5 ways to deal with learning blocks

According to a survey by the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research, 65 percent of the population believe that concentration skills should be taught in school. However, this expectation also creates pressure, both on students who want to meet their parents' expectations and on teachers, who are the first to be held accountable when students' interest in class wanes. Performance pressure and high expectations promote blockages, which can then manifest themselves in poor concentration and performance. To prevent this, it is first necessary to clarify what triggers the chain reaction.

What is a blockade?

A mental block is caused by stress or anxiety (e.g., fear of embarrassment, sanctions, etc.) and results in students unable to maximize their potential. Instead, they place unnecessary pressure on themselves in stressful situations (e.g., exams or competitions) and get in their own way with negative thoughts and feelings.

In the case of acute blockage, it is therefore important to take the pressure off the students concerned, rather than criticizing them for their lack of concentration. Instead, they should learn that they can count on the approval of their parents and teachers if they make a sincere effort to achieve the set goals. This effectively reduces the fear of failure that limits the students' potential.

Typical reaction patterns when faced with fear of failure

Fear of failure is usually triggered by doubts about one's own abilities. When this insecurity manifests as fear, certain mechanisms are triggered in the mind that make rational thinking difficult: a blockage occurs.

The progression is usually always the same. Fear of failure hampers cognitive performance, breathing becomes shallower, which reduces the brain's oxygen supply, and cognitive performance declines further. As a result of the decline in performance, frustration sets in; increased effort only leads to further mental blocks and physical exhaustion. Students become dissatisfied with themselves because their efforts are disproportionate to the successes achieved. Doubts about their own abilities grow, which can lead to new fears of failure.

How to deal with a learning block

1. Breathing and relaxation exercises

Pressure to perform causes those affected to fear not being able to meet the expectations placed on them, so that even the thought of school-related topics causes them to tense up. Breathing and relaxation exercises can help restore inner balance by harmonizing body and mind.

2. Exercise and sport

To really release some stress, nothing's more effective than exercise ! Whether it's exercise or running around on the lawn, physical tension is released and mental abilities are stimulated that go unused while studying. This promotes creativity and provides new energy for the next shift at the desk.

3. Mental training

Concentration-enhancing exercises can also help build confidence in one's own abilities and prevent fear of failure. Furthermore, it can be useful to provide support with self-organization if people are unable to determine their own workload.

This includes:

• Mental training in which children learn to recognize the first symptoms of a blockage themselves.
• Special mental techniques to consciously counteract the immediate symptoms (such as reduced cognitive ability).
• We'll work together to develop individual learning techniques to structure the material more efficiently and make it easier to remember what you've learned. This prevents memory blocks (blackouts) and learning blocks from occurring in the first place.

 4. Develop open space

In any case, it's important to provide students with the space to develop their own initiatives. Students should experience themselves as the driving force behind developing appropriate problem-solving strategies, as this is the only way they will develop the necessary interest in the subject matter.

5. Leave your comfort zone

Far too often, students—and many others—operate in a comfort zone they're reluctant to leave. Yet, the fear of unfamiliar territory is rarely justified. It's not for nothing that they say "he who dares wins!"—that is, don't rack your brains, just do it and overcome your inner demons.