5 Top Tips to Help You Stay Chilled During Exam Season.
- Make a ‘to do list’ or a time table.
It may sound super simple, a bit boring, or even a waste of time. But having everything you need to do written out in front of you it will help you keep on top of things. If you’ve got everything laid out, it’ll help you manage your time and it’ll mean you won’t forget things. So even if you’re someone who likes to leave things to the last minute and work under pressure making a list to tick off will still help you stay on track.
What’s MOST important about having some sort of time table or to-do list you can make sure you’re giving yourself time off! If you’re planning on working from 9am-5pm or from 5pm-1am just make sure you’re giving yourself some down time. I used to be one for procrastinating all day and hammering work out until the early hours of the morning but in my ripe old age of 21 I’ve realised I can get up early, be up and dressed by 9am and have solid day of work until 4 or 5. Believe me, it’ll feel so good to get home and have the whole evening off to catch up on Netflix or even to go out for dinner. Staying organised is a good way of making sure you use your time well, and making sure you stay relaxed.
2. Get some fresh air.
There’s nothing worse than getting that 5 o’clock feeling when you realise a whole day has passed you’ve neither showered nor left the house. So make sure you have a wander outside and get some fresh air. You don’t have to shower, or even have to get dressed but have a stroll round the glorious Hyde Park- it’s one of the few places you can walk around in pj’s and people will genuinely just think you’re a bit edgy.
It’s so important to take your mind away from work for a while, it doesn’t need to be a massive break, but even taking 10 minutes to go and grab yourself a take away coffee is still getting you outside. Working towards a break where you actually detach yourself from your desk and refresh your mind will ensure you’re far more productive.
3. Don’t only eat crap.
Everyone is partial to a take away, and what better excuse to get a two-for-Tuesday than ‘Oh, I’ve got so much work to do I can’t stop to cook’. I’m not entirely against this mentality, sometimes a treat takeaway is just the motivation you need, but often taking time to make yourself something you will really enjoy will make you feel a lot better. If you’re spending a lot of time chained to the computer, you’ll often feel better just eating meals that are a little healthier, not living off salad, but home cooked spag bol is a fab comfort meal and full of nutrition.
This idea can be applied to snacks too, buy yourself a punnet of blueberries or even a bag of popcorn. I love to snack when I revise, often I don’t even think twice about polishing off four bags of kettle chips, but then I wonder why I feel podgy and spotty. Sticking to healthy snacks even 70% of the time will make a difference- I promise!
4. Hit up a gym class.
I know a lot of people get in to revision or work mode and think ‘oh my god I cant go to the gym I have to work, its waste of time’ blah blah blah. But honestly, booking yourself in to a morning gym class will get you up and outside, get you moving and leave your mind fresh for the rest of the day. Gym classes aren’t my favourite, I’ll admit I don’t really like ‘organised exercise’. Even though I love the gym, sometimes I’ll get there and faff around or spend hours there because it’s still produtive in my mind. A quick class will get your heart rate up, help you clear your head and will be over quickly.
Another class to help you de-stress is yoga. It may sound airy-fairy to a lot of people, but give yoga a try. The LUU Yoga society is amazing, it’s super cheap for a membership (only like £4) and then classes are only £2 each after that! Getting yourself to even one yoga class a week is seriously recommended (by me) for de-stress. You can focus on your breathing, stretch our your neck and it’s not seriously intense exercise but it’s enjoyable.
5. Make time for friends
Although you’re going to be studying a LOT, don’t feel as though you can’t give yourself time off to spend with friends. It’s so important to think about something other than work and relax! There’s no harm in going for a few drinks or organising a movie night with snacks and wine. If anything, it’ll motivate you to get your work done during the day so you can have a guilt free evening of relaxing!