Studying for a midterm can be exhausting and at times can feel like it is never ending. Breaks are important while studying for a midterm to ensure you don’t get feelings of being burnt out or over exhaustion. Here are some ways you can effectively take a break while studying.
Getting outside and into fresh air is so important while studying. When you sit down to study for a midterm, you can easily get bored just because you are in one place for a long amount of time. By getting up and going outside to go on a walk and getting some fresh air, you will come back feeling more refreshed and like you are in a better headspace to get back into studying. Getting outside will break up the time that you are just stationary sitting at your desk, which will be sure to pay off!
Calling a friend and getting your mind thinking about things other than the content you are studying is helpful because you can take your mind off the midterm for a short period of time. By getting your mind off the content, you can more easily get back into it when you are ready, and it gives your mind a break from all the things you need to remember, which can easily become confusing. Call up a friend and talk about things other than school! It will benefit both of you, and will remind you that there are things and people you care about outside of the midterm you are studying for!
Take a break from studying for a midterm by taking some time to create a playlist to listen to while you study. I have a lot of fun creating music playlists, and sometimes when I get going, I end up making a few at a time. They are fun to make have different genres and moods. Having a great playlist is great for when you are studying because it helps add to the environment and make it one that is more enjoyable. It’s also a great way to spend some time during a break because, like calling a friend, it’s something that can take your mind completely off the material for a bit, and allow you to think about the songs and things on the playlists.
Making a coffee or tea or hot cocoa or whatever your drink of choice is is a great way to take a break from studying. It allows you to get up and get moving, and gets you away from your desk, even for a few minutes. It also gives you something to sip on when you get back to working, which is like a little more “productivity juice.” Caffeine in coffee and tea can also be good for when you know you have a long day or night of studying ahead of you, and you need an added boost to get you through it.
With a clean work environment, I can guarantee that you will feel much more productive. I think that cleaning a space is enjoyable, because you feel pretty productive the whole time, and when you are done, it’s super satisfying to see the difference you made in your space. You can make it more fun by playing a podcast or some music while you do it. When you’re done, finish it off by plugging in an oil diffuser with your favorite essential oil to make the room comfortable and clean.
A break that I like to stay away from while studying for a midterm is picking up my phone and endlessly scrolling on social media. I have found that it can frequently lead me down a black hole where I just end up w scrolling and scrolling and before I know it, I’ve wasted so much time that could have been spend studying. What you can do, though, is set a time limit on how much time you can spend on social media. Maybe it’s 15 minutes, and then you’ll go back to work. Or maybe it’s five minutes on Instagram, and 5 on Twitter, and you can take those breaks separately! Whatever works for you.
Food is fuel for when you’re studying, and it’s important that while you are studying you don’t forget to take some time to eat and drink. It’s easy to get so consumed in what you are studying that you forget to do simple things like make a meal! Take some time away from your desk around lunch and around dinner time to make a hearty meal that will fuel you for the rest of your study session.
This tip may seem like you are taking a break just to do more work, but I promise that’s not what this is! (Actually, that’s next 😉) Pick up a book that you actually enjoy to read for fun. This is a great brain break because, like many of the other tips, it takes your brain off of the midterm content, and instead allows you to think about other things, so that when you get back to studying, you are more refreshed.
Yes, this may seem weird, and it’s not for everyone! But taking a break to do other work for other things may help you to feel more productive. By checking things off of your to do list in the middle of your studying session, you are giving yourself mini confidence boosters that you are still getting things done! Putting a check mark next to things you finish are a great feeling, and you should be able to have that while studying!
Above everything else, make sure you are taking time to do things that you enjoy. What is it that you like to do in your free time? Incorporate that into your study breaks, so that you don’t get too bogged down, and you’ll be sure to do great.
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