Every year, it always seems a bit of a shock when we near end-of-year examinations for our Middle and Senior schools. For some of us, this time can be very jarring to our Hauora.

Every year, it always seems a bit of a shock when we near end-of-year examinations for our Middle and Senior schools. For some of us, this time can be very jarring to our Hauora. Study demands push us off balance and suddenly our physical, mental, spiritual and social wellbeing starts to crumble.

This is where time management can become your best friend.

Making yourself a study timetable, while it may seem small, can actually allow you to prepare for exams while also maintaining your Hauora. Take some time to complete one today. There are templates online or you can get one from your teacher. Also, there are helpful apps if you are more of a tech-person such as the MyHomework App (https://myhomeworkapp.com/).

When planning your study timetable, consider the timing of your exams as well as which subjects you think you may need to study a bit more than others. You should ideally break your study down into manageable chunks, such as 20 minutes at a time, then have short breaks in between. Focus on only two subjects maximum per night to avoid confusing your brain. And you should only study for a total of one hour per night to ensure you are spending enough time on other aspects of your Hauora such as sleep and spending time with family.

When you do sit down to study, make sure you are doing more than just reading over your notes. Consider:

• Making flashcards of key words or questions you will need to know

• Working through practice questions and have your parent or teacher check your work

• Making a quiz for your friend and have group study sessions

• Going through your notes and highlight anything you do not understand and bring that to class to discuss with your teacher

• Attending a tutoring session if they are available

• Putting questions on Post-It notes around your room and answer them as you see them

And in-between study, be sure to continue to eat well, get enough sleep, and get at least an hour of exercise in total throughout the day. All-night study sessions may seem productive, but can really push your wellbeing off balance and make exam day even more stressful than it really is.

If you have any further questions about time management and study, chat with your form or subject teacher.