Finals Plan of Attack: Taking Action (Part 2)

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Finals season is here, and in Part 1 of this series, we covered how to set up a clear and realistic plan for each class.

You figured out what grade your student needs on their final and checked in with teachers to confirm priorities.

Now comes the hard part: executing your plan.

In this article, we’ll walk you through how to actually follow through on that plan—without spinning out or burning out.

You’ll learn how to help your child or student use their time and energy wisely so they can boost their grades where it counts most.

Let's get into it👇

Why Does It Matter To Delegate Your Time When Preparing For Finals?

This stage matters because during finals, time is limited and brainpower is in short supply.

Energy is not an unlimited resource—especially for students juggling five or more classes, each with different demands.

Students who don’t focus their efforts will either spend too long on the wrong things or flame out before finals week even begins.

Targeted effort is what separates students who improve their grades from those who stay stuck in stress mode.

When students know exactly which class needs attention first, what assignments are worth doing, and how to block time to get them done, they’re much more likely to follow through.

Common Mistakes Students Make When Taking Action on Their Finals Plan

Mistake #1: Studying everything

When students try to review everything, they end up absorbing nothing.

This shotgun approach leads to the “chase cycle” where they are more likely to:

• Sprint from subject to subject

• Get overwhelmed

• Give up

Mistake #2: Saving the hard stuff for last

Students often want to start with “easy wins,” like organizing their notes or reviewing for their easiest class.

For instance, a student with a borderline grade in Algebra ends up spending all of Monday reviewing English vocabulary that they already know, rather than starting with Math.

The hardest, highest-stakes classes are usually the ones that need the most attention—and get neglected until it’s too late.

Mistake #3: Studying without a clear schedule

Without a schedule, it’s just chaos and chance.

One distraction leads to another, and they waste time jumping between subjects or procrastinating what actually matters.

For example, a student starts reading their science notes, gets a text, switches to reviewing Spanish flashcards, then ends up watching a YouTube video about mitochondria—none of which was on their priority list.

These mistakes don’t come from laziness—they come from not having a structured schedule.

You can check out my master article on study skills for a comprehensive guide on ways to improve your study skills.

3 Steps to Help Your Student Take Action on Their Finals Plan

Step 1: Identify the top-priority class

Start by choosing the class that needs the biggest boost.

For example, if your student has a D in chemistry and can bump it to a C with a strong final and some extra credit, that’s the top priority.

What tasks can be done that will move the needle in that class?

Maybe it's:

• Practice problems

• Study guides

• Last-minute assignments

Take some time to figure out the best tasks to get started on, or use the email template in part 1 to communicate with your teacher for guidance.

Step 2: Block out time to work on priorities

Next, take those tasks and actually plug them into a calendar.

This is called time-blocking.

For example, if Monday from 4–5 p.m. is “practice exam for chemistry,” then nothing else happens during that time.

These blocks should be in a realistic and specific timeframe (30–60 minutes).

For more details on how to time-block, check out my article: A 3-Step Guide To Teach Students How To Time Block, which will also show you how to use my ideal week template to easily set up your schedule.

Example page from the Ideal Week Template

Step 3: Move methodically through each class

After finishing tasks for the top-priority class, move to the next one that matters.

If a student already has an A in PE and the final exam can't change that, then pivot to the next priority and continue this process.

Focus on the classes where effort will lead to real grade improvement.

This keeps energy focused and builds momentum instead of burnout.

In the next article, we'll go through measuring success in this process so that you can evaluate what to work on and what not to work on.

And if you want more resources on how to help your student end the semester strong, check out my Semester Success Blueprint course.

The Bottom Line

To help your student follow through on their finals plan, you need to prioritize, time-block, and stay focused on what will move the grade.

Here are 3 steps to take action on your plan for finals:

1. Pick the class that needs the most attention and identify key tasks.

2. Use a calendar to block off time for each task, one class at a time.

3. Work methodically through classes, skipping low-impact tasks.

   
   

Hope this helps 🤙🏻

P.S. If you want to work on executive function skills with your students, consider joining hundreds of other educators and parents who have completed my Semester Success Blueprint Course. In less than 2 hours, this comprehensive course will teach you and your student the system I developed to help hundreds of students learn how to manage school effectively and raise their self-awareness and engagement with school.

Join 100+ students and parents here.

About Me

Hey! I'm Sean 👋

I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.

Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.

In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.

Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.

In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.

When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and growing my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.