Author: Rachel Hall
We all know the importance of study breaks. No one can give 100% attention to anything for hours and hours on end, and if you try you’ll find yourself feeling drained and brain dead. However, there is a right and a wrong way to take a study break. Activities that are distracting, like the new Netflix show you’re hooked on or addicting social media apps tend to elongate study breaks and hinder your focus and academic performance. If your study break becomes too long, it gets distracting and becomes harder and harder to return to schoolwork. I’ve found the the best length is five to fifteen minutes of relaxing and de-stressing, then jumping right back into it. With finals coming up, I thought I’d provide some constructive suggestions for activities to try during your study breaks that will increase your focus and help to destress you before your big exams.
1. Yoga
Yoga is an excellent de-stressor and a good way to center yourself. There are tons of 10 minute beginner yoga videos on youtube that are easy to follow, and doing some physical activity and getting your blood movement is a great way for your brain to take a break so you can refocus once you’re done.
2. Take a Shower
I’ve found that a simple shower can do magic to my mood. When you mind is fatigued sometimes all you need is a fresh start, and you’ll come out of the shower feeling refreshed and ready to take on your schoolwork.
3. Have A (Healthy) Snack
Neglecting food is never a good idea. It hinders your academic performance as well as leaving you feeling tired, unmotivated, and moody. Eating something healthy, like fruit or granola, give your mind and body the sustenance they need to power through.
4. Call Your Mom
Isolating ourselves in Du Bois can be a great way to focus for a while, but we all need human contact and who doesn’t love talking to their mom? Whether it’s one of your parents, a friend, or anyone else you feel like talking to, a quick conversation with someone you trust is always a good thing.
5. Just Relax
Sometimes, we all need to just take a minute to clear our mind, breathe, and center ourselves. Closing your eyes for five minutes and putting all of your schoolwork out of your mind is all you need sometimes. I think we could all use five minutes to clear our mind each day, and a study break is a perfect opportunity to do this.
Go ace those finals ladies!