While you may have covered your entire syllabus through the year, when it comes to preparing for the final CBSE Class 10 and Class 12 board exams, it may be exhausting and overwhelming for you. 

This is because you may have studied in bits and pieces, chapter-by-chapter, at various points of time in the year. But to prepare for your CBSE board exams, you must go through everything again carefully to refresh your memory, double-check if you have covered everything, and make sure you are ready to apply everything in the final Class 12 or Class 10 CBSE board exams.

Considering you have so many subjects and very little time to revise everything and prepare for the CBSE board exams, it is critical to follow proven time management methods to utilise the available time in the most efficient way to cover everything and revise effectively.

By learning how to study smart for CBSE board exam using time management techniques, you can boost your productivity, cover the entire syllabus within the available time, and excel in the CBSE board exams. Let us explore five proven time management techniques to make your exam prep journey efficient and effective.

1. Track and Identify the Time Spent on Productivity

A day spent on exam preparation may consist of various activities, from planning what to study to reading and writing, taking breaks, and indulging in focus-building activities like meditation. Balancing all these tasks and allocating the right amount of time for each is a tightrope walk. So, it is essential to map your activities throughout the day, determine how much time you spend on every activity, and identify the inefficiencies. 

You can note them and log your activities manually, or use dedicated time-tracking apps. 

This mapping exercise will help you identify areas where you spend more time inefficiently and recognise your most productive hours. By doing so, you can plan a study schedule that aligns with your natural energy levels. Mapping your activities throughout the day during exam preparation can give you a good start and prove invaluable for tackling the rigorous syllabus of Class 10 or Class 12 CBSE board exams.

2. Set Goals and Develop a Timetable

Preparing for exams without setting concrete goals and time-bound targets can prove counterproductive, as you risk spending too much time on some topics or chapters and running out of time before covering the syllabus.  

The SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) framework for goal-setting can help you manage time better. It is a proven method in highly successful business organisations. It lets you break your goals into smaller, actionable tasks.

For instance, "I’ll study Physics today” is a vague goal. A Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goal would be something like ”I’ll complete revising the 74 most toughest questions in CBSE Class 10 Science right before lunch at 1.00 PM.”

Set SMART goals to cover everything in the syllabus and create a rough timetable based on the time limit set for each goal. Make sure that all these goals fit within the available time. Readjust and optimise your goals if necessary.

3. Prioritise and Break Down Tasks

Prioritise your SMART goals and the tasks involved based on difficulty and importance. Some questions, sections, and chapters may be more important or difficult for you than others. It is vital to categorise them and prioritise them in the following order:

It is critical to complete the urgent and important tasks first. Once you have set the priority, you can divide those complex tasks into smaller ones. For example, if you want to cover CBSE Class 12 Physics Derivations within the first three hours of the day, you can allocate one hour each for derivations in every three chapters. This makes the workload manageable while enhancing focus.

4. Leave Regular Gaps for Relaxation, but Avoid Distractions

Exam prep can be energy-consuming, and continuing without breaks can ruin your focus. So it is crucial to balance your timetable with regular breaks. You can dedicate specific blocks of time to studying, exercising, and relaxing.

However, the short breaks you take must be aimed at refreshing and rejuvenating you and your mind. Falling into distractions like social media can defeat the purpose of breaks. Make sure you avoid distractions, practice mindfulness in a peaceful environment while taking these breaks, and stick to your timetable by getting back to exam prep on time. A distraction-free study zone and short, time-bound breaks are a must for students tackling the challenges of Class 10 CBSE board exams or Class 12 CBSE board exams.

5. Review and Adjust Regularly

During exam preparation, you must regularly review your timetable against your progress. That is how you can verify whether you have met your goals. Examine your exam prep progress and identify things that have worked well and the areas where you have fallen short. 

For instance, you may have taken more time to revise a particular chapter than you had planned in your timetable; conversely, you might have managed to complete some chapters faster than expected. Note these insights and adjust your timetable and exam prep strategies for better time management and productivity.

Time Management: The Key to Better Exam Prep

You can make the journey to excelling in CBSE Class 10 and Class 12 board exams smoother and more efficient by adopting these time management methods. Embrace them and watch your productivity soar as you conquer your CBSE exams with confidence.

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