Tips for getting to school - MK EDIT

Top Tips

for getting to school

I worry about things

I struggle with friendships

I struggle to concentrate

I struggle at school because I feel shy

I feel exam anxiety

I don't like school

I struggle revising for exams

I struggle with sleep

I don't feel motivated

I don't feel motivated by School

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1. Start with just 5 minutes. Sometimes the hardest thing is to just get started. If you give something 5 minutes of focus, it might get you more in the mood to focus further.

2. Use your body to trick your brain. Sit up straight, smile, stretch, walk about, by changing your body it will make you feel more energised and ready to focus.

3. Start with what you enjoy. Sometimes starting homework with the bits you enjoy first can get you into the zone.

4. Plan. Plan what you homework might involve and when you might find the time for it. Perhaps write a To Do list so you can see the order. Breaking things down into small steps can be helpful.

5. Remember your successes. You have probably been in a situation before when you dreaded a piece of work or a lesson, think about what helped you focus and how you felt when you got it done.

I struggle revising for exams

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1. Study for short blocks and take a break. For example, study for 25 mins then take a 5 minute break to get a drink. Little and often is the key.

2. Recognise that effort and practice leads to success (growth mindset)

3. Make sure you know what are the important bits to focus on and prioritise these.

4. If you leave a subject for a few days, quiz yourself when you return to it so you can check it’s going into your long term memory.

5. Explain your learning out loud, create mnemonics and have important bits of information as a visual stuck somewhere you can read it regularly.

I feel exam anxiety

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1. Visualise yourself feeling comfortable and doing well in exams.

2. Ignore previous negative exam experiences, you live in the present and this is what counts.

3. Be prepared. Make sure you know the exam details, such as time, where it is, the materials you need to bring, have it ready the day before, be early– avoid surprises if you can.

4. Notice if you are having negative thoughts about exams, these are just thoughts, not facts, try not to give them to much of your time and energy.

5. Mindfullness before you start. Practice saying positive things to yourself ‘I can do this’, listen to some music, use breathing techniques that you have practice before (belly breathing, square breathing).

(If you have revised for your exam, these strategies will help deal with nerves)

I struggle to concentrate

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1. Prioritise sleep to give you the mental energy to concentrate better.

2. Eat a well balanced diet. Too much sugar and energy drinks can lead to a crash, making you feel tired.

3. Remove distractions – find a calm work area, less noise and people, put your phone on silent and out of view for a set time.

4. If you have worrying thoughts distracting you, then set yourself a time later to attend to these thoughts.

5. Break down work into smaller chunks and take regular breaks.

I worry about things

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1. Can your worry be problem solved? Is there a solution, or someone you can talk to who can help you find a solution? Even just having someone listen to your worries can help.

2. Thoughts are not facts. We have 60, 000 thoughts a day and the negative ones are the loudest. If you become aware that thoughts are just thoughts you can start giving them less energy.

3. If your worrying at night, write down your worries. Sometimes being able to see them written down can give you a bit of space from the worry thoughts. It also allows you to question how factual they are.

4. Take your worry for a walk! Movement, such as walking or heading outside can help worries fade. It’s usually when we’re idle or stuck in one place we tend to worry more.

5. Remind yourself that while you may feel uncomfortable and anxious, that this feeling won’t be here all the time and will pass.

I struggle with sleep

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1. Ditch the technology for 1 hour before bed (gaming, internet, phone).

2. Build a routine of going to bed the same time each night and waking the same time each morning, your body will respond better to routines. Try to aim for 8 hours sleep a night.

3. Prepare your bedroom, make sure it’s cool, dark and quiet. Maybe use earplugs or listen to white noise if you are easily woken.

4. If you are suffering from waking or not being able to sleep, trying writing anything you are worrying about. This will help your mind to stop repeating worrying thoughts if you can see them written down.

5. Avoid drinks with caffeine in the evening.

I don't like School

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1. Is there someone you can speak to about this? Ideally you should speak to someone who can help you work out what it is about school you don’t like and what can be done about it.

2. Give yourself a reward after school if attending is a big effort for you. If school takes energy from you, find what you need to restore your energy, this will be different for different people.

3. It might be that you feel overwhelmed by all the demands placed on you. Some of these might even be fun stuff like clubs, family commitments and hanging out with friends. If you feel too busy, again speak to an adult who may help you prioritise which are the most important things for you.

4. Many teenagers find it difficult to get up in the morning, this is normal for your age group. Try getting the same amount of sleep each night and going bed at the same time, your body responds well to routines.

5. You might get really very nervous for tests or presentations, again this is quite common. Preparing well will of course help but also visualising yourself feeling comfortable and confident in these situations.

I struggle at school because I feel shy

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1. If you are shy around others, you might feel that you will be judged on what you say or do. Remember it’s usually only you judging yourself so harshly, many people are thinking more about how they feel and what they want to say.

2. If you are in class and you want to answer a question but worry you might blush or sound awkward, take that risk. Avoiding the risk of this each time will make it harder for you the next time.

3. If you do worry about blushing, try to accept that you will blush and tell yourself ‘who cares!’. It’s better to say what you want to say and blush than not say anything.

4. There will be times when you don’t have the energy to put yourself out there. Notice if you are being too hard on yourself for not achieving what you want, ask yourself, would you speak to a friend like that? (probably not).

5. Practice being yourself with small groups and good friends, you don’t need to be part of a big crowd if it doesn’t suit you.

I struggle with friendships

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1. The people you are hanging around with might not be the right people for you. Is there an adult you can talk to about this? Maybe a teacher can help or your parent?

2. If you keep falling out with your friends, consider what role you might play in this, what is it that you do that might be making this happen? It’s easier to change your own thoughts and behaviour than other peoples.

3. Try mixing with lots of different people. The more people you mix with, the more you learn what kind of person you can be as different people can bring out different parts of your personality.

4. If you want to meet new people, find people who have similar interests, music, films, sport or join a club in or out of school.

5. If people are being unkind or thoughtless around you, again it’s best to speak to someone first and get some advice.