You have completed all of your firefighter promotional exam prep, you got a great night’s sleep, and now it is the morning of your firefighter promotional exam, now what? Follow these tips to de-stress the morning of the exam and make sure you are in the right headspace. 

1. Wake Up!

This may seem obvious BUT it is the most important thing if you have an early morning test, WAKE UP! Set an alarm, or two, or three. Have a buddy or your spouse set an alarm and confirm you are awake. Have a plan in place to have said wake up partner come rip you out of bed if need be, just be sure you wake up. Make sure you wake up and give yourself enough time to get going without inducing stress and panic. You want to have a relaxing morning so you are in a positive mood when it is test time. 

2. Eat a Healthy Hearty Meal

Whether your test is in the morning, at noon, or at night you want to be sure your belly is full, but not just full of anything, you need brain food. Having a full stomach will help you stay focused on the exam and limit the distractions associated with hunger. Not only that, it has also been shown that eating a healthy breakfast improves focus. It will also increase your energy level so you won’t get sleepy during your test and lose interest.

3. Take a Hike

….or walk or jog, just get your body moving. We know firefighters already work out regularly, it is part of the job, but did you know it is great for your memory. Exercise can boost your memory and thinking skills AND reduce stress and anxiety. According to this Harvard article, any form of aerobic exercise that gets the heart pumping will help reduce stress and improve cognitive brain function in adults. So, carve out some time the morning before your exam to get your heart racing from exercise, not from nerves. 

4. Get Dressed

Now we have already talked about it extensively, but be sure to dress the part when going in to take your exam. Wearing your favorite suit or dress that makes you feel confident, will give you a mood boost and put you in the right piece of mind when you go in to take your exam. 

A Couple Things You Should NOT Do

Don't Study

Avoid studying the day of your exam. You want to give your brain plenty of time to process all of the information that is in your brain already. Studying the morning of the exam will just cause confusion.

Don't Stress

You really want to be in a positive headspace going in to take your promotional exam so do what you need to do to make that happen. Avoid your annoying neighbor, drive the long way with less traffic, and do whatever you need to do to keep your confidence high and stress low. Remember, you are ready for this, you have prepared for this, you can do it. 

The Takeaway

Have a plan in place for the morning of your firefighter promotional exam. Wake up, eat breakfast, exercise, get dressed and avoid stress at all costs. These simple steps will help you succeed when you finally sit down to take your exam because you will be in the right headspace and have the confidence you need to ace your test. Be sure to check out these tips to find out some things you can do before your exam to make sure you have NO stress the day of your firefighter promotional exam.