The time has come: midterms. It seems like a daunting and grueling time of the year, but with the right mindset and studying techniques, it doesn’t have to be. Studying for midterms does not have to take up a full six hours straight of your day. Instead, it could take up six twenty-five minute intervals with five to fifteen minutes of break time in between. According to a Cornell health study, breaks that allow your mind to refresh can increase your energy, productivity, and ability to focus. But what should you do during your study breaks? Look at your phone? Well, you could, but it might not be the most effective way to recharge that brain of yours.
Here are a few ways to use your break time efficiently.
Take a walk and connect with nature
Disconnect from your computer, ipad, phone, and notes to take a short walk outside. The fresh air could lead to a fresh state of mind as you study, and a walk around the block gets your body moving up and out of your study space.
Take a shower
Wash some of your stress away by taking a quick and calming shower. You’ll feel refreshed, clean, and maybe you’ll enter back into your studying feeling revitalized and clear-minded.
Stretch
Take a moment to stand up from your chair, bed, or couch and release the tension built up in your body. Un-hunch those shoulders, reach for the stars, and return back to your studies feeling much less stiff.
Tap into your creative side
In this study break activity, feel free to doodle your heart out. Challenge the right side of your brain while giving the left side a much needed rest. Draw an object on your desk or an element of nature that you can see from out of your window. Don’t worry about how realistic the drawing looks, it doesn’t have to be perfect! Try doodling to take your mind off of your study material for a few minutes. You never know what masterpiece you may create.
Dance!
A dance break may sound a bit silly or cliché, but it’s actually extremely fun and beneficial. It allows your brain to think about dance moves instead of something like the limit of a function, and it gets you moving out of your seat. In your own private study space, dance like nobody’s watching and release your stress through movement!
Cornell Health Study:
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