Taking Study Breaks
Why do you need to take study breaks?
Even if you try your best, you cannot study all the time. It is a fact that we study better when we take frequent pauses, every 50 minutes or so. Taking study breaks is an essential aspect of studying as they help you prevent study fatigue by giving your brain the chance to rest and recover. Study breaks also help maintain performance and can lead to increased level of concentration, reduced level of stress, and are proven to help students remember information more effectively.
Below you will find some useful information on when to take breaks and how to make them successful.
When to take breaks?
Taking a break at the right time is crucial for your studying.
Don’t hesitate to take a short study break when:
- > You have been studying for 45-60 minutes or longer.
- > You have studied for a while and you find yourself not being able to concentrate on your work any more.
- > You have lost your focus and cannot remember information as easily.
- > You have been switching between different study tasks for a while and you feel like you need to get some rest to fuel your brain and body.
After prolonged periods of studying, make sure you treat yourself to a longer break (at least 1 hour). Use this time to have lunch or dinner with friends, go to the gym, take a walk or watch your favorite TV show. And finally, don’t forget you need a good night sleep, as well, in order to be productive when studying.
How long should a study break be?
Taking study breaks is effective as long as the breaks are short, 10 to 15 minutes (10 minutes is optimal).
Try to study for periods of 45 to 50 minutes and then take 10 to 15-minute breaks. Timers can be a useful tool to help prevent you from over extending your break.
How to take study breaks that actually work?
There are many useful study break tips, ideas, and activities that help make studying easier and more effective. Some of the most popular ones are provided HERE, together with some general principles (Do’s and Don’ts) when it comes to taking effective breaks from studying. Following these principles will help you ensure that your study breaks are successful and contribute to your learning process.