IELTS Tips: How to Stay Productive When You’re Feeling Down

Depression can strike at any moment. So, don’t beat yourself up if you wake up feeling inexplicably down during your IELTS review period. Instead, evaluate your situation.

If you think you’re in for a severe bout of depression, one that’ll have you feeling drained and hopeless for weeks, reschedule your test date. Otherwise, check out the tips below. Integrate them into your test review to stay productive without compromising your mental health. 

     1.    Don’t panic. Keep in mind that being depressed is beyond your control. Force yourself to calm down and pinpoint how depression is affecting your behavior. It varies from person to person. Some feel devoid of emotions while others feel frustrated. Recognize yours and establish the best ways to manage them.

     2.    Reconfigure your IELTS review objectives. Go through what you initially planned for your test preparations. Modify those that seem too ambitious for your current state of mind into something more achievable. Chunk tasks, schedule more study breaks, and adjust your expectations.

     3.    Make the stressful parts more appealing. There are moments in your test preparations that are inescapably stressful. For instance, if you’re attending classes at the IELTS review center in Manila, you’d have to deal with traffic as you commute to and fro the facility. Find ways to make the experience more appealing. Load up your phone with podcasts, mobile games, and other relaxing ways to pass the time.

     4.    Form a support circle. Find people who you can talk to about anything without fear of judgment. Tell them about what you’re going through. Talk about how you feel, what you want to do, and what you don’t want to do. Having someone support you unconditionally can help you deal with your depression better.

     5.    Declutter your space. Cluttered spaces often produce cluttered minds. So, keep your study space neat and organized. Don’t make your depression worse by conducting your IELTS review in disorderly places.

No matter how unfair it is, time won't stop when you're feeling down. So, weigh your options well. Keep in mind that you don’t have to sacrifice your mental health for a high band score. On the other hand, if you do decide to continue going to the IELTS review center in Manila, use these tips to enhance your experience. Prepare for the high-stakes exam without wrecking your mental health.

REFERENCES:            

Bruneau, Megan. "A Therapist's Guide to Staying Productive When You're Depressed or Heartbroken." Quartz. September 28, 2017. Accessed January 29, 2018. https://qz.com/1089589/how-to-stay-productive-when-youre-depressed-or-heartbroken/.

Luke, Ali. "6 Ways to Stay Productive When You're Feeling Low." Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. September 10, 2013. Accessed January 29, 2018. https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/6-ways-to-stay-productive-when-you%E2%80%99re-feeling-low/.

Meyerowitz, Anya. "How to Be Productive When You’re Feeling Down, According to a Therapist." Red Online. October 30, 2017. Accessed January 29, 2018. http://www.redonline.co.uk/health-self/how-to-be-productive-tips.

Renner, Allison. "You Thought You Couldn't Be Productive When Feeling Depressed, Just Wait Till You Read This." Lifehack. May 13, 2014. Accessed January 29, 2018. http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/12-ways-stay-productive-even-when-youre-depressed.html.