Managing Test Anxiety: 8 Executive Function Strategies to Stay Calm and Confident

Posted by Erica Warren on Oct 07, 2024

Test anxiety is a common struggle for many high school students, especially those who feel the pressure to perform well on exams. This overwhelming fear of failure or blanking out during a test can derail even the most prepared students, leaving them feeling discouraged. Managing test anxiety often requires tapping into executive functioning skills, such as emotional regulation, focus, and time management. By strengthening these skills, students can feel more in control and confident during exams.

Boy with eyes closed managing test anxiety

If you are an educator, executive functioning coach, or parent looking for effective ways to help students overcome test anxiety, this blog offers eight actionable strategies that integrate executive function techniques to manage anxiety and improve academic performance.

What is Test Anxiety?

Test anxiety is a type of performance anxiety where students experience intense worry, fear, or panic during exams. It can manifest in physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweating, or difficulty concentrating. These feelings can interfere with a student's ability to recall information, even if they have studied extensively.

In today’s competitive academic environment, test anxiety can become a significant roadblock for students. But by enhancing executive functioning skills such as self-regulation, planning, and focus, students can manage and reduce anxiety, helping them approach their exams with greater sense of confidence and calm.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Test Anxiety and What Happens in the Brain:

Test anxiety can manifest in various ways, affecting both the mind and body. Some common symptoms include:

Physical: Rapid heartbeat, sweating, nausea, headaches, or shortness of breath.
Emotional: Feelings of panic, dread, or hopelessness.
Cognitive: Difficulty concentrating, racing thoughts, or blanking out during exams.

When faced with stress, the brain releases cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone. In small amounts, cortisol can actually enhance focus and alertness, helping students concentrate during a test. However, when cortisol levels are too high, it can overwhelm the brain’s memory and cognitive functions, blocking recall and making it difficult for students to access the information they’ve studied.

Recognizing these signs and understanding the role cortisol plays in anxiety is crucial for developing effective strategies to manage stress and improve academic performance.

1. Practice the Physiological Sigh Technique to Calm the Mind

One of the fastest ways to manage anxiety is through controlled breathing. Breathing exercises help students regulate their nervous systems, which is a key aspect of emotional regulation, a vital executive function.

A particularly effective method is the physiological sigh. This involves taking two deep inhales through the nose (the second inhale filling the lungs completely) followed by a slow, extended exhale through the mouth. The physiological sigh helps calm the body and reduces anxiety. Students can practice this technique anytime they feel overwhelmed, especially before entering an exam room.

2. Try Box Breathing for Focus and Relaxation

Another helpful breathing technique is box breathing, which is often used by athletes and professionals to stay calm under pressure. Here’s how it works:

Inhale for 4 counts.
Hold the breath for 4 counts.
Exhale for 4 counts.
Hold again for 4 counts.

This technique helps students stay focused and relaxed, which is critical when preparing for exams. By practicing self-regulation—a key executive function skill—students can learn to manage their anxiety more effectively before and during exams.

3. Use Grounding Techniques to Stay Present

When anxiety strikes, it can pull students into a cycle of "what if" thinking, which can derail focus. Grounding techniques help students use their attention control skills to focus on the present moment. One highly effective method is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique, which engages the five senses to bring the mind back to the present.

Here’s how students can do it:

Identify 5 things they can see.
Identify 4 things they can hear.
Identify 3 things they can feel.
Identify 2 things they can smell.
Identify 1 thing they can taste.

This simple exercise helps redirect attention, a core component of executive functioning, allowing students to manage their anxiety and refocus on the task at hand.

4. Practice Positive Visualization

Visualization is a technique often used by athletes and performers to mentally rehearse successful outcomes. For students, practicing positive visualization can help boost their self-monitoring and emotional regulation skills. Encourage students to imagine themselves walking into the exam room feeling calm and prepared. They can picture themselves answering questions with ease and clarity, finishing the test confidently.

By regularly visualizing these positive outcomes, students can strengthen their executive functioning skills and train their brains to associate test-taking with success rather than anxiety.

5. Reframe Negative Thoughts

Test anxiety often stems from negative thinking patterns such as "I’m going to fail" or "I’ll forget everything." These thoughts can feel overwhelming and self-fulfilling. Help students recognize these patterns and teach them how to reframe negative thoughts into more positive, empowering statements. This strengthens their cognitive flexibility, a key executive functioning skill.

For example:

Instead of "I’ll never pass this test," they can say, "I’ve prepared for this, and I’ll do my best."
Instead of "I always forget everything," they can say, "I’ve practiced and studied hard, and I can trust my memory."

Shifting their internal dialogue not only reduces anxiety but also improves their ability to self-regulate emotions and thoughts during stressful situations.

6. Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Anxiety doesn’t just affect the mind—it manifests physically as well. Many students experience tense muscles or jitteriness before exams. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that teaches students how to release physical tension by tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups, starting from the toes and working up to the head.

This exercise can help students become more aware of their bodies and provides a way to physically relax before exams, further supporting self-regulation and stress management—two vital executive functioning skills.

7. Encourage Journaling to Release Anxious Thoughts

Writing down anxious thoughts can be an effective way for students to process and release their worries. Journaling helps students practice self-reflection and gives them an outlet to express their concerns in a non-judgmental way.

Encourage students to write down their fears and worries before exams. Once their thoughts are on paper, the worries often feel less overwhelming. Journaling can also help students identify negative thought patterns and practice emotional regulation through written reflection.

8. Try Guided Meditations Before the Test

Meditation can be an excellent way to reduce test anxiety and improve focus, especially when practiced before an exam. Starting the morning of the test with a body scan or mindfulness meditation helps calm the mind, reduce tension, and center your thoughts. These types of guided meditations allow students to connect with their bodies, breathe deeply, and release any anxious feelings, promoting a more relaxed state before the exam.

There are many accessible meditation apps, such as Headspace and Calm, which offer short, focused meditations perfect for test day. Free options on YouTube also provide excellent guided meditations for managing stress and anxiety. Incorporating a quick meditation session before heading into the test room can significantly reduce nerves and improve concentration during the exam.

Giving Students the Best Tools for Test Anxiety:

Managing test anxiety is about equipping students with the right tools to calm their minds and improve their focus. By incorporating executive function strategies such as breathing techniques, visualization, and time management, students can significantly reduce their anxiety and enhance their academic performance.

Help your students practice these strategies consistently so they can not only perform better in exams but also strengthen their executive functioning skills, which will benefit them throughout their academic journey and beyond.

If you’re an educator, executive functioning coach, or parent helping students manage test anxiety, these strategies can make a world of difference. By giving students these tools, we can help them transform test-taking from a stressful experience to one filled with confidence and success.

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning. She is also the director of Learning to Learn and Learning Specialist Courses.