How to take effective study breaks
Weβre getting closer to the next exam phase and while studying is super important, taking breaks is too. Here are some great tips on how to take effective study breaks and how to study more effectively in general.
Rule #1 is definitely trying to not feel guilty for taking breaks. I know it can be hard, especially in this generation, but taking breaks is essential to creating a balance and preventing burnout.
Rule #2 is keeping yourself hydrated and having some healthy snacks (or at least snacks that try to be healthy). Your physical and mental world are connected and they need hecking water and calories as fuel. Please always have a water bottle next to you while studying.
Rule #3 is writing out goals for the year, semester, month or week. This can be incredibly motivating and with time youβll see how long you need to accomplish certain types of goals. Reviewing the goals after the timeframe you gave them also is a good way to reflect on yourself.
Rule #4 is figuring out which types of studying work for you and in which order. I learn most subjects best when I read & mark through the explanations, then write out the most important things, then read over them again and again. In other cases I need audio and visual explanations (we all know Iβm talking about math). Figure out how long you need on average to get something into your head and which subjects need a bigger timeframe than others.
Rule #5 make sure that your entire afternoon isnβt studying every single day. If you plan out your study time and learn to hold in the time blocks in your calendar (aka actually learning early for tests), you can socialize way more. And let me tell you, that socializing is more important than you want it to be. Sincerely, a girl that has isolated herself too much in the past.
Rule #6 is asking for help or advice. Literally nobody is judging you for not understanding something (and if they do, they are just a-holes). Ask friends, a good student or just simple the teacher/professor. Sometimes all the reading and visual learning in the world doesnβt help and only this method does.
Rule #7: Study in a group if you have enough people that you can do that with. I get that this doesnβt really work in a lot of cases cause your class is either full of people not being able to concentrate or you all are too disconnected (i.e. college). This is totally something you should do in small groups with subjects you donβt get. Having a math group once a week or bi-weekly definitely sounds better than paying money for tutoring.
Rule #8 is less of a rule and more of a hope that you have good people around you, cause itβs about having a support system or at least a support person. Sometimes you WILL get overwhelmed, or have too much going on or people around you start drama (Iβm a sensitive girl, I get it). Having a shoulder to cry on or just simply someone to rant to is great for your mental health. Please donβt make it onesided though. Communication is key and you might just wanna tell them that your emotion limit is full for the day or week and unless itβs an emergency most people will get it.
How should you spend your study breaks?
You should take a 15-20 minute break every 1-2 hours (depending on how trained you are in studying a lot at one time). Those breaks can be filled with doing nothing while sitting on your bed or you could actually do one of the following things to treat yourself a little bit.
-Make yourself tea or a smoothie
-Draw a little bit (look for prompts online)
-Clean/Organize (5-minute-cleaning does wonders)
-Write/Journal
-Read (a chapter)
-Dance/Workout (a lot of sitting needs a bit of moving)
-Go for a short walk (get your head free)
-Look at inspo (here is my #studyspo pinboard)
-Meditate (a great way to free up your brain for the next bit)
-Take care of your skin (moisturizer, face mask)
These are just some of the things you can do in a study break and if you do other stuff you should definitely tell me in the comments so I can add more to this blog post for others.
And always remember: You canβt do more than your best & grades donβt define you!
Those were all my tips on how to take effective study breaks. Read more about self care on my blog HERE.
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How to take effective study breaks by Rabea
