Resilience and Motivation During Exams – Managing Time in Exams
Managing Time in Exams – Strategies for pacing yourself to avoid rushing or running out of time
You’re sat in your exam, you have a booklet full of questions, maybe even some essay questions, and time may be slowly slipping away. And suddenly, you find yourself rushing through the last few questions, feeling you won’t have enough time to answer everything. With the right strategies, this panic can be avoided, which can be extremely useful whilst that clock is ticking away and to pace yourself.
Know the Exam Format
Before the exam know how long you have to complete the paper and the amount of questions in these. Will they be multiple choice, short answered questions, applied knowledge, factual recall, essay questions requiring you to have read lots of information beforehand? Are all the questions compulsory, or is there a choice between Question A or Question B? Divide your time wisely, with the shorter questions with less time and the longer questions focusing more time. If you’re given long-answer questions, break them into smaller parts and address one point at a time. If you’re ever unsure about a question, don’t get stuck—move on and come back to it later if you have time. I remember folding the top corner of the page, so I could quickly find the question I was stuck on.
Practice with Timed Mock Exams
Doing practice exams under timed conditions will help you get used to the pressure and improve your ability to pace yourself. There are usually past papers from each exam board available for free online, they count as great practice and the mark scheme should be available to check your answers afterwards.
Stay Calm and Focused
If you find yourself panicking, especially during those first 5-10 minutes, take a deep breath and refocus. A calm mind is much better at solving problems than a panicked one.
Keep an Eye on the Clock
Check the clock at regular intervals to ensure you are on schedule, but at the same time don’t obsess over it. Set mini-goals for yourself, like “I’ll finish this section in 25 minutes” to keep you on track. If you’re running out of time, focus on answering the questions you’re confident about first, then return to the trickier ones if there’s time left.
I hope I have reignited lots of resilience and motivation into everyone around this challenging time, but remember: progress isn’t always linear—what matters is that you keep going and respond positively to setbacks, however big or small they may be!
You can read more in my series of Resilience and Motivation Blogs here:
- The Power of “Why?” and “What?” – Connecting exam success to your future aspirations
- Looking After Yourself – Eating and Sleeping Well During Exam Periods!
- Personal experience of resilience and motivation
- Bouncing Back: Dealing with Disappointments and Moving Forward
If you have any further questions, or would like to chat to me further about staying focused during your exams, please feel free to email me and I will be more than happy to assist and share experiences!
Jessica 😊
