In the past years, academic pressure and stress has taken a rise around the world. With examinations, performance tests, assignments, interviews on the rise at every step of the academic process, the burden is ever increasing for students. While some amount of stress and pressure is effective in sharpening the mind and reflexes, excessive and prolonged amounts can be overwhelming and lead to emotional disorders. And to top it all off, the sources of stress come from a variety of directions – institutions, teachers, parents.
- Getting good grades while participating in extracurricular activities and fulfilling the expectations to be an all-rounder
- Heavy academic workloads and deadlines
- Compelling need to excel
- Parental pressure to perform well
- Lack of guidance and support systems
- Comparison
- Fear of taking upcoming challenges
- Conditioning that academic achievement should be the sole focus
However, stressors aren’t the only reason that lead to anxiety and depression, rather it is the synergy between stressors and an individual’s approach towards them that causes emotional and physical concerns. Therefore, learning to deal with it is of utmost importance. Once students learn effective strategies to navigate the waters and find the ability to sail through, they can improve their mental health and become productive in their academics.
Exercise
Physical exercise in any form has been proven to reduce anxiety, depression and other negative emotions caused due to stress. Whether it’s dance, zumba, light walking or running, exercise can help increase endorphins. The stress relief effect is best when students engage in at least 45 minutes to 1 hour of exercise regularly. However, with increasingly busy academic lives, even 30 minutes can have a good enough impact.
Study Habits
The right practice and approach with a little practice can help improve academic performance and keep a check on your stress levels.
- Set study goals for each day, i.e. setting targets such as completing 2 chapters in a day, learning a new topic, etc.
- Once the targets are achieved, set up practice tests or quizzes to enhance your learning and identify areas that need improvement.
- Revise every chapter or subject once it is done to ensure the material is learned and fit to memory.
- Once the material is learnt, try revising it in your own words to help gauge overall understanding of the chapters.
- Write whatever you have learnt to develop better memory.
- Highlight important words or sentences.
- Keep repeating whatever you read, so as to ensure better learning.
- After every subject is done, solve 3 past papers of that subject, for practice and better learning.
- Encourage yourself to study for a specific number of hours, let’s say 2-3 hours, and create a self-reward habit, like screen time for half an hour if goals are met. This will keep you motivated.
Cutting out distractions
Distractions take up a lot of time and divert your focus towards something other than the work that needs to be done. Therefore, keeping them to a minimum during your study time can be of great help.
- When you find yourself getting distracted with thoughts or ideas during your assignment, a thought pad can be a tool to go for. As and when thoughts occur, you can write them down in the thought pad, and then resume your assignments.
- Break down big assignments into smaller tasks, to avoid procrastination or boredom over one topic/subject.
- To help ignore distractions, try the ABC brain training technique. A is for awareness – the recognition of what the distraction is. B stands for breathing deeply – time to slow down and think about your options. C is for choice. By choosing mindfully, the distraction can be dealt with – either by responding to it in some way or dismissing it.
- set a routine with fixed time for yourself, so as to avoid any work overlooks. E.g. a fixed time to study, to do homework, to play or screen time, to rest or sleep.
- To avoid hunger pangs in between study time, take snack breaks in between. For instance, after every 45 minutes or 1 hour of studying, you can have a 5-minute snack break. Instead of indulging in junk snacks to feel satisfied in our stomach and head, try munching on dry fruits, fruits or nuts. This will help you deal with your hunger pangs, as well as work on your health.
Time management
Good time management helps complete more in a shorter period of time and thereby reduce academic stress and pressure.
- Observe your high energy levels through the day and study subjects you find difficult in those boosts. Be fully focused and limit distractions during those phases. Take short breaks away from your desks during low energy phases.
- Uncover your power hour i.e. 30 minutes or 3 hours after waking up. Indulge in high priority, important tasks during that hour.
- Discover whether you are a morning, mid-day or evening person. Then set up your study schedule accordingly. Morning people wake up easily and notice a drop in energy in the afternoon. Mid-day people usually can wake by 7 or 8 in the morning and their energy peaks in the afternoon. Evening people are groggy in the morning and usually sleep late.
- Use the ‘Act As If’ Method: Identify the type of person you want to be (such as an ‘A’ grade student) and adopt actions that align with your identity (such as dedicating focused time for studying). Track these actions on a daily basis to build proof that you’re becoming this person. It helps sustain and strengthen your new habits.
Academic pressure is a growing concern among students, but it doesn’t have to overpower their well-being. By adopting healthy study habits, managing time effectively, staying physically active, and learning to cope with distractions and stressors, students can take charge of their academic journey. With the right tools and mindset, students can transform pressure into productivity and stress into strength.
Photo Credits:
First image: freepik
Second image: freepik
References
Floirendo, G. (2024). Time Management Strategies for Success. Ohai.ai. https://www.ohai.ai/blog/time-management-strategies
Jain, G., & Singhai, M. (2017). Academic stress amongst students: a review of literature. Prestige e-Journal of Management and Research, 4(2), 58-67.
Marc. (2025). 10 good study habits to develop and tips to do it effectively. CityU of Seattle. https://www.cityu.edu/blog/good-study-habits/
Qiao, S., & Huang, G. (2022). ANALYSIS ON THE STRESS RELIEF OF COLLEGE STUDENTS BY PHYSICAL EXERCISE. Psychiatria Danubina, 34(1), 924-928.
TeKnowledge Shared Services. (2025). Energy Management vs. Time Management: Boosting Productivity by Managing Your Energy Levels. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/energy-management-vs-time-boosting-productivity-2ay1c
UNC-Chapel Hill Learning Center. (2024). Distractions. Learning Center. https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/take-charge-of-distractions/
Sakshi
About the author
Sakshi is a clinical psychologist with a deep passion for understanding human behavior, a strong drive for research, and a keen eye for psychological intricacies. Committed to continuous learning, she seeks to explore every facet of psychology, from theory to practice, to better support and empower individuals. With a curiosity that fuels her pursuit of knowledge, she strives to bridge the gap between research and real-world applications, making psychology more accessible and impactful.
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