We can study all we want, read the books, online or offline, but it still won’t get you over the anxiety of the actual exam or test. Many people have test anxiety, a very real physiological condition that can cause you to perform badly even if you know the material. Some of the best ways to get past that are by using online test preparation sites. , in fact, there are even manuals and practice tests for the DMV online, and that’s a double dose of anxiety to prepare for right there. With test preparation sites you can learn as if you are under the gun and graded, but in a non-stressful environment, as pass or fail, all it will do is show you what you need to work on and nobody will judge you or care.

Take practice tests

One of the best ways to get past test anxiety is by taking online practice tests. The more online tests you take, the less you will be intimidated by an exam, and just that lack of intimidation can raise your score over 10% more. Online there are many different practice tests for whatever subject you wish to pass, some places even allow you to take the full real test online, so you never even have to leave home.

Mind maps

One of the best ways we have found to remember things is to make a mind map. There are many free programs online that will help with this. We are rather fond of the open source program called Freemind. You create a diagram with interlinking bubbles and notes, just the most relevant information that you need to remember. You can condense pages and pages of notes into a small area for remembering. A very useful tool .

Make a checklist

Make a checklist of everything you need before the exam. What you need to bring with you, documents, ID, pencil, etc. What is the dress code for the test. If you get a break, plan how you will use it to relax and prepare for the second half. We have often used Google keep for our lists, it’s a handy app that will run on your phone as well as your computer and automatically synch with your Google account. It makes nice simple notes, and checklists that you can check off. An easy way to make sure you have everything. There is nothing worse than getting to an exam and finding out you are missing something.

Take study breaks

Set a timer on your computer to go off every hour, and then take a break for 10 minutes, stretch, walk around outside for a few minute for some vitamin D and get the blood moving again. This doesn’t mean to jump on Facebook or Twitter, it means you need to do nothing for 10 minutes, walk around and think, relax, water the garden. Studies show that it will let those things you just learned settle in your mind for a longer period. There are even apps that you can use to set your phone to do this.

Breathe

There are also many meditation apps available, even something simple such as mindful breathing. When things get rough and you can’t focus, just sit still and do some mindful breathing exercises and relax, it’s quite amazing how well that helps. There are many different apps you can test for this and see what feels the best for you.

Don’t forget the non-tech.

Of course, don’t forget the non-technical part of preparation. Eat well, drink a lot of water, and get a lot of sleep, especially before the test. There are many sites that will walk you through the best practices for each of those, more than there is room here for.

Technology can make a stressful world if you let it, but it can also make your world a lot less stressful if you use it properly. If you can beat that anxiety by testing online and getting used to tests, then you can improve your results dramatically. Studies have shown that those with less anxiety than their other more anxious associates scored an average of 12% higher on exams. So, use the technology and bring yourself under control and score those tests as you know you can.