1. Write down how you would 'ideally' like to feel the morning of each of your exams.
State those feelings in the positive, so 'relaxed and feeling calm', rather than 'not feeling sick'.
2. Next decide what time you would like to wake and then choose some activities to kick start your morning that enable you to create and experience those feelings you want to feel.
It could be that you start with a glass of water (to hydrate), a meditation (to relax) and breakfast (to provide your body and brain with nutrients to help you perform at your optimum).
You could also try things like writing in a journal, or glancing over your revision notes or, better still, walking to school (exercise will release those feel good endorphins).
Choose just a few activities that you personally find uplifting or useful.
3. Plan the time it will take for you to complete your morning routine.
To work it out start with what time you need to be at school (giving yourself time to relax before the exam hall opens), then work backwards through each activity (assessing how long each will take you) until you can work out what time you need to be up.
4. Practice visualising your morning routine at night as you are drifting off to sleep.
To do this effectively, imagine yourself waking up the next morning and performing your routine as planned.
Run through your plan several times before you go to sleep, until it feels comfortable and you know what order you are completing the plan and how each activity will make you feel (great!).
In the final moments before drifting off to sleep, focus on the detail – the feeling of dragging yourself out of bed, how a fresh shower will feel, putting on your clothes, eating breakfast, having a refreshing glass of water, brushing your teeth, listening to a mediation one practicing a breathing technique, walking to school knowing you have prepared. Arriving refreshed and relaxed, calm and ready to perform your best on the day.
