Often, students assume that academic performance is directly correlated with the amount of time spent studying. This dangerous assumption commonly ends in early burnout and an overwhelmed brain. Whilst persistent effort is undeniably important and a large contributing factor to a good result, sacrificing sleep, social life and exercise can often do more harm than good.

When a student makes time for regular exercise such as the gym or weekly jogs they regulate stress and improve their concentration and of course, their physical health. Similar, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule of around 7-8 hours plays a vital role in focus and memory retention. It has been shown that the average focus time is only around 50 minutes at a time meaning that a students who takes advantage of short consistent breaks will benefit more than a student who attempts to maintain focus for prolonged periods of time. The school system supports this by making the average class about 50 – 55 minutes so that students are able to absorb information throughout the entire duration of teaching.

Socialising is another factor that plays a prominent role in mental health. When a student distances themselves from their peers in order to dedicate more time to studying they actively prolong their stress through isolation and don’t allow for a proper mental recharge. It’s important that students actively engage in frequent social activities in order to maintain perspective. Talking to peers reminds students that they aren’t alone in their struggles and that setbacks are a normal part of the learning process. Having a positive support network can be extremely beneficial during stressful study periods.

Conclusively, academic success is more than just putting in hours upon hours of study. A student will often find themselves performing to a higher standard when they are ensuring they maintain a balance between rest, study, exercise and social life. Sometimes the best way to study is to rest.

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