One of the biggest challenges when learning from home is BURNOUT. This is because so many components of at-home education are narrowed down to a small box in front of your face. Even if you are naturally introverted, there is something to be said for having other people around to help feed you energy and add variation to your day.

One key thing that will help you combat this monotony is to stop before the burnout happens. It takes way more energy to pull yourself up off the ground than it does to hit pause and then play.

How do you make sure you’re continuing to press pause instead of running head-first into a wall?

Take breaks!

I don’t mean the occasional TikToc distraction. I mean consciously walking away from the computer/textbook and finding something completely unrelated to do. Though it seems counterintuitive, the best way to enhance your focus is to stop focusing ALL. THE. TIME. You may be surprised at how often the real reason for your confusion is because your brain is tired, and not because it’s genuinely struggling.

You wouldn’t expect your body to bench press heavy weights for hours without a break, so why do you think your brain is any different?

Whenever you’re in the middle of a challenging section and you can feel your brain overheating, I challenge you to leave the room and find something else to do for 10-15 minutes. This might mean going for a walk, doing a puzzle, petting the dog, or ANYTHING that isn’t related to your studies. The only caveat is that if it’s an activity that’ll likely take longer than 15 minutes, be sure to set and stay faithful to a time limit. The point isn’t to lose your entire work day, it’s to make sure the time you ARE working is as productive as it can be.

This tip was also featured in 20 Second Tips for Home Learning last week. Check out the video here: