Study leave tips

I know that during my study leave I may find it difficult to stay motivated, so I've compiled some tips that will help me to keep working and hopefully will be of use to you too.

Get up and do something!

I know we all love a good lie-in but studies have proven that getting up earlier makes you more productive overall. I'm not suggesting everyone should leap out of bed and straight into the revision cards, but getting up at a reasonable time, having some breakfast, and getting started before, say, 11am, will surely be good for you.

Focus on one task at a time

Try not to get bogged down trying to do too much at once. Set yourself a simple task to do (for example, one practice paper) and put all your concentration into that. Doing too much will only stress you out and make you less efficient. That being said...

Don't put off the harder tasks

I'm sure we've all done it: there's that one subject that you just can't bring yourself to revise for. Maybe you don't find it as interesting, or maybe it's more difficult, but that means there's all the more reason to revise for it. If there's something you're finding particularly hard, rather than ignoring it, just get it done and out of the way, and I promise you you'll feel better for it.

Set goals and reward yourself

I find it hard to sit for hours at a time revising, so I like to set myself little goals and then reward myself for finishing them. An example would be writing an hour-long essay for exam practice, and then allowing myself 20 minutes on Twitter. That way I can get work done without driving myself mad.

Give yourself free time

While exams are of course important, so is your sanity! Sitting in your house staring at words on a page all day for six weeks isn't good for you, so clear yourself some time to go out and relax, whether that's seeing your friends, going shopping, or just sitting outside. You're more likely to succeed if you're calm and happy rather than feeling stressed and lonely.

And remember, don't worry!

If you're feeling nervous on the day, calm down by reminding yourself how hard you've worked. These exams are not the end of the world so don't lose your mind over them. If you've managed your work efficiently, I'm sure you'll do fine.

Best of luck!