Processing speed is how quickly your brain can perform simple cognitive tasks accurately. Under timed conditions it becomes a significant factor in overall score.
The Anxiety Loop
Time pressure creates anxiety, anxiety consumes working memory, working memory loss makes you slower — creating a cycle. Breaking this cycle is more about mental habits than raw intelligence.
If you're stuck for more than 15 seconds, mark your best guess and move on. Returning to a question with fresh eyes is almost always more effective than staring at it.
Strategies for Timed Tests
Read the question, then the answers, then re-read the question — the order matters
Use elimination aggressively — ruling out 2 wrong answers is faster than finding 1 right one
Don't double-check unless you have time to spare — first instincts are correct more often than people believe
Practice under time pressure specifically — do practice tests with a timer rather than at your own pace
Building Raw Speed
Dual N-back training (free at brainscale.net) is one of the few cognitive training methods with strong evidence for improving working memory and processing speed. 15 minutes a day for 4 weeks shows measurable results in most studies.
Put it into practice
Take the free IQ Centre test — 20 questions across 5 cognitive domains, instant score and full breakdown.