During study-intensive periods, such as prelim exams or HSC exams, students typically feel that the best thing to do is to study as much as they can, keeping their head down and powering through. While this may work for some students, the idea of “more hours studying = better results” isn’t necessarily true. The brain works like a muscle, needing rest to perform at its best. This is where brain breaks play a role.

Brain breaks are short, intentional pauses that let the mind “recharge”. These breaks aren’t necessarily long or complicated, and could be as simple as going for a walk, stretching, or a quick game of Uno with your tutor! In a tutoring session, when students take these short pauses, energy and focus tend to increase. These breaks also allow for any stressful or negative emotions to ease before moving on, growing confidence. Additionally, information is more easily stored in long-term memory rather than short-term memory (helping with information retention for exams!) when taking brain breaks.

Brain breaks are based on real science. Human brains have limits on how long concentration lasts. This differs between individuals, but once that limit is hit, attention fades and information retention drops. By taking a few minutes to step away, the human brain is able to consolidate what it has learnt, meaning it can be ready to take in more information.

The key is that brain breaks aren’t wasting time, but more so using time smarter. The length of study to break can change and adapt over time as interest and knowledge grow, but the “break” component is always beneficial when used wisely. For younger learners, this break might be standing up and moving around, while for older students, it could be taking a minute for some mindfulness or a quick chat.

Essentially, these pauses aid students to learn better and teaches them balance between study and rest, helping them in both their work and managing stressful emotions.

Tiana Tzoukas