Eight tips to combat CAT preparation Stress

Eight tips to combat CAT preparation stress

As the clock starts ticking, it’s common to feel the pressure on yourself, especially with the mock exams starting. CAT exam is important given the vast syllabus and the fact that you can take only one attempt a year. It is certainly not that tough, and it’s not the end of the world. Just remember that. Since you need to balance your CAT preparation with your office/college work and not take too much stress on yourself Here are certain pointers that can help you combat this stress

Eight tips to combat CAT preparation stress are:

• Keep it simple
• Take a Break
• Have a group
• Keep it in perspective
• Keep working
• Get your heart pumping:
• Don’t (always) listen to others
• Focus on the journey and not the destination

Keep it simple:

 Whether preparation or trying out different test-taking strategies, It becomes stressful only when you overcomplicate things. For example, In the quant section, a problem can be solved using many methods. If you try to learn every trick in the book, Chances are you end up complicating the concept and messing up your problem-solving ability and time. This leads to you second-guessing your preparation and hence the stress. Stick to the basics. Don’t try to complicate things as much as possible.

Take a break:

CAT preparation is a marathon, not a sprint, So you need to battle mental fatigue besides your preparation and mock exams. With your office/college work balancing your CAT preparation can become exhausting and stressful. You must take a few breaks in between. That being said, ensure you are refreshed and rejuvenated after the break to pick up from where you left with the world going digital. Fatigue due to the overuse of electronic devices is a significant issue. Make sure you combat them healthily and effectively.

Have a group:

  Sometimes when you are stuck in a problem or can’t figure out the answer to the question, You can always try to phone a friend like in KBC. Having a group of similar-minded people striving towards the same goal can help you prepare. You can discuss test-taking strategies and CAT preparation and also vent out about the common problems that you face during your CAT prep while balancing college/office tasks. This works especially with DILR section where puzzles are quite tricky,.Remember, a problem shared is a problem halved. I can say from experience that having a group goes a long way in boosting morale, especially when you are feeling down.

Keep it in perspective:

With the world running so far and each of us being subjected to so much internal and external pressure daily. It is easy to forget why you took up this journey in the first place. You can take up CAT only once a year, which adds even more pressure. There are days when I have wondered what I would do if CAT didn’t work out, and it took me a while to realize that I would be alright, and I should probably cross that bridge when I get there. I strongly advocate that you give 100% while preparing but don’t let the pressure of preparing mess with your head.

Keep working:

When in self-doubt, kick that out by doing more. Now that mock season is officially open. It becomes common to doubt yourself and your preparation. Just remember that you have time and can amp up your preparation. Around June-July, mock exams are just to familiarise yourself with the test patterns. Getting a low percentile at this stage is no reason to feel down. Step it up if you think you are falling behind on your preparation. There is no substitute for hard work. Just remember that.

Get your heart pumping:

 Try to squeeze in some time for exercise. We are stuck in a mechanical world, with most of us staring at our laptop and desktop screens throughout the day. The digital fatigue we endure is too high, and working out or going for a walk can help you step out of this. Try to keep at least 15-30 minutes per day to do your favourite activity away from the screens of your phones and laptops. Physical activity helps significantly in combating the stress we endure daily and makes us healthier physically and mentally. This also helps improve your mood and keep your mind calm and peaceful, which is essential for your CAT preparation and your life ahead.

 Don’t always listen to yourself:

         While having a group to support your preparation and discuss your doubts is always good, you needn’t go overboard and compare your performances. Each of us has our ways of preparing, and it’s better not to compare or devise your preparation schedules and strategy entirely based on other people’s advice. Listening to others’ preparation might make you doubt yourself and make you feel stressed about your preparation. Take advice from others but remember you can’t implement everything you read or hear. So take what works for you and make your preparation schedule and strategy accordingly. Your aim should be to get better than the previous week. And that’s the only comparison you should make.

Focus on the journey and not the destination:

  Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is your CAT percentile. The preparation for CAT is a relatively lengthy process for most of us, and it’ll take some time to see results. You can’t put yourself down after one bad mock test or a burned-out preparation session. Just make sure you don’t hit a lot of speed bumps in your preparation and bounce back from them as quickly as possible. It will be a long journey, and it is easy to give up in the face of bad intermediate results. Focus on the journey and not on quick results. Deemphasize on percentile and focus on increasing your problem-solving speed and accuracy. Results will come in automatically.

CAT preparation is only as tough as you make it to be, Relax and and focus on your preparation.

All the best on your exciting adventure !! – Harish V

Harish is an alum of IIM Bangalore who can’t stop talking about Chelsea FC