Procrastination and Revision Tips

There's no denying that when it comes to procrastination I am a pro. I seem to have two voices in my head telling me to do two very different things. My 'angel' voice orders me to do my work because I need to get into university. Whilst my 'devil' voice tells me that spending hours on Youtube and scrolling endlessly through Tumblr is  a much better way to spend my time. I'll let you guess which one tends to win! 

Now I realise I may sound a little crazy with voices in my head but I'm not I promise. I do however have a problem with procrastination. I HAVE TO STOP and I think the issue lies with my phone. So, I've decided to make a change. 

I can't mess up my exams this year. I don't have a safety net to fall back on. If I don't get my grades I don't go to uni this year simple as that. I think the scare factor of knowing that is starting to motivate me to do my work. I don't want to disappoint anyone but most of all I don't want to disappoint myself.

Now I know I'm not alone in this situation. So many people struggle to get down to revision by I find once you start it's quite easy to get into it so here are my top tips:

1. Have a clear desk space- there's nothing worse than working in a messy, cluttered area 
2. Be organised- keep all files organised and clearly labelled and ordered so you know where everything is 
3. Have regular breaks- make sure you get up and move around because your legs will start to seize up! Fresh air is always good too
4. Stay hydrated- water is essential so keep your glass topped up 
5. Make your revision space light- there's nothing worse than a dark, dingy area. If it's light you're more likely to be motivated and less likely to want to sleep.
6. Do past papers- this might not work for everyone but I honestly believe past papers are the best method of revision. They show you exam formats and you can practice papers under times conditions. They'll also flag up the areas you're weakest in. Reading the mark schemes and examiners reports are carry useful too. They'll all be found on exam board websites (AQA, Edexcel etc)
7. Don't panic- stressing and panicking only makes revision less effective. Everyone will have days where nothing is going in and revision is just not happening and that is fine! Take a break, go outside, meet friends or just simply do something relaxing to take your mind off it. When you next sit down to work I can assure you you'll be straight back into revision!
8. Work with friends-Last year I had some revision days with friends where we'd take our books, go on walks and test each other. It was nice to have a change of scenery and testing each other helps to ensure you both learn everything! (having someone to revise with also makes it a lot less lonely!) 
9. Exercise- even if it is just a 10 minute walk, getting fresh air and moving around will clear your head and help you to focus more when you get back to revision.
10. Eat- Obviously eating is essential but I know I can't concentrate unless I've eaten. Foods like blueberries, strawberries and carrots are my favourite because I quite like to snack during revision and it's better than gorging on chocolate and sweets (as much as I'd love to!). Breakfast is so important as well because it sets you up for the day ahead. Slow release foods like porridge are really good and you can mix up what you have with it each day.

I hope these tips have helped, if you have any tips for fellow students please write them in the comments below!

Happy revising everyone! 

Thanks for reading

Charlotte

XO