The Philosophy Hall at the Strahov Monastery Library in Prague, Czechoslovakia

Today a reader asked the question:  “I am studying for a huge test, the California Bar Exam.  Do you have any non-obvious, instant bar prep tips?”

My answer:I love hearing the words “non-obvious & instant” in the same phrase.  It propels me to say yes, just to seem magical in some way.  But, actually, in this case, yes, I actually do!

Get yourself some peppermint essential oil and throw it in the corners of your shower before turning the water on in the morning to literally jump start your attention in a way that caffeine can not, flooding the air with vaporizing peppermint.  Also sniff it (even straight from the bottle) when you are studying for long/late nights. Sniff, not snort or ingest.  And, please don’t put the oil on your body directly; its pretty strong and it can burn/irritate your skin if undiluted. 

 
Take breaks that involve going outside and touching things like trees and grass(yes, I’m dead serious) and looking out far into the distance. and not reading or collecting any more material information. (no TV, no crazy Internet searching!) 
 
Brighter, better light can help you.  Go get a new full-spectrum lightbulb for the room you study in the most.  It is motivating light.  Seriously.

Start studying with Beethoven in the background.  Certain rhymic arrangements of classical music raise your IQ, concentration & productivity. Check out THIS Concentration Music compilation on iTunes to get you started.    

Eat regular meals.  There is no bigger waste of time where productivity is concerned than studying with a personal energy deficit otherwise known as “hunger” or “dieting”.

And of course, see yourself passing the exam.  You know, your mind can go a long way in helping you successfully cross the finish line as long as you are studying your butt off effectively! SEE YOURESLF PASSING THE EXAM over and and over before you go to bed and before you get out of bed, whenever you get some sleep from now until test time! 

Good luck!!!  xx Dana

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If you have a feng shui question that you’d like answered, please join me on Facebook or Tumblr to join the forums of question-askers!  I do my best to answer every single general (and sometimes specific) question I receive!

And, if you are ready to design your dream life, you can always work with me one-on-one online or in-person to make the big moves!

Always, I love hearing from you! xoxo Dana