10 ideas for short study breaks

It's never a good idea to study for 10 hours straight. You need to break it up with breaks every so often. Here are some of my favourite ways to get my eyes away from the page.

Photo: Marko Blazevik from Pexels.com

With finals coming up way too quickly, the days are getting shorter and the time spent in the library is getting much much much longer. It can be difficult to focus for hours on end on the same essay or getting through every exercise on the practice exam, but I often find it equally difficult to get back into a study grind if I take a really long break.. That's why I do these shorter ones.

1. Walk around the block

This is my personal favourite. Sometimes all it takes is a quick walk around the block to clear your head. Throwing on your headphones for a good tune is an added bonus.

2. Have a snack

Keep your energy up, it takes a lot out of you to study all day! My personal favourite study snack is apples and peanut butter.

3. Stretch

Loosen up those muscles! Sitting all day can make your body ache in ways you didn’t even know was possible, so stretching for a few minutes can be a real game changer.

4. Call your mom

You know she wants to hear from you.

5. Take a shower

Another amazing way to relax and clear your head for a few minutes. Added bonus: good personal hygiene.

6. Sketch

Get those creative juices flowing! Taking a few minutes to sketch the view out of the window is an awesome way to relax and focus on something that isn’t school.

7. Read a chapter of your novel

It’s always nice to read something that’s not an academic resource—just be sure not to get too carried away!

8. Solve a Rubik’s Cube

Keep your brain engaged! This is for sure something that takes up all my attention and helps me focus on something else.

9. Knit

If you knit a bit each study break, you’re guaranteed to have an awesome scarf by the end of exam season. 

10. Work on your loon call

Why not? Just don’t do it in the library.