Top 10 Tips for Revision during Easter Holidays

Here are our Top Tips for Holiday Revision, based on what we teach children in Schools who have a robust & relevant PSHE programme from Year 7 - Year 13.  Teenagers thrive on self-motivation.  What holds them back is feeling emotionally out of control (fear, anxiety, panic, uncertainty).  Once children have learnt how to self-regulate, they establish good mental habits which will work into adulthood too.  Print this off and help your child get into a good mental & emotional space.  

1. Get organised at the start of the Easter holidays.  Locate a good place to work (ideally NOT your bedroom).   You need an environment which:
1. Feels calm & under your control
2. Has no distractions (like wifi)
3. Separates work time from relaxing/chilling time.
2. Look after your brain:  Its like a muscle, if you were running a marathon, you would
1. Have a regular training plan
2. balance workouts with rest/downtime
3. Eat healthily & sleep well
4. Have FUN, see friends, boost happy chemicals  
3. Make a realistic plan (and ask for HELP with HOW to revise or specific subjects if you need it):
1. Divide your workload up into do-able revision sessions 
2. Decide how many days you have available
3. Make sure you have a decent rest from work (ideally a block of 5 days)  
4. Set daily work goals and reward yourself when you have achieved them.   This helps boost levels of motivation
5. Intersperse each study session with plenty of breaks.  Physical/outdoor activities boost mental activity & energy levels (get running, walking, biking, any sport or hobby – even if it is short 15 minute bursts)
6. Sleep  You need around 9 uninterrupted hours per night to perform well
1. Leave devices outside your room once you are ready to go to sleep
2. If you want to party/see friends, plan in advance & accept that the next day is not a revision day - Levels of focus/memory are affected by late nights & alcohol
3. Give yourself an hour of no screen before bed: Bath, Read, Chat instead
7. Food/Drinks  You are what you eat/drink.  Give your brain a healthy boost from now to exams       
8. Avoid screen-based distractions during your working slots  
1. Use device as a reward when you have completed revision for the day
2. You’re only kidding yourself if you “revise” for “the whole day”, when in fact your brain has been multitasking (Work, Revision, music, TV, Facebook, You Tube, Instagram, Xbox, Minecraft, Snapchat)
3. Screen based activities excite, tire, then dull your brain (like sugar highs/lows).  Your device is far more fun than revision, so you will need to exercise some self-control.
4. Work first, Play later.
9. End each day with a positive focus:  on what you have accomplished rather than on what you have not.  Remind yourself that you are developing effective work habits for life.  If you continue to feel worried, have a look at the Headspace App  
10.  Train your Mind to think about plans for each day & how to accomplish them.  Don’t allow it to get into the habit of worrying and ruminating on “What ifs?” because drama stokes anxiety/panic levels and affects your ability to work effectively

Find out more about helping your child become more emotionally resilient by attending our Course at Maudsley Learning in May