Many people don’t realize the importance of taking study breaks. It can help you maintain your focus and energy, avoid burnout, and become more productive in general. It’s important to take a break when you feel like you need it, even if that means studying for a shorter period than initially planned. Whether you are a teacher or a student, here are some proven benefits of study breaks.
Replenishing your energy
Learning is an intensive process, and your body and brain require sufficient energy levels to meet study objectives. Therefore, breaks are necessary when you want to get the most out of your studies. But often, when the time for a break comes, we still feel the pressure to keep working, or worse yet, feel guilty about taking some time off.
Studies have shown that those quick 10-minute power naps in between class sessions are excellent for your energy. You wake up refreshed and ready for more work. These short snoozes help students retain information better than they would if they had just kept going without pause. Walks or physical activities that do not involve reading are also effective alternatives.
Enhancing performance and creativity
Have you ever tried to write an essay when tired? We all know how frustrating looking at a blank page for minutes can be. Every time you want to jot down some points, you realize that the ideas are not flowing, and you end up deleting everything to start all over. You can get through this mental block only by taking a break. While at it, you can also consider an essay writing service on https://essaywritingservice.com/ for helpful insights on improving your essay scores.
If you are worried about not meeting your professor’s submission deadline, you might feel guilty about breaks. Yet, you do not need much time to refresh your mind. Even 15 minutes away from your screen and notes will do.
Improving Memory
The main reason we study is to internalize ideas and remember them if need be. It is infuriating to study for multiple hours, only to realize that you can barely recall anything during an exam. One of the reasons this happens is trying to read through large volumes in a short period. This is common during preparation for exams.
It is essential to plan your study timetable when the semester begins to avoid last-minute reading. This way, your learning spreads across multiple days. In addition, it is easier to remember ideas when there are adequate breaks to help the brain process information. Besides, reading too much before an exam can be overwhelming and lead to panic.
Promoting Good Health
The average American student spends more than nine hours studying, and over 16 hours working every week. Some students even work multiple jobs to meet their expenses and pay for their tuition. Working to attain your goals is commendable, and it’s a great way to achieve financial independence by the time you graduate. However, not everyone can strike a balance between studies, working, and resting.
It is easy to get carried away into unhealthy sleep patterns in a bid to catch up on your schoolwork. This can lead to mental strain, fatigue, and headaches. In addition to these common ailments, other health risks come with having limited time to relax and unwind, such as obesity and depression. Taking enough breaks and resting from a demanding routine can help you maintain good health.
Getting socializing opportunities
To keep students absorbed in their work, educators often discourage them from socializing during class. However, this may not be the best strategy for learning. Study breaks allow students to interact with one another, and engage in meaningful discussions that may lead to a better understanding of the subject matter.
Also, these interactions help them develop social skills like problem-solving and tolerance, which are necessary attributes for a rewarding life after school.
Educators should consider implementing study breaks at the end of an hour-long lesson, so that learners have time to chat with classmates and reflect on what they are learning.
Preventing stress
Study breaks are necessary to help prevent stress in school and at home. A 2019 study found that students who take regular five-minute breaks in the middle of their work periods have better grades, score higher on tests and exams, and report less emotional exhaustion. It’s essential to start with short breaks, like taking a walk around the block or eating lunch outside, before building up to longer ones, like going for a run after school.
It may be tempting to take an extra-long break at home when you’re feeling overwhelmed with homework or extracurricular activities. Still, it can backfire by making you feel more stressed out because you can’t complete academic assignments on time without sacrificing quality. Therefore, apart from lunch, which can last up to an hour, breaks do not need to be extended to be effective.
Conclusion
Learning is hard work. It takes a lot of energy and concentration to study new information and retain it in our brain long-term. That’s why taking learning breaks is crucial for good academic performance.
The benefits go beyond the cognitive aspects as illustrated above. Breaks can help you remain healthy by balancing work and rest, and promoting better sleep habits. Also, they improve your mood with socializing opportunities, or make life easier and more enjoyable by simplifying knowledge acquisition.
