Put your phone away: Five ways to study smarter for final exams

Matric finals and year-end examinations can bring mounting pressure as students balance revision, assignments and expectations about their results.

Kathy Knott, a counselling psychologist and Bridging Year Academy programme manager at education non-profit the Good Work Foundation, says the answer is not simply to study for longer.

Students can improve their preparation by protecting their sleep, managing digital distractions and dividing large tasks into achievable study sessions.

“Work smarter, not harder,” Knott says.

Here are five practical ways to prepare for the examination period.

1. Make sleep part of your study plan

Sleep supports concentration, learning and memory, making it an important part of exam preparation rather than time taken away from studying.

Teenagers generally need between eight and 10 hours of sleep a night, while adults aged 18 to 60 should aim for at least seven hours.

Try to go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time each day. Avoid relying on all-night study sessions, which can leave you struggling to concentrate and recall information.

“Sleep is the bedrock of physical and mental health, and it helps with committing things to memory,” Knott says.

Students can learn more by watching sleep scientist Matt Walker’s TED Talk, Sleep is your superpower.

2. Put your phone out of reach

A phone on your desk can compete for your attention even when it is switched to silent.

Research suggests that the presence of a person’s smartphone may use some of the cognitive resources needed for demanding tasks.

Instead of placing your phone face down beside your books, leave it in another room or somewhere you cannot easily reach it. Turn off non-essential notifications and close unrelated browser tabs.

“When your phone is on your desk, even in silent mode, it can distract you from deep work – the focused state needed for learning,” Knott says.

Charging your phone outside the bedroom can also make it easier to avoid late-night scrolling and protect your sleep routine.

3. Divide studying into focused sessions

A large volume of work can feel more manageable when it is divided into short, clearly defined sessions.

The Pomodoro Technique traditionally involves studying without interruption for 25 minutes and then taking a five minute break. After four sessions, take a longer break.

During the short break, move away from the study area. Stretch, drink water, eat a snack or walk around before returning to the next task.

The 25-minute format is a starting point rather than a rigid rule. Students can adjust the length of each session to suit the task and their ability to concentrate.

What matters is setting a specific goal for each session and protecting that time from distractions.

4. Test yourself instead of only rereading

Reading notes repeatedly can make information feel familiar without showing whether you can recall or apply it.

Active recall requires you to retrieve information from memory. This can strengthen understanding and help information remain accessible for longer.

Useful active-recall techniques include:

• answering past examination papers
• creating questions from your notes
• using flashcards
• explaining a concept without consulting your textbook
• writing down everything you remember about a topic
• teaching the material to a friend or study partner.

Past papers are particularly useful because they help students become familiar with question formats, practise managing their time and identify gaps in their knowledge.

After testing yourself, check your answers and return to the areas you did not understand. The aim is not merely to complete the exercise but to learn from the mistakes it reveals.

5. Use stress without letting it overwhelm you

Not all stress has the same effect. Moderate stress can increase energy, attention and motivation. This is sometimes called “eustress” or positive stress.

“Eustress is the stress that allows you to run that race, give that talk or meet that deadline,” Knott says. “It focuses you and gives you energy.”

The aim is to find a workable middle ground: alert enough to concentrate, but not so distressed that you struggle to think clearly.

If your stress level becomes overwhelming, pause and use a coping strategy such as slow breathing, movement, talking to someone you trust or breaking the next task into a smaller step.

Students who remain distressed or feel unable to cope should approach a parent, teacher, lecturer, counsellor or student-support service for help.

“When we’re in distress, we need coping mechanisms to help us return to the eustress zone,” Knott says. “When our energy is too low, we need to find ways to move back towards a focused state.”

Exam preparation does not have to mean studying continuously. Rest, focused effort, active practice and manageable goals can help students approach their examinations with greater confidence.

Find out more about the Good Work Foundation’s Bridging Year Academy.