Stress & Anxiety Management

What You’ll Find Here: 3 Videos • Stress-Management Strategies • Test-Anxiety Routine • Self-Check

On This Page: Understanding Math Anxiety | Stress Reduction Before Exams | Managing Anxiety During Tests | A Test-Anxiety Routine | Quick Self-Check | Need Help? | Choose One Action

Understanding and Managing Math Anxiety

Have you ever looked at a math problem and suddenly felt nervous, frustrated, or overwhelmed? Maybe you understand the material while studying but struggle to remember it during an exam. Perhaps you worry about making mistakes, run out of time because you second-guess yourself, or feel anxious simply thinking about your next math class.

These experiences are common. Mathematics can bring up strong emotions, particularly when students have experienced difficulties in the past, feel pressure to perform, or worry about falling behind. Math anxiety can interfere with concentration, memory, and problem-solving. However, feeling anxious does not necessarily mean you lack mathematical ability or that you are unprepared.

Managing math anxiety does not require eliminating every nervous feeling. Instead, it involves recognizing how anxiety affects you and developing strategies to respond when those feelings appear. In this lesson, you will learn:

• Why math anxiety is common and how it can affect learning and performance

• How past experiences, expectations, and pressure can influence your feelings about mathematics

• How to recognize signs of stress and anxiety before and during exams

• Simple techniques for reducing stress and improving focus before a test

• How to respond when your mind goes blank or you become overwhelmed during an exam

• Strategies for approaching difficult questions without letting one problem affect the entire test

• How to create a personal routine for managing test anxiety

• When and how to seek additional support

You do not have to feel completely calm or confident to make progress in mathematics. Learning to recognize anxiety and respond with helpful strategies can make challenging situations more manageable.

Math anxiety is more than simply disliking mathematics. It can involve worry, tension, frustration, or fear that appears when working with numbers, solving problems, or preparing for assessments. For some students, these feelings are connected to earlier experiences with mathematics. Others may develop anxiety because of timed exams, pressure to achieve high grades, comparisons with classmates, or uncertainty about what to do when they encounter an unfamiliar problem. Understanding why math anxiety occurs can help you recognize that an anxious response does not necessarily reflect your mathematical knowledge or ability.

As You Watch

Think about this question: In what situations do you experience the most anxiety about mathematics, and what thoughts or experiences might contribute to those feelings?

Try It Now

Think about a recent situation in which you felt nervous, stressed, or overwhelmed while doing mathematics. Consider the following questions:

1. What was happening? Were you taking an exam, completing homework, working in class, or trying to understand a new concept?

2. What were you thinking? Did you worry about making mistakes, running out of time, or not understanding the material?

3. What did you notice physically or mentally? Did you have difficulty concentrating, feel tense, rush through problems, or struggle to remember information?

4. How did you respond? Did you stop working, repeatedly check your answers, avoid the problem, or try to work faster?

5. What might have helped? Identify one strategy or source of support that could make a similar situation easier to manage.

For example:

The purpose of this activity is not to judge your reactions. It is to recognize patterns so that you can prepare strategies for situations that tend to create anxiety.

Even when you have studied carefully, you may feel nervous as an exam approaches. You might notice racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, physical tension, or worries about forgetting what you know. While preparation is important, knowing how to manage stress immediately before an exam can also help you approach the test more effectively.

Simple strategies such as slowing your breathing, relaxing physical tension, focusing on the present moment, and using a realistic plan can help you settle into the testing environment. The goal is not to guarantee that you will feel completely calm. Instead, it is to give yourself an opportunity to focus on what you know and begin the exam with a clear approach.

As You Watch

Think about this question: What typically happens in the minutes before a math exam, and what could you do during that time to feel more prepared and focused?

Try It Now

Choose two or three strategies you could realistically use during the five minutes before a mathematics exam. Possible strategies include:

• Slow your breathing. Take a few comfortable, unhurried breaths and focus on allowing your exhale to be relaxed.

• Release physical tension. Notice whether your shoulders, jaw, or hands feel tense, and gently relax them.

• Ground yourself. Notice your feet on the floor, the chair supporting you, and the materials in front of you.

• Focus on what you can control. Remind yourself that your task is to read each question carefully and make useful decisions.

• Use a realistic reminder. Choose a phrase such as “One problem at a time” or “I can begin with what I know.”

• Prepare your materials. Organize any permitted supplies so that you can begin without unnecessary distractions.

• Avoid last-minute information overload. Rather than trying to relearn an entire unit immediately before the exam, review a small number of important ideas or focus on settling into the test.

Write your personal routine in the order you would use it. For example:

My Five-Minute Pre-Exam Routine

1. Put away unnecessary materials and organize what I need.

2. Take three slow, comfortable breaths and relax my shoulders.

3. Remind myself: “I can take this one question at a time.”

4. Review the test instructions carefully before starting.

Practice your routine before homework sessions or practice quizzes so that the strategies become familiar before an important exam.

Sometimes anxiety appears after the exam has already started. You might see an unfamiliar problem and suddenly feel like you have forgotten everything. Your thoughts may begin racing, and it can become difficult to read the question or decide how to begin. When this happens, the goal is not to force yourself to feel calm immediately. Instead, you can use short, practical strategies to return your attention to the problem and make a useful next decision. Pausing briefly, writing down what you know, moving past a difficult question, and resetting between problems can help prevent one stressful moment from affecting the entire exam.

As You Watch

Think about this question: What do you usually do when you become stuck or anxious during a test, and how could you respond differently to keep making progress?

Video Coming Soon

Try It Now

Imagine that you are taking a mathematics exam and encounter a problem you do not immediately know how to solve.

Instead of rushing, giving up, or repeatedly reading the problem without making progress, practice using the following plan.

