softstudies

This blog is my sweet, small space to share things about wellness, growth, and academia. I am an early college student who loves finding ways to incorporate self-help into my studies. Caring for oneself first is the first step in becoming the best version of us.

Wellness radiates from within, and I want to help others experience that. In my blog, I am planning to:

share gentle, evidence-based study tactics

thoughts and tips for balance

wellness habits / self-help

reminders of support

When I get in a mood to work... I WORK. It is so hard to take a break and do nothing when all I want is to do EVERYTHING. Here are some productive breaks I use to make sure I am taking care of myself while studying.

organizing my notes (taking time to highlight, putting in sticky tabs)

reviewing ANKI cards

working on my planner

checking my email

Sometimes we need a little break to recuperate. Life can be a lot.

closing your eyes and practicing square breathing (in/hold/out/hold)

listening to calming music

watching a guided meditation on youtube

making yourself a glass of hot chocolate (bonus points because it'll keep you warm!!)

journaling

physical breaks when you're studying

Martin Niedermeiner, Steidl-Müller, and Martin Kopp conducted a study in which they found short breaks of exercise to be beneficial on students retention of information when studying. Some inspo for this is below:

going on a 5-min walk around your dorm/home

watch a quick yoga tutorial

dancing to that one really good song

changing study locations

watching and following your favorite just dance tutorial (dancing has added benefits to your mental health)

Exercising in between studying doesn't have to be a workout - it can be something fun and relaxing.

While my last post covered why breaks are good, actually incorporating them into a routine is hard. Here's some tips and tricks:

Try the pomodoro method! (studying 25 min / break 5 min)

- focuspomo app - forest app - flora app (my favorite!) - study bunny - https://www.pomodorotechnique.com/

Plan breaks in advance!

- decide what to do before the break starts - stops yourself from forgetting to take one - can do by setting a timer/alarm/note

the 5-10-15 method

College, and just about all academia, requires studying in some form. I personally spend most of my time at my desk taking notes and reviewing - with little time to spare.

This form of studying (hours of work on end) has been shown to actually be quite counterproductive. Lori McGinley, for her master's theses, conducted a study on how students performed on tests when given a break versus not. The results revealed that when given a mental break, students had significantly higher scores!

Taking breaks may seem like you aren't doing enough - but really, rest is part of the process & your brain will thank you ❤️

I’ve always struggled with February - It’s cold, the semester is in full swing, and everything starts to feel like a little too much.