The following column, written by me, appeared in the Deccan Herald Education Supplement dt. March 3, 2011
Dear Madam
My Board exams are just a few weeks away. I have been suffering from depression for the last few months and am under medication for that. I have been unable to focus on my work because of the side-effects of the medication. I have high expectations from myself but since I have not been able to focus on my studies I feel like giving up. Help! I am beginning to feel that everything is a waste and there is no point in all this anymore.
Hopeless Student
Dear Hopeless Student,
It is unfortunate that depression has hit you so close to your exams. However, things happen over which we have no control. We are all dealt a certain pack of cards in life —we need to make the best use of the pack that we have. It is no point saying that I would have done better, had I been dealt a different hand. Given the reality of what you are facing, you need to give it your best shot.
I understand that you have high expectations from yourself. And that’s great. Because if you don’t have that, then it is very easy to give up. However, I would like you to think about your expectations and about how you are defining success. If you are defining success for yourself in terms of getting, for example, above 95% marks in the Board exams, then the target may seem too distant and unattainable, and therefore, you may feel demotivated to even try.
However, if you are defining success for yourself in terms of getting admission into one of the courses of your choice at a reasonably good institution, then that goal is broader and you are likely to have a better chance of achieving it. Or, if you are clear about what career path you want to follow, then recognise that the marks in the immediate exams are only a stepping stone towards it, and not the ultimate objective themselves. Marks only open up some doors. However, if those doors don’t open, some others will — you may just have to look a little harder for them.
Things happen, and situations arise, in life over which we have no control. How we interpret those situations is something we have total control over. Therein lies our power. So discover the power within yourself. Keep the control with you. Don’t give it up to anyone else. Good luck.
Dear Madam
I am a first year science student. Whenever I start studying my mind gets distracted to something else. Because of this my performance in the past 3 years has been decreasing gradually. Please help.
Ritesh
Dear Ritesh,
To get the most out of our time, we must concentrate on what we are doing in the moment, rather than let our mind wander. The ability to concentrate is a skill that the mind can be trained for, so that we control the mind (and its thoughts) rather than the other way around. The power of being able to focus and concentrate can be illustrated most effectively with the analogy of the sun’s rays. When focused and concentrated to a point on a paper, through a convex lens, the sun’s rays can start a fire, but nothing happens if the focus is not correct.
Concentration can make all the difference between your excelling, and lighting the figurative fire in your belly.
Some exercises to help you improve your concentration are:
*Count backwards in your mind from 100 to 1
*Count every third number backwards in your mind from 100 to 1
*Count the words in a paragraph of your book without using your finger as a pointer. Once this is easy, count the words on a page.
*Try repeating an inspiring word or a simple sound, in your mind for five minutes.
*Once this is easy, try doing it for ten minutes.
These are just a few simple exercises which have been known to improve concentration. Try them for a few minutes everyday and see if you experience a difference.
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