"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." — Robert Collier
Studying for big exams such as the leaving certificate and the junior cycle or even any exam in general can be overwhelming. The constant thought of having not covered the material enough or just the shear size of the material that has to be covered can be very daunting.
So, here are some science based study tips that might be able to help and guide you in your studying!
Plan, Plan, Plan
In the lead up to exams one of the best things that you can do is to plan ahead. Look at the day of the exam, any events you have coming up in life like a birthday, a family occasion, some plans you have made with friends or even work and plan ahead and around it. A phrase to stick by is ‘Plan the work, work the plan’. Figure out what times you will be free to study and when there might be little to no distractions. If you can plan way ahead and organise yourself, you are really putting a good foot or maybe even two feet forward as you have acknowledged any obstacles you may encounter and can plan how you are going to cover the content that needs to be covered by then.
By planning and being organised, this can enable one to break down what seems like a daunting task and a lot of study material into smaller more manageable and achievable pieces. By being organised and planning what and when we are studying allows us to save valuable time spent trying to decide what we should be studying when we sit down.
If you are able to stick to your plan and achieve your study goals day by day, session by session and hour by hour, then you will surprised how far you can go. While the end goal might seem big or huge and take a long time to get there. Don’t think about the end goal ever, just think have I done enough today? Am I better than yesterday? If you achieve what you set out to do that day then that will put you on the right trajectory towards achieving your goal.
As James Clear writes in Atomic Habits:
"You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than with your current results." — James Clear
Small, consistent improvements compound over time, and by focusing on your daily progress, you’re setting yourself up for long-term success.
With your new study plan, if you miss a day studying due to an unforeseen event or do not get what you wanted to get done or understood in one study session, no one can understand or learn everything all at once, and like everything, learning takes time so don't worry too much and just chill. The study plan is an ‘Ideal’ study plan and I place emphasis on the word ‘Ideal’ as life is not always ideal and unforeseen events or plans can arise spontaneously.
Sleep is Key
Although you might have a mountain of study to do, or you have the exam tomorrow morning and need to stay up late to study. While it can be useful staying up late to study, if you do not aim to get 7-9 hours sleep before the exam or even in the nights leading up to the exam, you are being counterproductive.
Sleep has been shown as the place where our brain consolidates what we have learned during the day. Without enough rest your brain doesn't have the time to properly store the new information you have learned and also sleep deprivation can inhibit your brain from working as well as it could. This can lead things such as not being able to recall the information learned as effectively compared to if you did have 7-9 hours sleep, which is essential in all exams.
Ultradian Rhythms
Ultradian rhythms are biological cycles that last less than 24 hours. The most well known ultradian cycle is the 90-minute cycle that governs our energy and focus levels throughout the day.
In a nutshell, our body goes through 90 minute cycles of variations in energy and focus. One can think of it like an episode of a TV series, where each episode is 90 minutes long and each minute in the episode corresponds to a certain level of energy and focus in each scene.
In an episode of the Huberman Lab podcast, Dr. Andrew Huberman explains that during these 90-minute cycles we experience periods of high focus and energy followed by slower, lower less focused periods.
By working with the brains natural ultradian rhythms, studying in 90 minute bouts followed by a 10-20 minute break in between can be an effective way to study & prevent mental fatigue in long study sessions according to Dr. Huberman’s Podcast Episode.
While there are many study methods out there, this is one to surely try out and see if it suits you.
Study Breaks
As mentioned taking breaks are essential when it comes to studying. Breaks can help consolidate memory and also make you feel fresh for the next round of studying…. depending on the type of break you take that is.
Going on your phone and scrolling Instagram or TikTok is not an effective way to take a study break. It is only feeding your brain with more information when you are supposed to be taking a break from taking in information. Taking a walk outside with no phone or talking to someone in between studying is a much better option. While it is ok to check your phone in this break, given you have tried to be off it while you were studying, prolonged use of the phone in the break cannot be good and will not have you feeling as fresh compared to other options mentioned above.
Body Posture While Studying
While it might sound a bit daft or even crazy, in an episode of the Huberman Lab podcast, your body posture or the way you sit or stand while studying can improve your cognitive performance and focus. Sitting upright with feet flat on the floor has been shown to improve alertness and focus as discussed by Dr. Andrew Huberman in one of his podcast episodes.
General Study Tips
- Stay well hydrated and fed.
- Decide on whether you prefer studying in a quiet or noisy space depending on where you focus best.
- Try your best to limit any distractions while studying and also make sure the study space is well-lit before starting.
- Make sure your study space is clean as this reduces distractions that might veer us away from the task at hand.
- Many studies such as Living in a cluttered environment is also known to increase stress and make it harder to focus as found in many studies, which is the last thing we need when studying for what can be stressful exams. So this is your chance to procrastinate, clean that table, clean that room and put yourself in a better position to study.
- If your phone is a problem that is preventing your from focusing or studying, download an app blocker can be a Game Changer.
- If your phone is a problem that is preventing your from focusing or studying, a free app like Opal or One Sec can be a Game Changer. You will be surprised just how many times you subconsciously go to open either Instagram or TikTok or whatever app it may be and how much time these apps can save you. Both apps give metrics on how much time they have saved you in your life and can be very eye opening.
Overall...
While some exams might all seem very overwhelming, don’t forget to take a deep breath, try not to worry too much and remember at the end of the day, the exam will eventually pass and life will go on. Do your best and most importantly don't forget to relax and enjoy any celebrations afterwards.