Timed test anxiety-- tips, advice, and should I explain?
June 29, 2017 4:32 PM Subscribe
I have a test coming up for a job position; part of it will involve a brief period to memorize a sorting chart, and then using that memory only to sort information according to the chart, in a very short amount of time. The problem-- ever since grade school, timed tests have been my bane, causing such extreme anxiety that I mentally freeze. Help.
The irksome thing is, I know if this were not a 'ticking clock' situation, I could do this; given 15 minutes instead of five, for example, I'd be able to do fairly well. But just knowing that "THE CLOCK IS TICKING ITS A TIMED TEST YOU HAVE TO DO THEM ALL RIGHT INSTANTLY OR THE TEACHER WILL MAKE FUN OF YOU IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE SECOND GRADE CLASS AGAIN" and my gut churns, my heart pounds, I break out in cold sweat, and my brain literally goes like a rabbit in the headlights-- I can barely write my own name, much less solve problems. And I certainly can't memorize something, nor use that information.
I have been taking some of the practice tests for this scenario, and will continue to do so, but so far I have been scoring abysmally. Are there any tips or tricks you can suggest for this particular fear of "timed test" anxiety?
As a side question, do you think it would be worth speaking/writing to either the test-giver, or the person in the hiring position, and explaining that I'm really NOT as stupid as the test scores show, I just happen to have a particular weakness for being held to a stopwatch in a testing situation? Is this an actual "disability" I should confess and seek accommodation for?
The irksome thing is, I know if this were not a 'ticking clock' situation, I could do this; given 15 minutes instead of five, for example, I'd be able to do fairly well. But just knowing that "THE CLOCK IS TICKING ITS A TIMED TEST YOU HAVE TO DO THEM ALL RIGHT INSTANTLY OR THE TEACHER WILL MAKE FUN OF YOU IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE SECOND GRADE CLASS AGAIN" and my gut churns, my heart pounds, I break out in cold sweat, and my brain literally goes like a rabbit in the headlights-- I can barely write my own name, much less solve problems. And I certainly can't memorize something, nor use that information.
I have been taking some of the practice tests for this scenario, and will continue to do so, but so far I have been scoring abysmally. Are there any tips or tricks you can suggest for this particular fear of "timed test" anxiety?
As a side question, do you think it would be worth speaking/writing to either the test-giver, or the person in the hiring position, and explaining that I'm really NOT as stupid as the test scores show, I just happen to have a particular weakness for being held to a stopwatch in a testing situation? Is this an actual "disability" I should confess and seek accommodation for?
Best answer: Definitely contact the hiring manager, maybe even before the test (depending how the interview process goes). You'll need to take it anyway, but there's a really good chance that, if they have the flexibility to do so, they'll take that under advisement when making their hiring decisions.
posted by gideonfrog at 7:00 PM on June 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by gideonfrog at 7:00 PM on June 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: For people that I know with a high test anxiety and major timed and written examination that has to be passed in order to practice their profession one option to reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety is to get a prescription for beta-blockers. The other was to go EMDR therapy to eliminate the PTSD-type impact of the grade school memories.
I'm also wondering if there are ways you can practice to reduce your anxiety. For example, practice doing it very fast but very badly. Then do some very accurately and very slowly. Try being totally weird (give those second teachers something to talk about) by doing something like sticking your arms in the air and shouting "Ole" after every x items. Pretend you are a robot and talk to yourself in a robot voice. If you are totally abysmal when you do it according to the rules, see if you do any better or at least not worse by breaking the rules.
posted by metahawk at 8:37 PM on June 29, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm also wondering if there are ways you can practice to reduce your anxiety. For example, practice doing it very fast but very badly. Then do some very accurately and very slowly. Try being totally weird (give those second teachers something to talk about) by doing something like sticking your arms in the air and shouting "Ole" after every x items. Pretend you are a robot and talk to yourself in a robot voice. If you are totally abysmal when you do it according to the rules, see if you do any better or at least not worse by breaking the rules.
posted by metahawk at 8:37 PM on June 29, 2017 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks for the help! I passed! Yay!
posted by The otter lady at 8:47 AM on July 4, 2017
posted by The otter lady at 8:47 AM on July 4, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
Once you take your seat, take your time and get ready before you hit the start button. When I was taking a timed test (maybe the GRE?), scratch paper was allowed. So, I got out my pencil and papers, and then I began by writing out all the little notes and math formulas I might need. I took my time getting all that ready before I ever touched the start button.
It sounds like this isn't a test where scratch paper or notes are needed, but just take your time and get used to the environment, the computer, the monitor, the mouse, the keyboard, whatever is in front of you. Visualize things. Take some deep breaths (try some mindfulness meditation breathing exercises, if you haven't before).
Take your time before you eve go near the start button. You probably will find you only need a few minutes before you settle down. Once your nerves have calmed down a bit and you feel like you are ready, then proceed.
You start the clock when you are ready. You can get a little control back that way.
posted by This_Will_Be_Good at 5:20 PM on June 29, 2017