# Don't revise the day before

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-carmel-school-no-study-before-exam
- Themes: relaxation, exams, productivity, education
- Life situations: exam stress, performance anxiety, students

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

He tells students not to study in the 24 hours before an exam — go for a walk, eat your favourite food, watch a movie. The last time, at Carmel School (the Jewish school in Dianella), the Year 12s heard it just before exams; months later the principal wrote: 'We got the highest results in Year 12 in the whole of Western Australia; we think it's because of you.'

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

look I teach this for schools it works at schools it works for sport why can't it work in every other part of your life that's good you tell people before you do an examination for goodness sake don't do any studies the day before 24 hours before the examination just go for a walk eat your favorite food watch a movie for goodness sake do not get out your textbooks and revise and the last time I taught that was at Carmel School here in dianello you know the Jewish school and after telling that just before the year 12s I got a letter back a couple of months later from the principal he never actually came to my talks we said thank you very much we got the highest results in year 12 in the whole of Western Australia we think it's because of you thank you so much I should have kept that that's from the principal it works

## Teaching point

Relaxing before performance makes you more productive, not less.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Ajahn Brahm told Year 12 students not to revise the day before exams: take a walk, eat something nice, watch a film. Months later the principal credited him with the school's record results. The claim is theirs, but the principle holds. A rested mind performs better. Relaxing is part of being responsible.

## Source

- [Relax | Ajahn Brahm | 19 May 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97u4C6-HjOQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 39:45 to 40:51: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97u4C6-HjOQ&t=2385s

Other tellings of this story:

- [How to Deal with Difficulties | Ajahn Brahm | 29 April 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teELqB3MAG4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 26:56 to 28:02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teELqB3MAG4&t=1616s
- [The Dangers of Complaining | Ajahn Brahm | 1 March 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYLHU0eddYA) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 57:26 to 57:58: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYLHU0eddYA&t=3446s
- [How to Make Meditation Attractive to Young People | Ajahn Brahm | 16 January 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMgqdoq4SHg) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 35:50 to 36:23: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMgqdoq4SHg&t=2150s
- [2023 April (1/19) | 9 day Retreat | Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98nirVZgiG4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 56:26 to 57:10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98nirVZgiG4&t=3386s