Revision tips

I started my second year at university in September and ever since then things have been a little crazy. At the moment I feel like I'm drowning in work and I know many of you will be able to sympathise, so I thought I'd share a few things that are helping me out.

Firstly remember that the more stressful things get, the more time you need to take out to relax. Sounds obvious, but when you've got a deadline (or four) approaching quickly and you don't feel in any way prepared, it's tempting to just work until you burn out. You might get the work done that way but it's unlikely that you'll be producing your best work, you'll struggle to remember things if you're revising for an exam and it could even affect your health. So step away from the computer/library/book for a few hours and relax! (But not too much - it's all about balance!)

Also, following on from keeping things balanced - it's probably a good idea to gain a bit of self-control. I know you might feel completely unmotivated to work, but it's important, and it needs to be done. The longer you put it off, the greater the pile is going to get until you feel it's impossible to tackle. Don't let it get to that point - while it's also important to see your friends and do the things you want to do, prioritise your work. Remember the long-term repercussions of putting in the effort (graduating/getting a good job etc) to keep you focused - usually helps me!

Starting early (I know, I'm a hypocrite) is also helpful, even if it's just researching key topics or getting a few references together. Use plans, for example say you're writing up a report on a study you did on directed forgetting. Break the report down into the sections you'll need to write (e.g. abstract, introduction, method etc), and then bullet point per sub-section (e.g. introduction: general memory, directed forgetting research, paper the study was based on, issues and areas to be addressed). For exams, list the main topics you need to look at/read around.

If you haven't heard of it already - try the Pomodoro technique. It's a timer that allocates 25 minutes to work (called a pomodoro), with a 5 minute break before the next pomodoro begins. It provides structure, and because you have a set time to check facebook/twitter/etc it helps to keep you focused for the whole 25 minutes. It's great for time management! You can get a program for your computer here, or use the timer on your phone.

Another tip is to talk about your work with coursemates. A few weeks ago I was set an assignment about the London riots in reference to a psychologist's theory of crowd behaviour and talking it over with a friend helped enormously - we spent about half an hour just bouncing ideas from each other, came up with some great arguments and yet we went in two completely different directions for the essay (you have to be a little careful with this one though or you could end up producing near-identical work).

Finally, if you're one of those people who needs music to revise, see if any of these take your fancy:

Intro - The xx

Call Me Maybe - Ben Howard (I know, I know. Listen before you judge me.)

Hood - Perfume Genius

Only Love - Ben Howard

Caliban's Dream - Underworld

Lover of the Light - Mumford & Sons

Tessellate - Alt-J

Into Dust - Ashtar Command

Chained - The xx

Give Me Love - Ed Sheeran

Angels - The xx

Seashell - Seabear

Ho Hey - The Lumineers

Take Me Home - Perfume Genius

Old Pine - Ben Howard

Raging Sun - Among Savages

I Will Wait - Mumford & Sons

(aaaand back to work...)