and pause buttons. Do this until you recognise the image for what it is: a made up story in your mind.
12) Repeat your thoughts out loud. Say them in a silly voice. Sing them. Imagine them being said in the voice of your favourite cartoon character
13) Notice when you are being “hooked” by a thought and choose to become unhooked.