Posted April 1st, 2014
By Guest Blogger
We all need breaks in between work, studying, and writing papers. Not only did I go to school online but I also worked from home full time. What does this tell you? I was at my desk a lot and learned the hard way about what it meant to schedule “break” time.
Because online students don’t have the “mandatory” breaks in between classes we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to step away and just take a break. Why do we make ourselves feel guilty? We are so much more productive when we have those 10-15 minute breaks to refresh. It is a proven fact that breaks encourage brain stimulation if only for just a few minutes.
Some people take walks, others veg out in front of the TV, and others read for pleasure. If you’re not a “reader” there are plenty of other activities to keep your mind stimulated while you step away from your classwork.
Even if you’re trapped indoors, on account of the weather there are plenty of ways to stay mentally engaged. Here are some mentally engaging things you can try:
1) Step away completely from your work space and grab a cup of tea of coffee.
2) Make some time to read a book or do a crossword puzzle.
3) Run an errand outside the home, fresh air always does the trick for me!
4) Work around the house on project. When you engage in something completely different than what you were working on, you come back refreshed and ready to tackle that school work.
5) Exercise and stretch – you need to keep your body and brain sharp! Not stretching regularly while at the computer can lead to fatigue, “brain fog” and back and neck pain. It is important to take those regularly scheduled breaks from the computer screen.
Going to school online is a great opportunity, but remember to make time for you. You will see a great improvement overall in your work!
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