Three Things You Can Do That Will Set You Up for Exam Success – Without Doing Any Studying!!

You don’t need to spend every minute revising to get ahead. In fact, some of the most effective preparation for exams happens before you ever open a textbook.

Here are three simple things you can do that don’t involve learning new content, but will make exam preparation in 2026 feel calmer, more structured, and far more achievable.

1. Get Organised Before You Need To….

Organisation removes stress before it even appears.

• Print or download past papers and resources

• Organise them by year group and subject

For example, if you’re in Year 12, you might create folders for:

• AS Pure

• AS Statistics

• AS Mechanics

It doesn’t matter if you haven’t learned all the content yet — you will. Having everything prepared in advance prevents last-minute panic and wasted time later on.

You should also set up:

• One A4 squared notebook for workings

• One notebook dedicated to mistakes and challenging questions

• A working calculator (check this now)

• A full geometric set

Keep all your maths materials together, clearly labelled and in one place. When everything has a home, starting work becomes much easier.

2. Create a Realistic Weekly and Monthly Timetable….

This isn’t about being perfect — it’s about building habits.

Start by planning from January onwards:

• Aim for at least five study periods per week

• Keep the same times and locations to create routine

For example:

• Saturday, 9:00–11:00 → complete one paper

• Saturday 11.30am - 12.30pm  → mark paper, note mistakes, and note 1 - 2 topics that you can revise in the week ahead. 

Consistency matters more than intensity. When study times are fixed, there’s less negotiation, less procrastination, and much more progress.

3. Treat Learning Like a Job You’re Paid For

This mindset shift often makes the biggest difference.

One student once told me they couldn’t find time in the week to complete a paper and revise, and they struggled to stick to a schedule for more than a few days.

Yet that same student worked every Saturday, from 5am to 3pm, without fail — and had done so for 18 months.

Another student attended dance classes every Sunday for three hours, plus an additional two to three hours of travel each week.

The time was there, just not the discipline to find it and treat it as a priority.

These commitments were treated as non-negotiable. Yet the grades needed or wanted were not.

Try reframing learning as:

• A job you are paid to turn up for

• Or a club you have chosen to commit to

No constant rescheduling. No moving sessions around. You show up unless you are genuinely unwell.

If you can turn up consistently for work, sport, or lessons —you can turn up consistently for learning.

Final Thought

You don’t need to do more learning every day. 

You just need to set the stage to allow for success.

Organisation, routine, and the right mindset now will save you hours of stress later — and make exam preparation in 2026 feel far more manageable and achievable.