(Yes, your breaks really do count!)
All of our students know that we do not recommend trying to complete hours of study without a break. Not only is a study goal like that overwhelming and therefore likely to tempt the student to procrastinate, it is also inefficient. A student who tries to spend hours at the desk without variation is probably spending a lot of that just whiling the time away by seeking out distractions or staring into space. Long stretches of ‘focus-time’ might seem like a good goal, but it usually ends in disappointment and discouragement.
The benefits of breaks, meanwhile, are abundant. They:
- break the study session into manageable chunks, making it easier to get started
- reduce students’ susceptibility to distractions but making them less mentally fatigued
- make their ‘focus-time’ more focused and therefore more effective for learning
- allow time for the mind to consolidate (whether consciously or subconsciously) what has been learned
However, these benefits are not always easy to come by. One of our students recently asked his coach for advice on this: ‘How do I take breaks that will help me focus, rather than making it hard for me to re-focus?’ The question demonstrated some great self-reflection on the student’s part. He had been attempting to insert break times into his study routine, but realised that these breaks would often take him off track: the break itself would prove too big a distraction and end up going for much longer than he’d intended it to, making it difficult for him to transition back into focusing on his work. What could he do about this?
We thought it was such a good question that we’d write a whole blog post in answer to it! Here are 5 ways to make your study breaks count:
Plan your breaks as part of your study time
Some forethought can make an enormous difference to how well the breaks work. Students should think through:
- How long will I aim to work before taking a break?
- How long will my breaks last?
- What will I do on my breaks?
- How will I know when to take a break and when to resume working?
- If students don’t know the answers to these questions before they start studying, they will probably only take breaks when they notice they have already become distracted or become too tired to keep going — by that point, time has already been wasted. And if they don’t have a plan for what will happen during the breaks, they are setting themselves up for them to last way too long.
Try out a focus/rest routine
An easy way to decide on a study/break plan is to follow a routine like the 20/5 routine: 20 minutes of focus-time, followed by a 5 minute break, followed by another 20 minutes of focus-time, etc. There are other ways to break the time down (e.g. 25/5, 30/5, 45/10), but we find that 20/5 works best for most students.
This is not the only way to plan, of course. Some students prefer to divide up their focus and rest time by tasks, e.g. first I will complete the Maths questions, then I will go get myself a snack, then I will… etc. The important thing is to make sure that the chosen tasks are broken into manageable chunks that are not too long to complete in one focused session.
Mental breaks should be mindful, not mindless
Because studying and completing homework is mentally taxing, students often make the mistake of reaching for a ‘mindless’ activity like scrolling an Instagram feed during their breaks. While this might seem like a break because it doesn’t require much mental energy, we all know it doesn’t leave us feeling rested afterwards. It can also cause a 5 minute break to accidentally morph into a 20 minute one…
A good, short break is a self-contained activity or task, which is easier to transition into and out of at the end (see point 5 for more on transitions). Doing something that engages one’s body is especially helpful. This could involve doing some stretches, getting up to go to the toilet or find a snack or drink, playing with the dog for a few minutes, talking a walk around the block, or just stepping outside to enjoy some sunshine on a fine day.
Keep breaks digital device-free (especially if the work is being done on a device)
Breaks should ideally be digital device-free, with device use left as a reward for when the study is over. This is especially important when the work being completed is digital, when what the student really needs to be refreshed is to step away from the screen for a few minutes.
For many students (and adults!), reaching for the phone during a spare few minutes is a deeply ingrained habit. This is all the more reason why it is important to consciously think about how a break will spent — otherwise, habit will take over.
Use timers to assist with transitions
Some students, especially those with ADHD or ASD diagnoses, may have additional challenges transitioning between tasks and avoiding the dangers of ‘hyper-fixation’. For these students, using timers during focus periods and breaks can assist with transition.
If possible, students should try to avoid relying on a phone for timers. A visual Time Timer is very useful because it helps the student picture how much time is left. Alternatively, a student might set two timers — one a ‘warning’ alarm to give notice that the break is ending soon, and another at the end of the break.
For each student, there will likely be a bit of trial-and-error involved in working out what sorts of breaks work best. Students should feel free to take on board these tips and experiment: maybe timers will be helpful, maybe they won’t; maybe they prefer to break things into time segments or into tasks; maybe they are happy following the same routine every time, or maybe they need room for some variety. One of our favourite parts of our work with students is seeing all the inventive things they come up with as they figure out what works for them!
To learn more about how we support students and equip them with the necessary tools, skills and strategies please get in touch.
