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With the semester winding down it can be harder to break up your day. The days blend together and it feels like all you do is study, study, and what’s that? More studying. I am very guilty of not taking breaks and working until exhaustion, but I have been trying to be better about that. Breaks are essential and you deserve them. I want to share 4 small things you can do throughout the day to make sure you are taking those mind breaks. Sometimes coming back to the study grind after a break is more beneficial than if you had worked through; you have a fresh brain and gave yourself grace and listened to your mind and body.
Coloring
One thing I love to do is color. You should check out one of my previous articles for all my coloring essentials ;). But it really does give me a good break and brings me joy. I personally really enjoy Bobbi Goods coloring pages, as they are not overly detailed and can be colored within 30 minutes. This type of break could be great if you are doing some bigger study sessions and needed a longer break, or have some time between classes.
Outside Time
This one is dependent on the weather, but with spring here you have to soak up all that sun. I know at my school we have a quad area that is always full of students hammocking, tossing footballs and frisbees, or personally what me and my friend do is grab a blanket and some books and relax on the grass. This is a great break option because it can be as long or short as you need it to be.
TikTok
Hear me out on this one. I know every single studygram is going to tell you to not pick up your phone during a break, and for the most part I agree. But sometimes you just need a mind numbing activity. And babe, you work too hard to be taking the “right” kind of breaks. If it brings you joy and lets you pause and breathe, then it’s a break, I don’t care. This can also be a quicker 5-10 minute break if you just need a quick reset, as long as you don’t get stuck in scroll town. My personal poison for my TikTok breaks is restock or Sunday reset videos. I find them relaxing but they also make me want to be productive, so I usually get back to work relatively quickly.
Self-Care and Youtube
This one can be a quicker break too. Sometimes if I need a refresher, I’ll pop on a face mask, do some skincare, maybe paint my nails if I have a little more time. In addition I’ll also turn on a podcast or watch a Youtube video or two to really give myself a brain break.
Please make sure you are breaking to eat and use the bathroom, and do not use those things as rewards for finishing studying. I am guilty of this and trying to stop. You deserve to pee and eat even if your math homework isn’t finished. Something you can do to also help break up the day is make sure you aren’t working through meals. Watch some Netflix, listen to an audiobook, or even chat with a friend on your food breaks, really soak it in. Find that balance and don’t be too hard on yourself!