With thanks to Dan Licence, an Education Mental Health Practitioner, for writing this blog for us.
Feeling nervous about exams? Guided visualisation is a mental rehearsal technique that can help calm the mind and boost confidence. It was used initially in the field of sports, where studies showed that athletes who regularly visualised themselves performing well in their chosen sport, saw improvements of up to 45%.
In the field of Psychology, similar results have been achieved with students sitting exams. One study targeting 60 adolescents, found that implementing guided imagery brought unhealthy anxiety levels down from 67% to 0% over a 2 month period, leading to significant increases in exam performance.
It’s thought that the reason guided visualisation works so well, is that your brain responds to imagined experiences in a similar way to real ones. So, you’re essentially rehearsing success!
Guided visualisation can be achieved in 5 simple steps:
1. Find a quiet moment
Sit or lie somewhere comfortable. Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths. Let your body and mind enter into a relaxed state.
2. Picture the process
Imagine yourself on the day of the exam – waking up, getting ready, and arriving feeling calm and in control.
3. Visualise success
See yourself sitting in the exam room. Reading the questions clearly, your mind feeling focused, and the answers coming to you easily. Picture yourself working calmly and confidently through each section.
4. Add positive self-talk
In your mind, repeat phrases like:
“I am prepared.”
“I can handle this.”
“I will do my best.”
5. Keep it short and repeat often
Spend 5 to 10 minutes each day practicing your visualisation. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel on the day.
For free guided visualisations, head over to the following links:
Guided Visualisation for Exam Preparation
I recommend saving these for later and trying them out before your next exam.
Good luck, and remember: you’ve got this!
For more information, please contact our founder, Lucy Cawkwell, at lucy@octuition.co.uk
