Creating routines and habits is important. This means finding the best times to study and sticking to a scheduled programme. When planning your workload, making a timetable will help you to embed a routine. Click here for a site which provides blank study timetables.

Take time in making your timetable. Using colour coordination can help you to identify work, relaxation and active periods at a glance. Once you have made the timetable, stick to it! If you make excuses at an early stage, this will not become a habit.

While thinking about your place of study, some thought should also be given to organising the stuff that goes in there. Clear up the clutter and this will help to organise your mind.

There will be increasingly large amounts of printed material such as notes, text books and journals. Try to keep your materials organised in indexed files, making use of a system of labelling that is clear, bold and easy to read. Marie Kondo's Netflix series has sparked joy in many disorganised peoples lives.

If you plan to study in different locations, make sure you carry all the materials that you need with you. Having slim line folders and pencil cases will allow your tools to be transportable. Consider other practical concerns – will you need access to a WiFi or a power source?

Organising your belongings might not seem like a huge deal but lots of small 1% changes can lead to a significant margin of improvement. This is called marginal gains and is a theory backed up by the British Cycling Team and their former Performance Director, Sir David Brailesford CBE.

Benjamin Franklin is credited with this quote. He makes a good point. Using a book box as a way of organising your books and resources is a great way to help you live out 'a place for everything, everything in its place'. As teachers we love the book box pictured here which is used by one of our own Waconians.

Networks of support make everyday challenges of study more manageable. Support networks are valuable as:

• they help you to find the most appropriate person for help.
• you won't waste time trying to locate help.

When you run into a crisis, your support can make it easier for you. They might offer help and advice, boosting your morale and motivating you.

To find yours, write your name on a piece of paper and around it write the names of the people who give you the greatest support. Draw an arrow from each one towards your own name, varying the thickness of the arrow to indicate the amount of support they give (a thick arrow means a lot of support). Now map the support you give to other people by drawing arrows in the opposite direction.

After, you might consider whether there are changes you might like to make – you may want to strengthen some relationships or back away from more negative influences.

Perfectionism is "a personality trait characterised by a person's striving for flawlessness and setting high performance standards, accompanied by critical self-evaluations".

Perfectionism can lead to an unhealthy balance in school and it can make you stressed, anxious and can cause mental health problems. Being a perfectionist can stop you from trying new things as you are fearful of making mistakes which will prevent you from reaching your goals.

Procrastination is "the avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished and a habitual or intentional delay of starting or finishing a task despite knowing it might have negative consequences".

Often we procrastinate because a task seems too difficult which is connected to your growth mindset. When the procrastinator does “get around to” the task, there isn't enough time to do it well. The task becomes more stressful and is done less well. This outcome backs up the idea that he or she was 'bad' at the task in the first place.

Being realistic with your standards and expectations can help to find the balance between being a perfectionist and procrastination. Next time try timing yourself on tasks, give it a go and don't be scared to make mistakes.