Thembelihle Zwane
14 October 2026
Exam season is here, and experts say there is no need to panic. Whether you are writing matric or university finals, the right mindset, study habits and preparation can help you banish “bad stress” and get through your exams with confidence.
Kathy Knott, a counselling psychologist and Bridging Year Academy programme manager at the education non-profit the Good Work Foundation, says the secret to good marks is “to work smarter, not harder”. She has compiled five practical hacks for the year-end exams.
1. Prioritise sleep
Rest is not a luxury during exam season. “Sleep is the bedrock of physical and mental health, and it helps with committing things to memory,” says Knott.
She recommends seven to nine hours a night, with an emphasis on consistency (going to sleep and waking at more or less the same time every night) and quality (moving through the full circadian cycle). For more insight, she points students to the TED Talk “Sleep is your superpower” by sleep scientist Matt Walker. 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 Knott.
Even a silent phone on your desk is a distraction. “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.”
At bedtime, charge your phone in another room.
3. Try the Pomodoro Technique
This time management method breaks study into small, manageable chunks, or “pomodoros”. Set a timer, study undistracted for 25 minutes, 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,” says Knott. “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 the study method that works for you
Simply reading through your notes is seldom enough, says Knott. “Research has shown that when people practise active recall when they study, it’s almost like practising where to fetch the information from.”
Working through past papers is one effective way to do this, as it simulates the test environment, and it suits introverts particularly well. For extroverts, a study group or tutoring a friend is a great way to identify weak points.
5. Embrace “eustress”
Not all stress is harmful. Bad stress can be debilitating, but good stress, known as 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 Knott.
The aim for tests and exams is to land in the eustress zone: not so stressed that your brain freezes, and not so relaxed 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.”
