School can be stressful— we all know that. It’s easy for us as students to go into overdrive and spend all of our time studying, especially around exam seasons. While it’s important to study and focus for school, it’s even more important to study effectively. Knowing how to study efficiently can really allow you to maximize your productivity without wearing yourself out too much. One of the factors of studying effectively is to take regular study breaks. Here is a little breakdown of study breaks:
When should you take a study break?
According to research done by Oxford Learning, a tutoring center, study breaks are recommended between every 20 to 30 minutes of studying. A short break of 5 to 10 minutes gives you just enough time to take a step back and recollect yourself. However, it is important to not take too long of a break, such as over 10 minutes. This can make it hard to get back into focus, and it might cause you to get distracted by something else. If you’re “on a roll” with studying and don’t want to stop, you might not want to stop just then. Regardless, it is important to have the idea of a study break in your mind, and to take them occasionally so you aren’t just sitting for hours and hours.
What should you do during a study break?
The short answer to this: anything you want. This is your own study break, so you should take time to do what you want in order to get your mind off studying. There are some activities that are strongly recommended, and some that are not recommended.
Going on your phone to scroll through social media isn’t recommended. This is because it’s easy to get lost and lose track of time on your phone. As a result, your 5 minute break can turn into a half hour, and you can completely lose focus and motivation to study.
What should you do instead? Oxford Learning suggests getting up and stretching during breaks, which can definitely help “re-energize your body.” You could also get a snack and some water to make sure your body is hydrated and nourished.
I personally like to call my parents or grandparents and get some fresh air when I take a break. I usually get up and take my study breaks outside while on the phone; it lets me stretch my legs and talk about something other than school. A quick call while I am very busy lets my loved ones know I’m still thinking about them, and that itself always makes me feel better.
Why are they helpful?
Study breaks are constantly overlooked. It’s easy to do so, when you’re pressed for time with a deadline or an exam. Nonetheless, they are very beneficial and help you get the most out of your studying. MIT Educational Executive Bob Pozen claims, “When people do a task and then take a break for 15 minutes, they help their brain consolidate information and retain it better.”
Taking a study break helps you re-energize in the moment, and helps your studying in the long term. I definitely recommend you take them!