It happens to everyone. You’re sailing through a test when suddenly, you get one wrong and your confidence completely deserts you. If you were asked to spell ‘cat’ or work out 4 + 3, you’d be filled with panic. Not a great situation to be in, mid-test – so it’s good to have a plan. Here are some ways to deal with mid-test panic:
Sit up straight. When your posture oozes confidence, your brain behaves confidently.
Breathe deeply. Your brain runs on oxygen, and a big deep breath helps to relax you.
Talk kindly to yourself. It’s tempting to say ‘I’m such an idiot, I’ll never get through this’ – but it’s much more constructive to say something like ‘Oh, I think I got that wrong – never mind, there are plenty of other marks to pick up.’
