With exam season just around the corner, it\u2019s time to get your head down and crack on with a bit of revision. It\u2019s crucial to make the most of the next few months if you want to do well in your exams. The trouble with studying, of course, is that you\u2019ve got to be in the right frame of mind to do it, otherwise you\u2019ll end up wasting time by staring unproductively at a blank screen for several hours.<\/p>\n
Some people work better at home, whereas others work better in the library. If you\u2019re one of the former, it\u2019s important to set up your study space in a way that makes you as productive as possible, and these tips will turn your room into a super-productive revision spot.<\/p>\n
Get Comfy<\/strong> For this reason, we recommend that you get comfortable enough to study, but not too<\/em> comfortable. By all means stay in those comfy indoor clothes that you\u2019d never be seen wearing outside in the real world, but spread your work out on a desk and try to sit up straight \u2013 at least make it feel<\/em> like you\u2019ve left the house, or you run the risk of being tucked up in bed and losing several hours of your day napping.<\/p>\n Light It Up<\/strong> It\u2019s also important that you have the right type <\/em>of light in your room. The more natural light, the better, because rays from the sun have a positive impact on your body, which will in turn have a positive impact on your mind, making you more productive than if you were locked inside a dark and dingy room.<\/p>\n Time Your Tunes<\/strong> Once you\u2019ve worked out what music (if any) works best for you, try to find out if different songs help you at different stages in the revision process \u2013 do upbeat songs help to motivate you when you\u2019re feeling fatigued? Or do you need soothing music to ease you back into the right frame of mind? Make separate playlists and time your music in a way to help you to be more productive.<\/p>\n Ditch the Phone<\/strong> You will find that you\u2019re incredibly more productive when you don\u2019t have your phone to hand, because app-developers build their services to purposely make them addictive (phone addiction is genuinely a real thing \u2013 it\u2019s called nomophobia<\/b>). So making sure it\u2019s out of sight will ensure that you\u2019re more productive than if it were sitting in front of you, just waiting to be used.<\/p>\n Exam Conditions<\/strong> Get Yourself in the Right Frame of Mind<\/strong> <\/p>\n
\nWhen you\u2019re in the library, you\u2019re generally free of distractions because you\u2019re sitting in a purpose-built study space. Working at home, on the other hand, takes some real self-discipline, because your room isn\u2019t put together with this in mind. You\u2019re dangerously close to both your bed and Netflix, which could be a recipe for disaster if you\u2019re not careful.<\/p>\n
\nMake sure you\u2019ve got plenty of light on your work, otherwise you\u2019ll end up straining your eyes, feeling fatigued, and calling it a day earlier than expected. The same applies when you\u2019re working\u00a0 from a laptop: don\u2019t stare at the screen for too long, especially when the lighting in your room is dim, because this can be taxing on the eyes \u2013 take regular breaks from your screen to stop this happening.<\/p>\n
\nSome people work well when they\u2019re listening to music, and others don\u2019t. This one is completely subjective and requires a bit of thought on your end. Do you react differently to various types of music? Some people find themselves unable to think when they listen to songs with lyrics, whereas others find it motivating.<\/p>\n
\nSmartphones are great because you can do just about anything with them, but that means you\u2019ve also got access to all of your social media accounts, you can chat to your friends at the push of a button, and you could end up watching videos of cats on YouTube without even realising it. The best way to avoid this is to ditch your phone when you start your revision session. Simply turn it off and lock it away out of sight while you crack on with a bit of work.<\/p>\n
\nWhen you\u2019re studying for your upcoming exams, it\u2019s worth at least trying to revise in exam conditions. This means that you will have to answer questions in complete silence under the pressure of a time limit. This might seem like a dull way to spend your day, but studies have proved that we recall information better when we\u2019re in the same conditions in which we learned that information. This means that revising for exams in these conditions will make the process easier when you\u2019re sitting the test.<\/p>\n
\nCreating the perfect revision space is all about getting yourself in the right frame of mind. If you don\u2019t fancy heading down to the library, make sure that you\u2019ve got access to a quiet and comfortable room.<\/p>\n