Exercise is the best study break
I know it seems contradictory, but trust me on this
Tis’ the season of finals. I know you have a writing portfolio, group project, and five exams for the four courses you’re enrolled in, but I promise that working out is the number one way to get away from stress and refocus on your end goal.
Whether you study in your room, the library, or your favorite coffee shop, it’s tough to know how and when to take a break. When your brain’s fried from all of the hard work, it’s tempting to pick up your phone and scroll through twitter. It’s comforting to engulf yourself into the virtual world of memes expressing exactly how you feel this finals season, but why wallow in the inevitable? During your study break do you really think it’s wise to remind yourself how tired, annoyed, and exhausted you really are?
No, it’s not. A study break is supposed to give your mind a break so you come back refreshed and refocused. I would like to put out that I am the last person to endorse working out, but there’s something to be said about doing so in times of stress.
Exercise gets you away from a screen. It’s 2016, so I think it’s safe to assume most of your studying happens on a laptop. You stare at lecture slides on an electronic device for hours at a time, and then when it’s time for a break it suddenly seems like a good idea to watch one or five episodes of Gilmore Girls. Yes, the show is an excellent source for classic American escapism, but refrain and put your sneakers on instead. Your eyes deserve a break from the strain you’ve put on them for the sake of your GPA.
You don’t even have to go to the gym. Workout classes are a successful way to get your mind and body working as one in order to be more productive when it’s time to return to work. SoulCycle and yoga are motivating classes that make you sweat out toxins that build stress. It will remind you to love yourself, stay motivated, and ensure you are a warrior who can do anything, even physics.
If you workout alone, be sure to remember your motive. You are not working out to necessarily lose weight, but to simply show yourself some tender love and care. Get out of the library, stop staring at your four walls, and release some euphoria-inducing endorphins by yourself or with some pals before heading back to your technology.