It is exam season and that can only mean one thing, hours spent with your nose in a book reading, memorizing, and/or comprehending a semesters worth of content. Staying motivated to study for numerous exams can be challenging and overwhelming but with a few quick tips you can overcome that study burnout!

1. Eat a healthy diet: Just because it is exam time doesn’t mean you should indulge in junk food. These foods won’t do your brain any favours! Focus on eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet that will give your body the fuel it needs to function. Try taking a day on the weekend and cooking large meals that you can reheat throughout the rest of the week. By prepping meals beforehand you will be able to squeeze in more study time during the week. Consider investing in a Crock-Pot that allows for low maintenance cooking. Check out these dinners recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less.

2. Get enough sleep: You will be able to study more effectively and efficiently on a good nights rest. Try going to sleep at a reasonable hour and waking up consistently at the same time to begin your day. Check out this article that discusses the important role sleep has on performance.

3. Exercise: Throughout the exam period try and exercise regularly. Exercise in an excellent way to combat stress. Taking small breaks to go for a walk can be helpful to improve your mood.

4. Schedule: Create a study schedule that breaks down how you are going to tackle studying for your final exams over the coming weeks. Including timelines and topics that you wish to complete can help minimize last minute cramming and panic-induced studying. Ensure you start studying early to prevent cramming. When scheduling include breaks that are guilt-free and allow you time to do something enjoyable. After an hour of studying, consider taking a 15 minute break to read a novel, listen to music, watch TV, or spend time with family and friends. Taking breaks after productive studying is critical to beating study burnout!

5. Turn-off your cell phone: Often students can spend hours studying, but it may not be productive. Instead, this ‘study’ time may be filled with frequent phone checks. Your cell phone can be distracting and keep you from focusing. During studying, turn-off your cell phone to help ensure you are not interrupted or distracted from incoming text messages, phone calls, or social media. Reducing distraction will equate to less time spent studying. Check out this article discussing the impact of cell phone use on academic performance.

Small changes can help to reduce the likelihood of feeling burnout during the exam season. These tips are easy to implement and worth a try. For more exam tips check out our recent blog post.