1. Warm Up Your Brain Before Study Sessions

Just like athletes don’t jump into a sprint cold, your brain performs better with a warm-up.

Spend 5-10 minutes before study solving very simple sums, revising formulae, or doing a quick reading speed exercise. This activates neural pathways, making your actual study session sharper and faster.

2. Use The Spacing Effect: Train, Rest, Repeat

Ever seen athletes train intensely and then rest? That rest isn’t laziness. It’s when muscles grow. For you, it’s when memories consolidate.

Space out your revisions. Instead of rereading the same notes for hours, revise in short bursts with gaps in between. Research shows spaced repetition increases long-term retention exponentially compared to cramming.

3. Switch Drills Like Athletes Cross-Train

Athletes cross-train to build complementary skills and avoid burnout. You can do the same.

Alternate topics during a study block. For example, 40 mins QA → 5 min break → 40 mins VA. Switching topics prevents cognitive fatigue and strengthens mental agility for CAT’s unpredictable section order.

4. Sleep: The Ultimate Performance Enhancer

Imagine an athlete competing after two nights of bad sleep – reaction time drops, focus dips, form collapses. Your brain is no different.

Prioritise 7-8 hours of sleep, especially before mocks. Deep sleep strengthens memory consolidation and problem-solving skills. No amount of caffeine can replace it.

5. Visualisation: Mental Rehearsal for Exam Day

Athletes use visualisation to rehearse races and shots. You can use it to rehearse your exam performance.

Close your eyes and imagine walking into the exam hall, reading the first question, staying calm, breathing steadily, and solving with focus. Neuroscience shows visualisation activates the same brain regions as actual practice, priming you for execution under pressure.

6. Fuel Your Brain Right

Athletes plan their nutrition to maximise output. The brain consumes 20% of your body’s energy – it needs clean fuel.

Stay hydrated and include complex carbs, nuts, and protein in your meals. Avoid heavy, greasy lunches during prep or exam days that make you drowsy.

The One Shot That Matters

In the end, CAT isn’t just about what you’ve learned – it’s about how well you can execute under pressure. By training your brain like an athlete, you’re not just preparing; you’re conditioning yourself to stay sharp, adapt fast, and deliver your best when it counts.

This isn’t just another mock. This is your championship run. One day. One slot. One shot.

So take a deep breath, visualise your exam hall, and remember, you’ve trained for this like an athlete. Now it’s just time to step onto the field and let it count.