How to Develop Life-Changing Habits for CSE Preparation?

• When you sleep at night, it is essential that you get a good night's rest. Don't think about upcoming Civil Services exams, the syllabus you haven't covered for the UPSC, the preparation of your friends, your parents' expectations, etc. Let your worries go and sleep like a baby!
• Only when specific conditions are met—such as no lights, no caffeine before bed, a peaceful environment, etc.—can you expect to obtain a decent night's sleep. Even if you 'slept' for eight hours, if your sleep is disturbed by unfavourable thoughts and nightmares, you will wake up exhausted and feel groggy the entire following day.

Reduce Nervousness

• Relax; you are in control. Take slow, deep breaths.
• Don't think about the fear.
• Pause; think about the next step and keep on task, step by step.
• Reward yourself with positive reinforcement: Recognize your efforts and that you are doing your best.
• Prepare for some anxiety. It might give you energy and serves as a reminder that you want to accomplish your best. Just keep it under control.
• Acknowledge that worry may become a "habit" and that using it as a tool for success requires conscious practice.

After the test, evaluate your performance. Make a list of your best approaches and hang onto them. No matter how modest the goals are, they are essential success building bricks. Enumerate the things that needed improvement. Enjoy the fact that you are moving towards overcoming this challenge.

Eating Habits

Pick Brain Boosting Foods and Beverages

• The body and overall mood of a person can respond differently to various food products. As a result, it is crucial for CSE candidates to include the appropriate food products in their daily schedule.
• Focus on foods that are high in proteins as a general rule. Proteins are crucial because they burn slowly, providing the body with a consistent source of energy and keeping you full for extended periods of time. Additionally, aim to include low-fat foods like eggs, almonds, curd, cottage cheese, and other foods in your regular diet.
• Eggs, poha, idlis, dosa, and dhokla are all healthy options that can support you while studying for exams.

Avoid Brain Blocking Foods and Beverages

• In keeping with the aforementioned idea, CSE applicants should aim to avoid eating certain foods that might make them drowsy and exhausted.
• One such food category that is processed fast and may make you feel the need to eat more frequently is carbohydrates. Avoid processed and sugary meals like cookies, cakes, candy, and chocolate.
• You can also cut out foods high in carbohydrates from your diet, such as rice, potatoes, and refined flour.

Protect Your Stomach

• To ensure that your IAS study schedule is not hindered by any untimely illness, it is important to protect your stomach. To do so, try to include curd and buttermilk in your daily diet.
• Both these items contain good bacteria that will help you counter any problems like acidity, digestion problems, constipation and general stomach upset problems.

Avoid Eating Outside

• While it might be impossible for certain UPSC CSE candidates to do so, it's crucial that you make an effort to stay away from any outside food.
• Unless the food is cooked at home, you can never be certain of the quality, health, and hygiene practises used during the meal preparation stage.
• It is best to either self-cook your meals or have it made at home by a reliable individual in order to avoid any circumstance like this.

Ignoring Health is a Risk

Follow a Balanced Diet

• Even though it may sound clichéd, maintaining a balanced diet is crucial for anyone studying for the UPSC CSE Exams.
• Three substantial meals each day that give your body all the nutrition it needs to stay healthy and awake throughout the day make up a perfectly balanced diet.
• Try to incorporate a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet each day; this will help you reduce stress and build a robust body and immune system.
• Try to avoid skipping meals or delaying mealtimes to accommodate your IAS study schedule; eating on time will help you learn more effectively and quickly.

Heavy & Healthy Breakfast

• Breakfast is widely acknowledged to be the most significant meal of the day, however the majority of the populace ignores this fact.
• It may seem like a good idea to skip breakfast to save 20 minutes, but doing so can make you feel drained and exhausted.
• For IAS candidates, a hearty breakfast is even more crucial because the brain functions at its best in the early morning, and a filling meal boosts the brain's ability to process information.

Eat Light, Small and Frequent Meals

• Eating large meals at once will focus blood flow and energy on digestion, making you feel drowsy and lethargic.
• But you need to focus your efforts on the intellect if you're preparing for the challenging IAS examinations, don't you think? In order to avoid binge eating at one time, it is crucial for IAS aspirants to choose light, frequent meals that are small and spaced out throughout the day.

Water is Your Best Friend

• Start thinking of water as your best friend right away. You would have found more than enough justifications for the value of including water in your diet during the course of your general studies preparation.
• If you still need more just think about this! Dehydration can make you feel weary, grouchy, and lethargic. It can also impair your concentration, making it harder for you to concentrate.
• Additionally, drinking water doesn't have to be plain; you can add variety by choosing fruit juices, herbal teas, or any other combinations that appeal to you. However, stay away from any caffeinated items and beverages because they won't be of long-term benefit to you.

Avoid Distractions

• Many of the aspirants ask - how to avoid distractions while preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam? All aspirants will have some sort of distractions while preparing. Even though they do know what is their major problem for distraction they cannot get away from that.
• Familiar problems aspirants face includes Family problems, Relationships, Chats, Mobile Games, Facebook. These are the popular reasons for distractions. Here, we are trying to give you some solutions:
  • Family Problems: This is a universal difficulty that will be different for each and every applicant. You must therefore find solutions to these issues. There won't ever be a perfect time when there aren't any family issues. So, if at all possible, leave your house and interact with some other applicants so that your mind is constantly focussed.
  • Relationship/Friends: Tell your friends about your difficulties in planning and set a time limit for your time together. Inquire of them how they would feel if you passed this difficult test. This will give you the required motivation.

Role of Social Media Platforms

• You don't have to avoid social media, but you should be aware of the activities that waste your time and cut them out of your schedule as soon as you can.

Spending a lot of time on social media is detrimental since it diverts your attention to unrelated topics and causes you to think foolish things thereafter without realizing they are unrelated to your preparation.

• Internet usage should be utilised sparingly because UPSC preparation has changed and you need it to succeed in the exam.
• But if used improperly, it can also drown you. It's crucial to interact with friends, especially those that inspire and support you. If someone is negative on your trip, keep away from them.