Everyone gets boggled down in school work, and sometimes you just need a little study break. Whether that is watching something on Netflix or taking a nap, study breaks are a necessity to let that brain of yours relax. But sometimes those ten-minute study breaks turn into an hour study break which then turns into a three-hour study break. Do not get me wrong, I am guilty of this too. So, I have come up with four study break ideas that you can do in under ten minutes.

Popcorn and Hot Chocolate

Anyone who knows me knows that I love popcorn. And I mean love. I have about four unopened boxes of popcorn waiting for me in my dorm room. Popping popcorn is the perfect way to distract yourself from that awful studying for three minutes. And after it pops, you can eat it while studying. Two birds with one stone, right? The hot chocolate part comes in if you want another one-minute distraction. Plus, the hot chocolate will wake you up if you are tired, is great for a winter night and is just amazing. Popcorn and hot chocolate - who would have ever guessed?

Plan Your Outfit for the Next Day

I got this idea from my roommate, Laura. Laura takes the occasional study break here and there, and I have noticed her planning out her outfit for the next day during some of her study breaks. If you take a long time (over a few minutes) in the morning to pick out an outfit, then you might as well do it the day before as a study breaker. This not only gives you the chance to take your mind of studying, but it also takes time off of your morning routine. Although I have not personally done this as a study breaker, this one is very efficient and effective.

Read the Newspaper

I did not start reading the newspaper until I began college. I am not really sure why I began doing this. Maybe to (try to) feel a bit more sophisticated or maybe because I woke up at 4:30 am and had nothing better to do, but I now find reading the newspaper relaxing. My version of reading the newspaper is way different than my grandmother’s version of reading the newspaper. I skim all the pages and just read one or two articles. My grandmother, on the other hand, takes the time to read all the articles. So if you are like me, then reading the newspaper takes under ten minutes and is the perfect way to take a study break. Even if you are like my grandmother, pick out an article or two to read under in ten minutes.

Go to the Gym

This one will probably take you longer than just ten minutes, but running/walking a mile around campus could be done in that amount of time. I have found that going to the gym is a great way to de-stress. For me, running is like running away from all my problems. Working out not only energizes me, but also makes me feel determined to accomplish something. In this case, accomplish my studies. So after a good work out, I am able to really sit down and focus on my school work.