The final weeks of a college term are often associated with stress. But while a little stress can be a motivator, too much is harmful to a students’ academic performance, not to mention their health. Below are some common Studying Mistakes that make finals more stressful than they need to be, and empowering alternatives to try instead.

Study Mistake #1: Loading up on Caffeine

Coffee, caffeine pills, Mountain Dew and the ever-popular “energy drinks’” seem like a logical choice for students seeking energy for extra studying. But caffeine is a stimulant that can actually make you feel more stressed. What’s more, evidence shows that the temporary energy jolt that caffeine may provide is often followed by a crash that leaves you feeling completely drained later on. And caffeine stays in the system for hours longer than people realize, making it difficult to get truly restful sleep. The result: you feel exhausted rather than refreshed.

Try this instead:

As hard as it might be, discipline yourself to lay off the caffeine during finals week. Give yourself a spike in energy by eating more healthful foods instead. The right foods allow your body to get energy from the nutrients it’s craving rather than being artificially propped up with caffeine. Make it a point to eat a serving or two of salad, fresh fruit or lean protein at every meal, and cut out simple carbs like bagels & donuts, which leave you feeling sluggish. These simple changes during final s week will keep you energized for studying, and will keep you healthy, both of which will help you reduce stress.

Study Mistake #2: Pulling “All-Nighters”

Recent research suggests that the benefits of an all-night study session are outweighed by the sleepiness and fuzzy thinking that generally prevail the next day. A Behavioral Sleep Medicine study found that students who regularly pulled all-nighters tended to have lower GPAs than those who didn’t. Not sleeping enough can also weaken your immune system, increasing your chances of coughing and wheezing your way through finals week.

Try this instead:

Plan your Work, then Work your Plan. Students often obsess about paper deadlines and exams until they seem much worse than they really are. Creating a plan can help clear mental clutter, and make the work seem much more feasible to accomplish. Write down or type out a schedule of each exam and deadline. Then, plot time slots on a calendar for studying, writing papers and working on projects. Specify which chapters to read, topics to focus on, or tasks to complete during each session. And include plenty time for rejuvenating sleep. Then, just stick to the plan!

Study Mistake #3: Cramming at the Last Minute

Some students convince themselves that they do their best work “under pressure.” There are several reasons why this is worth reconsidering. First is the risk of not finishing in time, and being unprepared for an exam, or turning a paper in late. Second, it greatly increase the chances of needing to fall back on some of the other items on this list, such as loading up on caffeine or pulling all-nighters. Third, it may be cheating the student out of getting the most from their education. “Cramming” tends to encode information into short-term memory, but the knowledge doesn’t always remain, creating more stress next semester when they have to build on what they’re learning now. Finally, consider the work habits that are being created. Today’s final exams and paper due dates are tomorrow’s and important presentations and project deadlines. Why condition yourself to always wait until the last minute?

Try this instead:

If you’re someone who feels you work best with deadlines, give yourself a deadline that’s really a few days before your ‘real’ deadline — this gives you a burst of motivation, but also some wiggle room. Also, try some of the “Plan your Work, then Work your Plan” Tips listed under Mistake #1.

Study Mistake #4: Worrying Too Much about What’s at Stake

Having a healthy respect for the importance of good grades is admirable, but too much negative obsessing about outcomes can be counter-productive. Peak performance requires focus. Being overly anxious leads to distraction and stress, which can actually cause performance to suffer. If thoughts of doing poorly on a test or final paper are causing anxiety, for the sake of your own success you need to do something that shifts your mental energy.

Try this instead:

A 15-minute meditation break can give you a mental “fresh-start” to resume studying. According to the Mayo Clinic, “when you mediate, you clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress.” To meditate, find a quiet location and then sit or lie in a comfortable position. Breathe slowly in and out, focusing your entire attention on the movement and sound associated with each breath. Your mind may still race at first…just keep bringing your attention back to the breathing until you feel calm, clear and more focused.
Physical activity is also a great way to decrease the production of stress hormones and boost energy. When you notice anxiety building, take 20 minutes to hop on the treadmill, lift some weights or take a brisk walk.

Study Mistake #5: Ineffective Study Groups

Study groups can be wonderfully successful, when done for the right reasons. Trying to make studying more “fun” by getting together with friends is not one them. You’ll likely find yourself trying to balance studying with socializing, thereby reducing the quality of both. For the same reason, avoid meeting in places where interruptions or socializing are likely, such as the campus center or a dorm room. These venues offer distractions that can sabotage your efforts.

Try this instead:

Create a study group with others in your class. This will enable you discuss what will be on the final exam and help one another to understand difficult course material. Choose people who are responsible and committed, and start the first meeting with each person sharing what he/she hopes to gain by studying as a group vs. on their own. In some cases, you may be able to reduce each individual’s study time by working collaboratively toward a common goal. For example have each member read certain chapters, and create a review guide for others in the group. Finally, meet at the library or another quiet place that provides the right atmosphere and is conducive to studying.

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Thinking I might still be able to pass it off as an over-ambitious first attempt, at lunch the other day I asked a dear friend (also an avid blog reader) for her thoughts on what constitutes a reasonable length for a blog post.  Her response: “2 to 3 paragraphs.”    I tried to hide my terror by feigning intense interest in the daily specials. I write 90-minute keynotes, I write book chapters, I even write magazine articles…but wrap it up in 3 paragraphs??    I wonder silently if our server will bring me a nitroglycerin-tablet martini.

After hearing my dilemma of already having 3 pages of material, my wise friend suggested that I simply pull out a few thoughts for the blog, and provide link to the rest.   What’s that you say?  I can have my cake an eat it, too?  My breathing and heart rate to returned to normal in no time.   Thanks, Traci!