It’s perfectly normal to feel stressed in the run up to exams. You may feel tired, under pressure, or worried that you won't do well. Getting organised and establishing some good study habits can help you do well in your exams, but it could also help in your general mental and physical wellbeing.
Remember that your exam preparation period is time-bound. Break your revision down into small chunks, and form a plan. Once you've got a plan, you won't have any more dilemmas at the start of the day about what to work on.
Make sure you schedule in free time to unwind, and protect this time. Nobody can work all day every day. If you give yourself enough rest you may be able to work more efficiently. And don't panic if you go slightly off schedule - tomorrow is another day.
Finding a good place and time to study could help you concentrate as well as reduce stress. Think about when and where you work best. Not everyone is a morning person, and some people don’t find the library a productive place to work. There's no one best place or time to work - it's about what works for you.
It’s important to eat and drink adequately around revision time and preparing an optimum exam diet doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated. One of the best ways to maximise your focus and ensure you can perform well is to keep hydrated. Read more on how to eat right, study right.
Getting a good nights’ sleep is important, and you should aim to get about 8 hours per night. Find out more on optimising your sleep in our exclusive podcast series.
Take frequent breaks. Psychologists say we can only concentrate properly for 30-45 minutes. When you do take a break make sure you don’t stay at your desk or stare at a screen, you could go for a walk or even just make a cup of tea or coffee!
Meditation can also help. Here’s our tips on how to make meditation easy.