Tips for making the most of study leave

Very soon your lessons will finally be over and exam leave will begin.  You’ve got an important choice to make:

• Make the most of the time you have, study hard and stay motivated, or
• Treat exam leave like a big holiday, stay up late, wake up late, become lazy and unmotivated

To perform at your best you need to understand that study leave isn’t a holiday.  You will need to stay motivated, focused and hit the ground running.

Yes the finishing line is in sight, but you’re not over that line yet, there’s work still to do.

There will be plenty of time to let your hair down after your final exam.

Making the most out of study leave will require some preparation, both mentally and logistically.

Here are some key tips to consider when planning how to get the most from your study leave.

Live to a regular schedule

Expect to treat every day like a school day.  Wake up at a civilised time, go to bed at a decent time.

Yes you can afford to be a little more relaxed with these times, but you shouldn’t be going to bed at 3am after a marathon video games session.

Remember, you’re not on holiday, there is work to be done each day.

Take showers, put on clean clothes, eat at normal times.

Create and use a revision timetable

It is really important that you create a revision timetable and try to stick to it.

A good revision timetable will help ensure you study the right things at the right times.

Don’t put off your difficult subjects.  Don’t pick random topics to study each day.

Create and use a timetable, it’s essential.

Read our post about how to create a revision timetable.

Take regular breaks

Nobody expects you to sit and revise for hours and hours without a break.

In fact, it’s more beneficial to revise in smaller chunks of time with short breaks in between.

These breaks should be incorporated into your revision timetable.

Take time for yourself and see your friends

You should make plans to still do some of the things you enjoy during study leave.

This will help to keep you motivated and on track with your studies.

Rewards and downtime should be part of your schedule and revision timetable.

Prepare your study space and equipment

Before study leave begins you should think about where you intend to study and start making the necessary preparations.

This will be your base for many hours of work, so to hit the ground running it’s important to get it sorted in advance.

You should also think what equipment and resources you will need during exam leave.  Get them sorted now.

Read our post for tips about creating the perfect study space.

Take action to avoid distractions

We’re all human, and many of us get distracted very easily.  This is especially true when the alternative is doing something we don’t enjoy, such as revision.

If you are weak-willed, consider taking positive actions to avoid the temptation of distractions.

For example, ask your parents to take the controllers of your gaming console to work.  You can have them back each evening after a successful day of study.

Think about what distracts you most and make plans for these positive actions now.

Eat and drink healthy

Make sure you have access to everything you need to take care of yourself during study leave.

Prepare healthy snacks to eat whilst you study.

Stay hydrated each day, this will help you focus.

Don’t skip your main meals, including breakfast.