6 Hacks to Stay On Top of Your Revision

As exams are fast approaching and I’m in my final year, acing those exams really is my top priority now so there’s no room for procrastination to mess around here. In this blog, I would like to share with you some tips which I find useful in sticking to my revision plan and being productive during this term break:

1) Have a morning ritual

I have found having a morning routine helps set myself up for a productive day. For example, first thing I do in the morning (after making my bed, never forget to make your bed!) is smashing a good workout at the gym. By kicking start of your day with a good workout, the release of endorphins helps getting your blood flowing and getting rid of those morning blues. After hitting the gym and showered, I like to meditate for 15 to 20 minutes. As I am a Christian, I like reading the Bible to find peace of mind. I also keep a journal which I note down my thoughts and reflection on various topics, to maintain a healthy wellbeing. When we are busy with things, it is very easy to neglect our mental health and focus on the tasks we’ve set for ourselves to do. But we must remember that we’re not some production machines, our ‘accomplishment’ or ‘purpose’ doesn’t only come from meeting targets or getting fabulous grades, it’s also about finding happiness and building close relationships with ourselves and other people. So I encourage you to start journaling from today. It can be anything, from things that make you happy right now to elements of life where you feel challenged in a positive way. This will hopefully give you some inspiration for positivity, balance and joy.

2) Remove distraction

Before I deleted the Instagram app about two weeks ago and Facebook app about two years ago, I could easily spend an hour on my phone checking out memes and watching cat and dog videos. But ever since I deleted those apps, I’ve found myself utilising my time more efficiently. So if you’re addicted to a social media app or a mobile phone game, I dare you to delete it right away and you can see how significantly your life changes afterwards.

3) Have a realistic, flexible plan

What I mean by ‘realistic’ is something achievable, something you feel motivated to stick to. Different people have different studying habits and ways they plan their day. Personally, I like planning my day in terms of tasks instead of ‘time’. I like to list out the tasks I want to complete that day and write a time duration next to it as a reference, but not a restriction. I’ve observed that some of my friends like to beat themselves up if they don’t follow their plans exactly and I honestly don’t see the point of having a restrictive timetable if it’s going to leave you feeling discouraged, unmotivated and stressed. Instead, try having a flexible timetable, a plan that is easy to follow and effective.

4) Rest!

There’s no point of being sleep deprived in order to finish 2 more past papers before going to bed if you’re going to be surviving on 5 cups of coffee and 2 cans of Redbull the following day. Apart from the negative health impacts that consuming more than the maximum daily caffeine intake (which is 4 cups of coffee FYI) can cause, relying on energy-boost drinks is simply not sustainable. Conversely, try listening to your body and find out what’s the optimum amount of sleep you need and make sure you get that amount of sleep in. Personally, I need a minimum of 7.5 hours sleep to feel energised throughout the day with or without a cup of coffee/green tea, so I make sure I have 7.5 hours of sleep every day and maybe 8-9 hours of sleep during the weekend if my body is feeling drained.

5) Schedule something fun at least once a week

Don’t forget to have fun and do things that you like and passionate about! Having a scheduled ‘guilt-free’ session weekly when I can do whatever I want that is not studying has helped me stay sane and reminded me that I am not defined by my grades. I like to plan something that I look forward to doing once a week, such as catching up with friends over a meal and some drinks, watching a movie, sketching, playing video games etc. Obviously, it takes discipline in planning how frequent and long your ‘guilt-free’ sessions are, otherwise, it’s likely to turn into procrastination which is something we want to avoid…

6) Feed your body with the right kind of food

Last but not least, our diet plays an important role in our daily life. Our energy and wellbeing are greatly affected by what we put into our bodies throughout the day, so it is very important that we pay attention to what we eat and drink. Let’s be real, eating out in term 3 is inevitable, however, there are small changes that can be implemented into our diets to maintain a good health and boost our energy. For example, instead of grabbing a bag of Haribo for that instant blood sugar level boost, opt for fruit (tips: blueberries are very high in antioxidants which improve brain function and memory 😊 ); choose soup instead of pizza; no fizzy drinks etc.

Hope these tips help and all goes well with your revision!

Best of luck,

Jane