What can I do during a short break from studying to refresh myself but w

September 29, 2013 5:57 PM

I've figured out that taking short, 5-10 minute breaks while I study helps a lot but I'm having a hard time taking a break without getting distracted and forgetting to go back to work. What is something I can do that's relaxing or interesting but doesn't last long?

I just started grad school and while I'm not having any trouble with the workload, it's definitely a lot more time consuming than college. I was also diagnosed with ADHD last winter and started taking Adderall. It's incredibly helpful but I'm also trying trying to teach myself good habits that I hadn't learned before and are actually possible to use now.

Previously, taking a break after I'd actually managed to start doing work meant that I was giving up on getting anything done for at least an hour, probably more. Now I can take short breaks and they definitely help me feel better and do better work, but I'm having a hard time finding good ways to take a break without getting distracted. I want to have a routine so I get used to going back to work.

Right now, I mostly just check on different blogs to see if they've updated. It works out pretty well but after two or three breaks, I run out of things and prolong the break trying to find something interesting to feel like it was worth it. If I find a whole new website with interesting things to read, I can end up reading all the archives which doesn't help. Youtube videos can be good but I spend a lot of time looking for one I like.

Things I've tried:

Most games are way too addictive for me to play just five minutes, including non-exciting ones like Minesweeper. (Duolingo had enough gamification that I got sucked into it for a few days.)

Doing push-ups or some other exercise can be good but it feels like it uses the same willpower it takes to focus on work.

I've set up study times with others, so I can chat during my break but I still spend a lot of time working on my own.

Any suggestions for short but interesting/relaxing break ideas?

posted by raeka to Work & Money (11 answers total)

Best answer: Do you drink tea? Making a pot of nice fragrant tea might fit the bill. Or you could try walking out to get the mail, writing a quick note to a loved one, a quick bit of yoga (it might hit a different spot than the calisthenics) or playing with your cat/dog.
posted by Nickel Pickle at 6:07 PM on September 29, 2013 [2 favorites]

I can't remember the name of it now, but maybe someone else can, there was a Windows app you can install that tells you to get up and stretch for pre-defined intervals. I'm sure there's a ton more of these nowadays.
posted by bleep at 6:09 PM on September 29, 2013

Best answer: Walk around the block.

Fold some laundry, do some dishes, clean up a room, scrub the toilet.
posted by Etrigan at 6:19 PM on September 29, 2013 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Work your way through a giant book of sonnets, haiku, or other short-form poetry by standing up and reading one or two aloud or under your breath. Assuming you're not studying literature already, that might be a stimulating alternative yet not so absorbing that you'd do it for more than a few minutes at a stretch.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 6:55 PM on September 29, 2013 [1 favorite]

The key is not what to do during a break but to find a definitive way to end it. Get a count-down timer and set it for 5 minutes, or however long you need. When the timer beeps, stop what you're doing immediately, even if you're right on the verge of completing it, and go back to work. There will always be another break, and if it's really important, you'll remember what you need to do.

During a break, "It's time for something completely different." Think up something silly do do, like standing on your head or turning a cartwheel, or maybe holding your breath for 60 seconds. Hum your favorite song or recite dirty limericks.
posted by KRS at 8:24 PM on September 29, 2013

Best answer: When I was studying for my comprehensive exams, I used an app called 30/30. [You can modify it to fit your 5-10 minute breaks--it's an excellent task manager, without having to reset a timer.]

I had slightly longer breaks than you, but I scheduled my breaks. I would name one 'do a chore' and would wash dishes, vacuum, stack my Tupperware, etc for a solid 15 minutes. [This also kept my house clean during extreme work weeks.] Other activities I did included concentrating on a puzzle, a quick crazy solo dance party, early Christmas/birthday shopping online, and attempting to learn how to meditate--which never happened, but trying to helped my brain, I think.
posted by inevitability at 8:56 PM on September 29, 2013

I think it might get boring to do this repeatedly, but one thing I do at some point most days is take a meditation break while I'm working. I find the guided meditations from Meditation Oasis to be really soothing and non-judgmental (I hate it when meditating makes me feel bad for not being good enough at meditating, so I love being reassured during the meditation that I'm doing fine). I use one of their iPad apps, but I think the one I use for the short work break might be the same as the first episode of their podcast. At the end of the seven minute pre-recorded relaxation break, back to work feeling refreshed!
posted by ootandaboot at 9:52 PM on September 29, 2013

duoLingo.
posted by Dansaman at 11:18 PM on September 29, 2013

I've had good luck playing Pocket Planes in my pomodoro breaks - your turn is over in a few minutes and then there's a real time wait before you can play again. It's perfect for me because it's fun, quick and the wait between turns means I can't play it too obsessively.
posted by escapepod at 12:56 AM on September 30, 2013

Best answer: I love Etrigan's suggestions. Don't do something mindless (like fool around on the Internet) but do something that needs doing.

Get up, walk around, clean something.

It may help to write down your household chores on 3 x 5 notecards. Sort them by Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly.

Do all the daily cards first. Sweeping, wiping, etc. Then move onto one weekly card. Vacuum, mop, scrub.

In the evening, start dinner.

Your space will be cleaner, you'll be refreshed by the break because you're doing something physical and you won't go down the Internet rabbit hole.

Have a separate time for Internet time-sucks.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:39 AM on September 30, 2013 [3 favorites]

I'm going to suggest a different direction:

Assuming your studying doesn't involve much writing by hand, I suggest hand-writing something short.

If you're doing any language study, pick a handful of sentences and copy them, by hand, onto a piece of paper.

Otherwise, pick some poetry and write out five minutes worth of a poem. (You don't have to finish; you can finish it on your next break.)

Whatever you're writing, go do it at another desk or table - or stand and write at the kitchen counter - to get a little motion into your break.

For me, doing something physical (getting up and going to a different desk, and then writing by hand) makes it very different from sitting at my desk working, and copying something out feels both pleasantly mindless AND oddly engaging at the same time. And you've got a nice hand-copied bit of text at the end for a little feeling of accomplishment.
posted by kristi at 9:25 AM on October 2, 2013