Revision: How to get organised

This article was last updated on 5 May 2023.

There's an old saying 'tidy room, tidy mind' – the same can be said about revision and exam prep… the more organised you are, the easier it will be to keep on top of your tasks and keep your mind focused on getting the best grades you can achieve.

In this episode, we hear from our Mind Set coaches as they share what really helped them get organised, get started and make the most of their time.

With mobile phones, social media and the many other temptations at your fingertips, Sekani says that it can be really easy to get distracted with your revision, especially if you aren’t properly organised with your subject notes. Jacintha agrees, saying, “It’s definitely important to consolidate your notes once you reach that final year because it allows you to spot any gaps in your knowledge… now is the time to address those.” Understanding more about how we learn is called metacognition, you can read more about it here.

Iain likes to keep his workspace tidy, “Having a tidy room helps to keep a tidy mind. I find it’s really important to have an organised workspace ‘cause, for me, it meant I didn’t need to burrow through all my notes and look around the entire house just to find the right things.” Meanwhile Lauren was the complete opposite! “I’m not a naturally organised person at all… organisation was at the bottom of my list of priorities… I had notes everywhere and when it came to looking through, that was when I realised I needed to be organised… GCSEs was definitely the biggest learning curve in organisation that I think I’ll ever get!”

Rohan thinks that having people like your parents and your friends and family holding you accountable for getting your revision and everything done is a major boost. Whilst Milly thinks being organised for revision and exams brings calm to a situation. "Breaking subjects down into the their topics," she says, "really helps you identify what you don't know within a subject."

It's easy to get distracted when you're revising… you might be tempted to check your socials, catch up on a boxset or hang out with your friends – then before you know it, it's time for bed! But organising your day can really help.

Here's some tips on how to revise effectively, get organised, stay healthy and set some goals to help keep you on track with your revision.

The Mind Set is two things: a series of films to help support you through your GCSEs and Nationals and a group of amazing young coaches who appear in the films.

Our coaches have been through their GCSEs or National Qualifications already. They come from all different backgrounds and all corners of the UK and they’ve all faced different challenges in getting to grips with exam revision. What they’ve got in common is that they all have heaps of exam revision tips, advice, helpful hints, hacks and wonderful words of wisdom they want to share with you.

In the series, we also hear advice from mental health professionals like Josh Fletcher (AKA “Anxiety Josh”) on how to look after your wellbeing and stay resilient during revision and exams season and we have top revision hacks from our very own memory expert, Dr Vanessa Loaiza!

Explore the Bitesize Study Support pages for more information and revision support.

This article was last updated on 12 October 2023.

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on BBC Action Line.