Are you ever trying to grind for your finals and somehow you end up on YouTube watching cat videos for four hours, without having done even an hour of solid work? Because same.
It’s easy to get distracted, especially if you’re doing something you don’t really want to do. When it comes to studying, it can be hard to truly focus and just knock it all out like you planned to. And sometimes you need breaks in between, but most of those breaks involve food, and of course food involves Netflix, so before you know it, it’s been another hour and your studying still isn’t done. We’ve definitely been there.
Lucky for you, we found 7 study breaks that will give you a minute to breathe without distracting you for too long. And we’re sharing every one of them with you.
Dance it Out
Take a quick minute to pull up your Spotify or Apple Music, and play the first two songs that come up. The second that music starts playing, you’d better be moving. Not only does this little break let your mind rest from the studying and the reading, but it also gets your body moving and blood pumping. Plus, if you’ve seen Grey’s Anatomy, maybe it’s a good reminder that dancing really can help you get out of your head and just shake whatever you’ve got to the beat of something other than a Crash Course opening song.
Snack time
Did you know that some snacks are supposed to up your energy levels? That is, as long as it isn’t something that’ll lead you into a sugar crash. We recommend something like an apple or almonds to help you concentrate while you buckle down to get some more work done. Need a little more? Try adding peanut or almond butter to the mix— it’s a game changer.
Clean it up
It’s hard to work productively on a messy table or a messy desk. If you need a quick break, take a step back from the work for a minute and organize your workspace. By taking control of the clutter and clearing out your area, you might find that it’s easier to get back to work and really get into what you’re trying to focus in on. Just try it, even if this doesn’t help a whole lot, now you’ve got a clean desk!
H2O
Try refilling your water bottle or grabbing a glass of water and taking a few minutes to rehydrate. You might find that it’s a nice break to stretch your legs, move a little, and get some more fluids in your system. It’ll keep you going a little longer before you get back to your work.
Power nap
Now when we say power nap, we mean like 10-20 minutes, not 4 hours. Set a timer, shut out the lights, get comfy, and take a quick power nap to recharge and refocus. Then, get back to work.
Do a little Doodle
Even if you don’t like to draw, or you believe you arr not artistic, just give it a try. You could draw an animal or even just doodle some shapes, the idea is to do something that doesn’t require a whole lot of analytical thinking and won’t take too long. So think of your favorite food, tv show, or even zentangle shapes and doodle away.
Take a Walk
So maybe your boots are made for walking— that’s perfect, because so are study breaks. A change of scenery always helps and a short walk can get you there. Move your feet and take a quick walk, check the mail or play catch with your dog for a couple minutes, even go see what your roommate is up to (as long as that doesn’t lead to an hour long conversation). Just get up and go somewhere for a few minute and clear your head.
Once you’ve taken your break, you can finally head back to that nice and tidy workspace and focus up on what you’ve got to do. Here’s us wishing you good luck!