Simple adjustments to your study routine, like getting enough sleep, taking five-minute breaks between study sessions, and keeping your phone in another room, could be all it takes to get your desired marks this exam season.
South Africa (07 October 2026) – Exam season is upon us, BUT do not fear! Whether you’re in matric or at university, with the right mindset, study habits and preparation, experts say it’s entirely within your power to banish “bad stress” and glide through your final exams with ease.
Kathy Knott, a counselling psychologist and Bridging Year Academy programme manager at the Good Work Foundation, says the key to getting good marks is “to work smarter, not harder”.
And to help students achieve this, Kathy has compiled five hacks for winning at your year-end exams:
1. Sleep time! Get rest for success
“Sleep is the bedrock of physical and mental health, and it helps with committing things to memory,” says Kathy.
She recommends between seven and nine hours a night, and to aim for consistency (go to sleep and wake up at more or less the same time every night) and quality (ensuring that you move through the full circadian cycle).
Watch this Sleep is your superpower” TED Talk video by sleep scientist Matt Walker for more insights.
2. Practise good digital hygiene
Put the phone away when studying!
“There’s been a lot of research to show that people who study without their phone in the room get better grades,” says Kathy.
Related Stories
“Because even if your phone is on your desk in silent mode, it continues to distract you from being able to do what we call deep work, which is when you really get into learning and are growing the connections in your brain.”
Misha Schoeman Qualifies to Represent South Africa in Boston
Three Western Cape Nature Reserves Now Accept Donations for Communities in Need!And when you go to bed, charge your phone in another room
3. Apply the ‘Pomodoro Technique’ to your studies
This is a time management technique that breaks up a task into small, manageable chunks or “pomodoros”, helping you to focus. Set a timer to study undistracted for 25 minutes and then take a five-minute “brain break”.
“You can only concentrate optimally for a certain amount of time before your focus drops off a cliff. So study for 20 or 25 minutes, get away from your desk, go to the toilet, phone a friend or eat an apple, and then come back with your tank filled up and your focus high again. Then take a longer break after four of those sessions.”
4. Find out which study method works best for you
Kathy says it’s seldom enough to just read through your notes in preparation for an exam.
“Research has shown that when people practise active recall when they study, it’s almost like practising where to fetch the information from.”
Here, doing past papers is effective, simulating the test environment. This method suits introverts particularly well. Having a study group or tutoring a friend is also a great way to identify your weak points, especially if you’re an extrovert.
5. Embrace ‘eustress’, or positive stress
Bad stress can be debilitating. But good stress, called eustress, is characterised by feelings of excitement and motivation.
“Eustress is the stress that allows you to run that race, give that talk, meet that deadline or ask that guy or girl out. It’s anxiety or nervousness that galvanises you and gets your blood pumping – in a good way. It focuses you and gives you energy,” says Kathy.
For tests and exams, get into the eustress zone – not so stressed that your brain freezes, and not so chilled out that you battle to focus.
“When we’re in distress, we need to learn coping mechanisms to dial back into the eustress zone. And when we’re too low, we must get up into that eustress zone in the middle, when we’re in a flow state,” she concludes.
So there you have it, kids: while the idea of exam season may bring feelings of anxiety and the idea of studying may be daunting, it doesn’t have to be. A positive change in perspective and a few adjustments can make all the difference and set you up for success.
Sources: Good Work Foundation
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes and hear their incredible stories:
Or catch an episode of Good Things with Brent Lindeque or our Weekly Top 5 below. The videos here are always changing, updated with the latest episodes from these two shows. Both are part of Good Things TV, created to bring South Africans balance at a time when the news can feel overwhelmingly negative. Our goal is simple: to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in our country – and to leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 
