The first holiday of this school year is fast approaching. For some of us, this means a brief respite from the huge workload that is the first term back; for others, it is the final grind before mocks, or university applications. Revising, and indeed working efficiently, in general, are often a mystery to us, and most people spend their school years struggling to make the most of their time. With that in mind, here are six tips on boosting your productivity.

1. Plan your days

It's always useful to make a to-do list so that you have a list of targets to achieve by the end of the day. It's also a good idea to make a timetable with planned break and meal times so that there's no confusion about what you are doing at any point in the day.

2. Clear/effectively design your workspace

Working in a clear space gives you less distraction from whatever you're doing; apparently, clutter limits your brain's ability to concentrate and process information. Additionally, when everything has a place, it makes it easier to find whatever you need, whenever you need it.

3. "Eat the frog"

Apparently, Mark Twain once said, "eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day." Brian Tracy developed a technique to boost productivity based on this; it involves doing the 'worst' task on your to-do list first so that all the other tasks you have to do seem much better after that.

4. Single-task

Despite all the wonderful things you may have heard to the contrary, multi-tasking actually reduces productivity as you concentrate less on each task overall. This is why it's good to have a to-do list - concentrate on one thing at a time. Everything will get done to a much higher standard in much less time that way.

5. Get enough sleep

There isn't anything better for your productivity that a good night's sleep. Sleep is clinically proven to raise your mood, boost creativity, reduce stress and improve memory. It also sharpens your focus and enhances your ability to make good split-second decisions.

6. Music?

This one depends. One the one hand, studies have shown that listening to music while working improves your attention and memory recall, as well as lessening any depression and/or anxiety. However, when reading or writing, music with lyrics can be distracting. It's best to have a go-to playlist for revision; one that's upbeat enough that you stay awake, but relaxing enough that you are in the proper mood to study.