The year has just begun, and everything is quickly picking up. The holidays are gone, and everyone is back on the grind, or at least everyone is expected to. As a student, you can expect things to be as tight as ever. The workload and approaching deadlines are back again for another year. Understandably, everyone needs to work hard to get better grades. But did you know resting can also help you get better grades? And it’s healthy too. We’ll explore why you should take breaks and how to make them work for you.
- Taking breaks can improve your memory
Your brain works better when you give it little chunks of information at a time. That probably explains why a double lesson in math is a tough ask. According to study, short breaks can help your memory. When you take a break after a short lesson, your brain has a higher chance of remembering the lesson for longer. You need all the information you can get, especially when the tests come around. Instead of working extra time to try and cover a topic, try splitting it into sections and taking breaks after each session.
- Breaks help you remain attentive
It’s not just a symptom of the old and cranky, attentiveness can be a problem even for students. We all know how hard it is to keep your concentration during a long lecture. Studies recommend short breaks between lessons to help maximize students’ attention. Anything that goes beyond 30-40 minutes becomes a tough task that is draining. Recess is needed for your brain to keep working at an optimum level. After recess, the brain is fully revitalized and ready to go again when you resume learning.
- With breaks, learning is productive
When a lecture takes too long, it can lead to inattentiveness – students getting bored and distracted. This distraction can affect the whole class. Students who get bored could distract others from the lesson. To curb this, breaks are needed during the lesson to improve learning productivity. Instead of getting chirpy during a long and “boring” lecture, taking a break can help burn off that energy. When class resumes, there’s less disruption. The same thing applies when you are studying on your own. Don’t take too long on one subject, take short breaks to increase your productivity. During the break, you can watch a fun video about something else.
- Breaks can help reduce student stress
It can be overwhelming when you have to spend almost an entire day focused on the same thing. Even when you change the topic to work on something else, you still need a break. Working on the same thing all day can increase stress levels. Stress leads to many other things including being unproductive. One way to reduce stress is to find professionals who can help you take some of the load off your back. Student assignment is a major cause of stress in students. You need time to play and think creatively. This helps to reset the brain. Stress has short-term and long-term impacts on your health and learning capabilities.
- Breaks have a positive impact on your health
We are in the middle of a pandemic, and most of us now understand how important it is to be healthy. We are taking vaccines to boost our immunity and stay away from the disease that is trying to kill us, or keep us unproductive. Resting and sleeping have been known to boost immunity. You have a good chance of keeping away illnesses by taking breaks. Sleep also helps to reduce inflammation and heart disease. Make sure you get enough sleep when you can. Take advantage of the weekends and any free time to rest your body as much as possible.
Conclusion
Resting is a decision you need to make if you hope to keep your study life healthy and productive. Rest can take different forms; it can be one or two hours of exercise, an hour or two watching a movie, or a few hours of sleep. Each of these forms needs to be utilized by students who want to remain healthy and productive.
Remember, you don’t have to feel guilty about taking a break from schoolwork. Worrying too much about time and deadlines has never worked for anyone. Your body will thank you when you give it enough rest.
Author Bio
Carla Davis is a freelance journalist with a passion for helping students. She studies student behavior by reading psychology books and websites. She also occasionally helps students with essays, dissertation writing, and homework. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music and swimming.
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