Time management is very important during the exam. Lack of time for the question paper is a situation where many students get in trouble. Sometimes even those who study very well score low marks because they fail to manage the time allotted for the paper.
If you cannot answer all the questions by the end of the time, there is no point in thinking about it later and regretting it. If so, we should be prepared for it in advance. Let’s talk about 5 effective ways to manage time during the exam.
01. Calculate the Average Time
Imagine you have one hour for 40 multiple choice questions. If so, divide that 3,600 seconds by forty questions. Then each question will have 90 seconds. That is, the maximum time you can spend on one question is 1 minute and 30 seconds.
You may answer some questions in less time than this. But, the time left like this runs out unintentionally on difficult questions. However, be aware of the average amount of time you can spend on each question.
02. Improving Your Speed
I would like to break this down into three main parts. The first is the speed at which you read and understand the questions in the paper, the second is the time you spend memorizing the answers to those questions, and the third is the speed you spend writing the answers to those questions.
To improve your speed you have to focus on these three areas. It is very important to read the question carefully in the exam. Also, the question should be understood correctly. Also, you should be careful about how much time you spend on it. If you spend too much time just reading one question, you will lose time to write the answers to it.
After that you have to manage the time taken to remember the answer to the question and write it down. It is better if the entire answer can be prepared and written at once. But if there is difficulty in remembering certain facts, write only the facts that come to mind. Don’t waste your time.
03. Skip the Difficult Questions
Sometimes you may not know the answers to all the questions in the question paper. Even if you know the answer to some questions, sometimes it can be difficult to remember those answers. In such cases, leave those questions for a while and give answers to the questions that you can remember the answers quickly.
04. Two Watches Method
I have used this method for time consuming papers like mathematics and accounting. This is a very effective method for me, you can try it too. I use two watches for this. One is the watch I wear on my wrist, and the other is the watch that has the stopwatch feature.
I usually use the watch on my wrist to keep track of time. Or, by looking at it, I can see how much time I have left. The stop watch is on the table. I use it to know how much time has passed. As soon as the paper is received, the stop watch is started.
Using the average time per question, you can calculate how many questions should be answered within 30 minutes. If you have not answered the number of questions before 30 minutes on the stopwatch, you will have to answer the rest of the questions at a faster pace.
Also, if you have practiced writing the answers to the question papers before the exam, managing your time in this way will be very easy.
05. Keep Calm
Perhaps you have been stuck in one question for too long. When you suddenly see the time, you can get very upset. You get scared, but at the same time it becomes difficult to remember even the things you studied.
So keep your mind calm from the moment you enter the exam hall. You don’t have to write answers to every question in some papers. That is, answering only a certain number of questions from a set of questions is perfectly sufficient. In such question papers, you should have an idea in advance, what questions you are going to answer.
Always pay close attention to time. Don’t worry if you somehow get more than the maximum time per question. Lost time cannot be recovered. Therefore, carefully try to answer as many questions as possible in the remaining time.
If you have not yet prepared for your exam, read the article How to prepare for the exam.