Fail to plan, plan to fail - Winston Churchill

When you’ve got lots on, work systems help you cope. They put you back in control. They help you remember what it is you’ve got to do, organise and sequence your work and meet deadlines. You wouldn’t believe how many students get through their GCSEs without ever having done this – without ever being in control. Then again, maybe you do – you could have been one of them!

1. The To-Do List

It’s as old as the hills, this one. But it has one massive advantage over doing nothing and it’s this: you only have to think a thought once, and it’s there on your list. People who don’t have lists waste huge amounts of emotional energy. They think: “Damn! I have to do that Geography homework!” twenty times in a fortnight. Each time they think it, they forget – or try to forget it. It wakes them up at night. They remember it for a bit and think that thought over and over again. They have a crisis point the night before. They get a roasting from a fearsome teacher. Life is emotional for these people.

Keep a list if you don’t want to live like this. If you want an online version there are some examples here.

2. The Energy Line

Lists are OK, but they’re pretty basic. The best A level students start to move beyond lists after a while. And an energy line beats a list any day of the week. It helps you put things in order according to how much effort you need to give them. On the left if you need to work your arse off. On the right if you can kick back and leave it a bit. Attach dates for submission and you’re really getting there. There's an example here.

3. The Project Plan

This one’s used by project managers the world over. Don’t use it for that tricky piece of maths homework you’ve got – this is a system that will help with a massive task – like revising for a mock exam or even the real thing. Fill out the four sections summarising what it is you want, and keep it in mind when it all goes crazy.

Scope means size, shape. How big is the job? What needs doing? Break it into parts – how many parts are there? It’s good for planning revision: how many bits do I need to master?

Time is obvious. When exactly does this need to be done by? How much time have I got?

Quality means – the quality of the outcome you want. In other words – the test result - the grade. It’s well worth writing down the grade you want before you start, as we’ve explained in other chapters.

Resource is there to remind you that you’re not doing this on your own. List everything and everyone who could help you. Every time you hit a barrier or problem – check your list of resources. Are you using everything? Is there something or someone who can help unblock your problem?

We recommend picking one of these systems and spending an hour on sunday night to get prepared for the week.