- Begin revision by reviewing all subject syllabi and traffic lighting topics accordingly: red for no understanding or knowledge; orange for understanding but low knowledge; green for strong understanding and knowledge. This approach gives you a clear strategy to start your revision with, which makes starting the revision process less daunting. Reviewing the whole course content in this way also helps to provide you with a clear ‘landscape’ to support understanding and context.
- Identify what time you have available for your revision. How much realistically can you achieve per day? What time chunks do you think you work best in? Smaller chunks frequently help prevent procrastination – sitting down for 20 minutes at a time is far more appealing than sitting down to do 2 hrs of something that you don’t enjoy.
- Match the length of your study periods with your interest levels. If you know you can sit down for an hour to concentrate on one subject, then great. Take advantage of this. If you know however that having an hour of chemistry scheduled is going to make you run to the hills, schedule 10-minute slots instead. Having 5 of these scattered throughout the day will be considerably more productive than sitting down for an hour and staring out of the window. The pomodoro technique is great for this – once you’ve established what duration of chunks works best for you.
- Does a structured study schedule best support you or does this trigger your defiance? If the former, ensure that you have a task itemised revision timetable ready to go to hold you accountable. If this approach is not for you and you prefer more flexibility, compile a complete list of everything that you must cover. Every evening, review your list and plan what you want to complete the next day. If you’re not in the mood to do as planned, you can then easily switch things around while still being productive and in control of your time.
- Some people work better with time chunks, others work better with task chunks – trial both, to see which you prefer.
- A reward at the end of the day or week can help with motivation. Do you have sufficient self-accountability to manage this yourself? Would it be helpful to discuss this with your parents to see if they can help incentivise you?
- Use pastel coloured paper and/or flashcards to create notes – colour helps to add that little bit more excitement and stimulation to a task. Similarly with coloured pens. Just try not to get side tracked with how pretty your revision looks and remember to focus on the course content!
- If there are specific quotes or formulae you are struggling to remember, put them up in different places in your house. Review them every time you walk past (i.e. fridge door, bathroom mirror, bedroom door). Not only will this take the ‘chore’ out of the required repetition, but it will also give you physical ‘hangers’ which will help with recall when you are in an exam, i.e. It was by the front door, let me try and visualise it.
- Listening can be just as effective for revision as reading and writing and provide a new and shiny way to access information – key for ADHD. Can you record some of your English quotes / history dates / poems etc. and then play them back? How about watching the plays or listening to audiobook novels if you are finding it a struggle to work through a book.
- Ensure that your environment is conducive to learning – light but not too bright; warm enough but not sleep inducing; do you need a level of noise to enable you to focus? A clear desk with few distractions is key and if you can’t handle putting your phone out of the room while you’re studying, ensure that it is on flight mode.
- Try body doubling: arrange to meet a friend for study sessions to make revision more fun, with the added benefit of accountability. Again, this doesn’t work for everyone – some people find studying with others makes them self-conscious which distracts them from the task in hand. If you are the latter, it might be better for you to stick to solo studying.
- Before you start studying, blast some loud music and dance around your room. This will provide a dopamine hit and help with motivation. Ensure that you the use this motivation and sit straight down to study, rather than channelling your energy burst elsewhere!
- Ensure that you include sport and downtime into your schedule to create balance and help prevent burnout.
- Remember to eat. Schedule mealtimes so that they are not forgotten. Ensure that you are including sufficient protein into your diet and avoiding too much sugar.
- Sleep is a key component of efficient revision – not only does it allow toxins to be cleared from the brain while you sleep, but it also has a direct impact on motivation levels. Try to prioritise sleep and be conscious of not letting bedtime slip into the early hours as you try to claw back some ‘me-time’.
- Remember, there is no hard and fast rule as to how to revise. It is about trialling techniques and finding out what works for you. Be kind to yourself!
Author: Charlotte Kennedy
ADHD Coach
