Results day – How to look after your wellbeing
It's that time of year again - waiting for exam results. While we often associate exam stress with studying, revising, and taking the exam, the anxiety during the wait for results is also quite common. After putting in all the hard work, all that's left is the waiting game.
It's completely normal to feel worried, anxious, or apprehensive while awaiting important news. Results day can trigger anxiety and stress because the outcome can shape future educational or employment opportunities. The uncertainty of not knowing what to expect or being unable to amend answers adds to the stress.
Some of the signs you might be experiencing stress or anxiety during results time are:
Feeling overwhelmed
Poor sleep
Less motivation
Worrying
Comfort eating or not eating at all
Thinking negatively
Feeling irritable
Low confidence
It's easy to get caught up in the idea that life revolves around success or failure. However, for many individuals, setbacks and failures are essential steps on the path to success. The key is to persevere and keep moving forward - this is the foundation of success.
We can get stuck thinking in unhelpful ways, but it's important to remember:
Unhelpful ways of thinking make you feel bad
We all can think like this from time to time
It can be a problem when they prevent us from doing things
Our thinking can often be black and white; believing that people or things can be good or bad, right or wrong. When in reality, there are often shades of grey. It is easy to get into a trap of:
Mind reading when we assume we know what others are thinking. This can include what they think about us. We think our parents will be disappointed if we fail an exam but we don't know that - perhaps they will be more understanding and be happy that we had tried our best. People may not think as negatively as we assume.
Catastrophising, always thinking the worst. Should, Musts, Ought's, putting pressure on ourselves and having unrealistic expectations. 'I must get the best result' 'I must not fail'. These thoughts will just keep you stressed and if you get these thoughts remind yourself that it isn't helpful thinking. Try and get some perspective and be your own positive coach, try not to be self-critical. We perceive failing as the wort thing ever but you can only do your best. If we don't try we will never know. Sometimes, experiencing failure can contribute to building strength, teaching you resilience, and guiding you to navigate through challenges effectively.
It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you have to live so cautiously that you might as well not lived at all - JK Rowling
Here are some handy self-care tips to help keep calm in the lead up to results day:
Look after yourself - try not to get lost in a cycle of panic and stress. Take time out each day, try and eat well, socialise spending time with people who make you feel good, exercise or go for a walk and don't lock yourself away.
Take a break from devices - always checking for updates about results day will lead you to feel anxious. Have a break from technology and try reading a book instead or go for a walk.
Talk it out - everyone around you will understand if you are feeling stressed, worried or anxious. Rather than bottle things up, have a chat with someone and talk about any worries. Just speaking to someone about your feelings can help you de-stress.
Get quality sleep - losing sleep or a lack of sleep can really impact your mood, your emotions and can make you feel more anxious or worried. Value your sleep. Rather than late night box set binges, get an early night, relax and take a break from screens before you go to bed.
Look after your physical health - Getting enough sleep, staying physically active and eating a balanced diet can make stress easier to manage. Stress can sometimes make these things difficult to look after. But even small changes can make a big difference.
Spend time in nature - This can help to reduce stress and improve wellbeing. You could try going for a walk in a green space, taking care of indoor plants, or spending time with animals.
More tips:
Surround yourself with supportive people - friends and family can help you celebrate the real highs, but also provide support during bad times. Reach out to those who can be a support network for you, and help you grow.
Try not to compare - everyone is different, try not to compare results with others. Comparisons can sometimes make you feel worse so just try and focus on yourself.
Listen to a podcast or your favourite music - Listening to music can elevate our mood and makes us feel good, and podcasts can keep our brain engaged whilst we are doing other tasks. We have lots of podcasts available to listen to for free on our website, including a podcast that talks about exam results day and another on what self-care is and why it is so important in maintaining our wellbeing.
Practice the Five Ways to Wellbeing - a big part of self-care is not just looking after how we feel right now, but also maintaining our wellbeing as a way of life. A great way to maintain how we feel is to follow the Five Ways to Wellbeing.
Try square breathing - anxiety can lead to quick shallow breaths which can make things worse. Try square breathing which involves 4 basic steps each lasting 4 seconds. 1: breathing in, 2: holding the breath, 3: breathing out, 4: holding the breath. This technique is quick to learn, easy to do and can be really helpful in reducing stress. For some guided breathing techniques check out our Mindful Living section on our website.
How we can help
Don't feel embarrassed about asking for help. Mental illness can be lonely and really overwhelming, it can be hard to cope on your own.
If you are struggling with your mental health, ask for help.
Our free online workshops are here to help you.
Whether it's focusing on some self-care with our Relaxation Station, making improvements to your Sleep, or we can give tips and techniques to help us to manage anxiety with our Anxiety Toolkit workshop.
Our workshops are easy to book via our website - choose the workshop you'd like to join, select a suitable date, complete the short form and we'll send you a joining link.
You can view our full range of online Workshops here
We also offer
Individual support - you can self refer on our website here or by calling 0300 123 1503 (Monday to Friday 8am-6pm).
Community Events (online & in person)
For more information and advice visit our Exam Results page
