Is it okay to take breaks when I’m doing homework?
How often should I take study breaks?
What’s the best kind of study break?
Why is it so hard to get started again after a break?
These are the most common questions students have about taking breaks from schoolwork. Let’s dive in.
Why You Need Study Breaks
Breaks help you learn. Your brain cannot just pile on more and more information, hour after hour. It needs time to process what you’ve been studying. That’s why spaced repetition – the practice of coming back to a topic many times with breaks in between – leads to both stronger memories and deepened understanding.
Breaks help you resist distractions, make good decisions, and work hard. Focus, executive function, and willpower are mental muscles that get fatigued from use. You need regular breaks to restore these abilities. Breaks also help you recover from stress, preventing burnout.
So yes, you do need to take study breaks. How often depends on many factors. Some people need a break every 30 minutes, some people every 90 minutes. If you’re suddenly struggling with the material, having trouble focusing, or just feeling exhausted, it’s time for a break.
How to Take Effective Study Breaks
The most important rule of taking a study break is that it should not involve additional mental stimulation. Too often, students turn to some kind of stimulating fun, like TikTok or video games, when they want a break from schoolwork. While these activities are not work, they are also not rest.
You’re taking a break because your brain is tired. You’ve been exercising your brain muscles by focusing, learning, and problem-solving. Give your brain some true rest by avoiding mental activity and stimulation for a while.
The best way to do this is to be bored. Sit and do nothing for a few minutes. Get a snack and just eat (don’t also watch YouTube, scroll Instagram, or reply to texts). Go for a walk in the park without headphones or earbuds. Take a 20 minute nap.
Not only do such things provide brain rest, they also make it easier to return to your schoolwork because if your break is less stimulating than studying, you’ll actually want to get back to it. During your break, don’t do anything fun or exciting. Then, by contrast, your work will feel more interesting.
Remember The Dessert-Salad Principle: You wouldn’t eat salad after having dessert, so you also won’t study after spending an hour playing. It’s far more difficult to return to your homework after spending time getting easy dopamine from screentime.
Lastly, since productivity is all about momentum, you shouldn’t take long breaks that kills your momentum. If you’re planning to return to work, your breaks should not be longer than 30 minutes, but should usually be closer to 5 minutes. And they can be as short as just a few moments. It’s surprisingly helpful to just close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
Parents Can Model Good Study Breaks
Although parents generally don’t spend time doing homework or studying, they can still lead by example here.
Let’s say you’re at home doing some kind of brain-intensive work: creating an agenda for a meeting, responding to work emails, planning a family trip, managing finances, etc.
When you feel the need for a break, take one. But don’t immediately pick up your phone. Instead, choose a non-stimulating activity that gives your brain a real break.
When I have a large chunk of time to be productive at home, I like to alternate between mental and physical tasks. I’ll do some writing, and then some exercise. I’ll answer emails, and then do chores. And so on. Back and forth, mental labor and physical labor. This strategy keeps my productive momentum up but allows for, alternatively, brain rest and physical rest.
And you can verbalize your choices in the presence of your kids – not talking to them but talking near them (to yourself or to your spouse):
- “I cannot focus on this project any longer. I need some decompression time. I’m going for a walk.”
- “Okay, that’s enough brain work for now. Time to move my body. I’m going to go mow the lawn.”
This gives kids a model to follow when they need a break from their schoolwork, which is far more powerful than any advice you could give them.
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