Marking is hard work

Holding down a day job, plus marking exam papers requires stamina. You'll find that after the first week of marking your energy levels will drop and it will get harder to motivate yourself to keep on marking. When you reach this point you have one of two choices: either take a short break to recover your energy, or reward yourself with a treat to raise your mood.

Reward yourself

An acknowledgment - from yourself or others - that you have done a good job will give a psychological lift to your mood. You'll find it easier to keep going when you feel appreciated.

The usual form of acknowledgment that you'll receive from others for working is being paid. But as this arrives after the work is completed, how can you keep yourself motivated until this happens?

One way is to devise a reward system, set short-term goals and then treat yourself for keeping going.

Small rewards and big rewards

Rewards work best when they reflect the level of effort involved - a tiered reward system based on marking time is easiest to devise.

If you have marked consistently for one hour then reward yourself with a five-minute refreshment break - a cup of tea or coffee with a tasty biscuit.

Marking solidly for two hours requires a slightly larger reward - perhaps a brisk walk or a potter about the garden for twenty minutes.

As you mark, be aware of your own energy levels. Taking frequent short breaks will help to keep you going during long marking sessions. Similarly you will need to rest every so often if you are marking online to ensure your eyes do not become overstrained by your work.

In fact rewards, of whatever level, should have no associations with marking to be effective.

Don't overdo it

Rewards are a useful prod to keep going, but if you are tired out they just won't work.

Take at least a five minute break every hour from marking and, if you can, schedule in at least one day during the entire marking period for not looking at any scripts at all.

Keep yourself healthy

It becomes easy to rely on take-away meals during marking. These are useful as an occasional reward, but if eaten excessively you may find that the lack of vitamins and nutrients leaves you feeling tired and bloated. Eating healthily is a reward in itself - it will enable you to keep on marking and earn your marking fee.

As your spare time is limited, try to eat foods that are quick and easy to prepare, as well as nutritious. Wholemeal bread sandwiches, jacket potatoes with cheese, grilled fish or fresh fruit all fit the bill. And don't forget to keep up your fluid intake - dehydration is tiring. Every hour try to drink a glass of water or stop for a pot of tea.