1. Pause - Take one slow breath and recognize what is happening. Feeling anxious does not mean the problem is impossible.

2. Reread the Question - Identify exactly what the problem asks. Look for important directions, given information, and required units.

3. Write What You Know - Record the given values, draw a diagram, write a relevant formula, or identify a familiar concept.

4. Try One Strategy - Choose one reasonable starting point. Focus on making a useful step rather than knowing the complete solution immediately.

5. Mark and Move On When Needed - If you are not making progress, mark the question and continue, provided the exam format allows you to return.

6. Return With a Fresh Look - If time permits, revisit the question after completing others. You may recognize a useful approach or remember additional information.

Now choose a practice problem that you find somewhat challenging. Work through the plan as though you were taking an exam. Afterward, consider:

• Which step was most helpful?

• Did writing down what you knew make the problem easier to approach?

• At what point would you decide to move on?

• What reminder could help you reset before the next question?

Practicing your response to difficult problems before an exam can help you become more familiar with these strategies.

Math anxiety may appear before an exam, when encountering a difficult problem, or after making a mistake. Having a routine can help you respond without needing to decide what to do from scratch each time. Here is a practical eight-step routine you can use during a test.

1. Name It - Recognize: “This is anxiety.”

2. Breathe - Take a brief, comfortable breathing reset.

3. Return to the Question - Identify what the problem actually asks.

4. Write What You Know - Record useful information or a possible first step.

5. Use a Stuck-Problem Plan - Try a strategy and move on if needed.

6. Reset Between Problems - Give each new question a fresh start.

7. Check Carefully - Review directions, units, and calculations.

8. Keep Moving - Focus on the next useful decision.

Helpful Reminders During an Exam

Choose one or two phrases that feel realistic and useful to you:

• “One problem at a time.”

• “I can start with what I know.”

• “Stuck does not mean finished.”

• “I can mark this and return.”

• “This is a new question. I can start fresh.”

• “I do not need to solve everything right now.”

• “I can focus on my next useful step.”

These reminders are not intended to make a difficult exam feel easy. They are short instructions that can help you redirect your attention toward problem-solving.

Additional Strategies to Remember

Some of the strategies from this routine deserve particular attention:

• Protect your time. Use occasional time checkpoints instead of constantly watching the clock. If one problem is taking too much time, consider moving forward and returning later.

• Keep useful work visible. If you are unsure about a solution, avoid immediately erasing everything. Your work may contain correct ideas and could earn partial credit when the grading policy allows it.

• Read directions carefully. Words such as not, estimate, exact, simplify, round, and explain can change what an answer requires.

• Organize your work. Write steps clearly, label values, and show how you arrived at an answer. Organized work makes it easier to check your reasoning.

Avoid letting one difficult problem control the entire exam. After moving on, remind yourself that the next question is a new opportunity to demonstrate what you know.

Think about your experiences with math homework, studying, and exams. Ask yourself:

• Can I recognize situations that tend to trigger my math anxiety?

• Do I understand that anxiety can interfere with concentration and recall without necessarily reflecting my actual mathematical ability?

• Can I identify at least two strategies to use when I feel nervous before an exam?

• Do I have a short routine I can practice before my next test?

• Do I know how to respond when my mind goes blank during an exam?

• Can I identify useful information in a problem even when I do not immediately see the complete solution?

• Am I willing to move past a difficult problem and return later when the exam allows it?

• Can I recognize when anxious thoughts are predictions rather than facts?

• Do I know where to seek support if anxiety is interfering with my ability to learn or complete assessments?

You do not need to answer “yes” to every question. Use your responses to identify strategies you already know and one area where additional practice or support could help.

Math anxiety can be frustrating, particularly when you have studied and prepared but still struggle to demonstrate what you know during an exam.

If stress or anxiety is affecting your mathematical learning, consider the following approaches:

• Practice in lower-pressure situations. Work through sample problems, practice quizzes, or small study sessions so that you become more familiar with the types of questions you may encounter.

• Use your stress-management strategies regularly. Practice breathing, grounding, and stuck-problem routines during homework rather than waiting until an important exam.

• Talk with your instructor. Explain which situations are difficult and ask about strategies for preparing, practicing, or approaching tests.

• Work with a tutor. Tutoring can help you identify specific gaps in understanding, practice problem-solving strategies, and build familiarity with challenging material.

• Reflect after an exam. Consider when anxiety appeared, which strategies you tried, and what you might practice differently before the next assessment.

• Use campus support resources. Counseling, advising, and accessibility or disability services may be able to help if anxiety is persistent or significantly interferes with your academic experience.

If anxiety is intense, frequent, or affecting other areas of your life, consider speaking with a qualified mental health professional. You do not have to manage ongoing anxiety on your own.

Remember that managing anxiety is a skill you can practice. It may take time to discover which strategies work best for you.

You do not need to master every stress-management strategy at once. Choose one manageable action that you can practice before your next mathematics exam.

• Identify one situation that tends to trigger your math anxiety.

• Practice a short breathing or grounding exercise before beginning homework.

• Write down one realistic phrase you can use when you feel overwhelmed.

• Develop a five-minute routine for preparing mentally before an exam.

• Practice using the stuck-problem plan on a challenging homework question.

• Choose a strategy for managing your time when an exam problem takes longer than expected.

• Identify one instructor, tutor, or support resource you could contact for help.

• Reflect on a previous exam and identify one anxiety-management strategy you would like to try next time.

• Create a short “During the Test” plan and keep it with your study materials.

You do not need to feel perfectly calm to make progress in mathematics. Stressful moments may still happen, but having a plan can help you respond more effectively.

One question at a time. One breath at a time. One useful decision at a time.