The Civil Services Examination is known to induce considerable stress on aspirants and this stress may even hamper their chances of getting through all the stages of the examination. The focus of this strategy is specifically on time and stress issues that come up during preparation.

Stress is not the same as ill-health, but has been related to such illnesses as; Cardiovascular disease, Immune system disease Asthma, Diabetes, Digestive disorders, Ulcers, Skin complaints - psoriasis, Headaches and migraines, Pre-menstrual syndrome Depression-

• Stress can lead to Distress.
• Therefore De-Stress yourself to relieve yourself from Stress.
• Become a master over your actions rather than a prisoner of your reactions

To manage stress and for a proper management of time, first we need to identify the various sources of stress and the various reasons for time mismanagement.

Sources of Stress

Main source of stress is in understanding the huge syllabus. Candidates are simply dubious whether or not they will be able to cover the entire syllabus within the available time. So starting the preparation becomes a hard task. That is why, lack of clarity regarding the syllabus, its open ended nature on some topics, are the primary sources of stress when preparing for the CSE. Candidates usually find it difficult to evaluate whether or not they are covering the important topics from the right sources. Hence to make choices with respect to reading materials is another source of stress. We have numerous sources like books, mazagines, coaching material and others for single topics.So what to prepare and from where is very important and source of stress.

Another most important issue is the long cycle of the examination and you need to follow this vicious cycle again if you fail in cut throat situation. It long drawn process and even if a candidate clears all the stages at one go, it takes close to a year for the process to complete. God forbid if one falters at any of the stages of the exam, one should utilize the time available for making the next attempt the best one. You have to take it positively and keep working on your preparation. For overcoming the pressures of competition you have to keep in mind that CSE is after all a competitive examination and as such competition is natural. It is not the competition that should matter but only the preparation that you do for it. So just focus on factors which are in your control.

Another side of coin:
Stress is not negative always, It can also have a positive effect and makes your more responsible gentleman like:

• enhances motivation and awareness,
• Helps to cope up with challenging situations.
• Stress helps us to survive when we confront threatening situations

Basically to overcome stress we have to change our attitude, by accepting our strenghts and weakness. And then understand the situation in complete manner. Don't compare yourself with any one in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself. Remember everyone is unique and each individual has its role in this worls. And we need to accept that role with courage and repsonsible manner rather than being fearful and dubious.

Some tips to de-stress yourself

• Remember its your decision.
• Say yourself i am the hero in my life
• This world, this society and your family needs you.
• Enjoy your food, cloths and your life events.
• When you are sad blame your stars, when you are happy thank your stars
• forgive and forget
• forget and forgive
• Laugh and smile makes you stonger internally.
• Plan your short term and long tern goals.
• if you can't fight, flight
• anger is one letter short of danger
• Love yourself

Strategies To Reduce Stress

Take control, Manage your time instead of letting it manage you. Use a to-do list, follow a written plan, set goals and follow through. Avoid procrastination (defer action): a major cause of stress. Make a realistic list of things you need to do each day. Do the most important things first. That way, even if you don't finish the list, you get the most important things done. Take a break: Sometimes it is better to get away from the situation for a short time. Take a brisk walk, focus on pleasant thoughts. Then, go back to the task feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever it is you have to do.

Join the crowd

Even though you may think you are the only person in the world who is experiencing stress, the fact is that everyone experiences it sometime. Talk to someone: Find someone you trust, discuss the problems and look for solutions Put it in perspective: Chances are, this is only one small part of the rest of your life

Visualize

Sit comfortably and think of a favorite place. Imagine yourself in a successful situation Breathe: Sit quietly, and breathe deeply and slowly. Continue for five or six breaths. It is calming and the extra dose of oxygen increases the brain's thinking ability. Lighten up: Take responsibility for your feelings. When you get angry, take a break and cool down before you act. Learn always to count from one to ten or more. Use it: A little stress is a good thing. Athletes use it to increase performance. If you are experiencing a small amount of anxiety, it can help to keep you active and alert. Use it to increase your performance.