Organising your study time into 30 minutes slots is the first step. However, inevitably, there are going to be some topics that you like more than others.
The temptation is to stick to the stuff you know well as it’s less stressful. However, one reason why you dislike a topic is because you find it tough and so avoid it.
Avoiding it works in the short term but it’s not a good strategy when you’ve got an exam to take. It’s often the case that once we spend more time on something, we become more familiar with it and as a result we get to like it more.
I recommend studying your favourite topic early in the day after you’ve reviewed the previous days studying. This will relax you a little and then get you in the mood.
After you’ve taken a five minute break, pick one of your least favourite topics and spend 30 minutes on that. Then pick a topic you feel neutral about. Now go back to another of your least favourite topics. As a reward you can then study one of your favourite topics. Repeat this pattern and you will find that not only does the tough stuff get easier, you will also begin to like it more.
Another good tip is to try to revise more scientific and mathematical based topics before lunch. You will probably recall from school that maths was in the morning and colouring in was in the afternoon. It’s simply really, as the day draws to a close our resources run down. However, later on I mention a few things that you can do to boost your energy levels.
It’s also important that you get a good night’s sleep when studying, and especially the night before an exam. So, don’t study too late. Leave at least an hour to unwind before you go to bed. This will allow your mind to ‘switch off’.
Putting it in context
One area that variety is not so good is in your choice of study space. Wherever possible try to study in the same place. Context is a very powerful memory encoder. So if you create a comfortable and pleasant study space, this experience gets remembered along with all the information. It should be a place where you actually like to spend time and is free from distractions.
If you like to listen to music while you study, it’s better to use instrumental music. Overall, the music should help to focus your attention and blank out background noises. It shouldn’t be so loud that you can’t hear yourself think and it shouldn’t be a karaoke session.
In the quest to use all of our senses in learning, we should not overlook the sense of smell. Smell is a powerful memory encoder and a dab of your favourite fragrance is particularly helpful as long as especially if it’s a smell that sharpens the senses and gives you a lift.
Citrus based fragrances tend to work well for any early morning kick start. When you go into the exam room, a dab of your fragrance can help information to come flooding back.
Although this seems to be a lot of additional work, there is a sound psychological reason for creating a positive learning space. We recall more easily things that are linked to each other. When you’re in the exam room, trying to force yourself to remember facts and figures can create stress. The result is that the information stays on the tip of your tongue and doesn’t get to the tip of your pen. Instead if you focus on recalling the place where you studied, the important information you study has now become linked to the context of your study space. So, without any strain, the information just comes along. If at any point you feel as though you have a mental block, simply take a moment to relax, close your eyes and picture your study space.
In order to really maximize this phenomenon, we can employ a short visualization technique to top and tail your study sessions. This further strengthens the link between context and information.
Picture this!
Begin each study session by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Now picture the place where you are sitting to study and say to yourself ‘I’m going to have a productive study session and the information will be retained and I will be able to recall this whenever I wish’. Repeat this a few times.
Now, still with your eyes closed, picture yourself in the exam room at the end of the exam with the feeling that everything has gone well and that you answered all the questions in time. You are visualizing the positive end result. Try to summon up that feeling of satisfaction. Spend a while to experience the moment as vividly as you can. Now open your eyes (of course) and start studying.
At the end of the study session, repeat the exercise, visualising the study room and the exam room. By repeating this exercise you build a powerful association to the information that you can take into the exam room with you. When you sit down to take the exam, spend the first couple of minutes creating a mental picture of your study room. The information will come!
Food and mood
Finally, a little on the subject of diet and what to do in those little breaks.
Studying for exams is like being in training for what seems like an Olympic event and the link between food and mood is well documented. So, start the day with a healthy breakfast that includes slow release carbs. For lunch, make sure you get away from the study space and avoid food that is heavy. A light lunch is the order of the day.
In the afternoon we all experience a ‘post lunch dip’ in our functioning. Heavy food makes us feel all the more sluggish. It’s also a good idea to give yourself a boost at 11 and 3 with a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts. Also make sure you drink plenty of water instead of automatically hitting the caffeine.
What else do in your little breaks
Breaks don’t necessarily need to include food. If you feel energetic you can do a few sit ups or press ups. The exercise will give you a physical and a mental lift. At the end of your exam revision, you may end up with a six pack too. It’s also important not to be cooped up indoors all day. For one of your breaks, go for a walk in the fresh air.
By putting these principles into practice you will soon fine that your attitude to studying will change. It will be a less boring and far more positive experience which will in turn have a knock on effect in terms of how you process the information.
If you feel resentful then the information isn’t going to go in so easily because you’re putting up a resistance. However, if you give into it and make an effort to see enjoy it and appreciate it as an opportunity, then with less resistance the information goes in easier.
If you gotta do it, then you may as well do it with good grace and enjoy it!
