Are you suffering from burnout? Fed up of all the endless hours you’re putting in just to keep your head above water? Or finding it difficult to get yourself up for yet another day of learning?

While it may sound counterproductive, planning a weekend away might be just what you need to help you to get your studies back on track, here’s how.

Reduce Stress

There’s no doubt about it, studying is stressful. A packed weekly workload or the thought of upcoming assignments and exams can cause you to feel anxious, depressed and completely overwhelmed.

A weekend away is the perfect means to get rid of some of that stress. Plan a break that is relaxing but fun which will not only take your mind off your work, but leave you refreshed and raring to go when you get back.

Put Things in Perspective

Sometimes when you’re in the midst of it, you begin to lose all perspective around what’s most important. It can be easy to get to the stage where you stop taking care of yourself or even where you’re ready to throw in the towel.

A weekend away will help you to regain sight of the bigger picture. Sure, your studies are important, but your mental health is far more critical. Working yourself into the ground will be highly detrimental in the long term and it’s been proven that breaks can actually help improve your learning ability.

Boost Your Productivity

Ever read a chapter of a textbook only to have to flip back to the beginning because you’ve realised you haven’t taken in a single word? Or sat in the library for days on end only to come out with virtually nothing to show for it?

It’s easy to fall into the trap of presenteeism, thinking that sitting at a desk is the same as being productive and feeling guilty if you haven’t got your nose buried in a book. But in truth, balance is important and while it might sound counterproductive, enjoying downtime will actually improve your productivity.

Improve Your Sleep

One of the ways that stress often manifests itself is by causing a lack of sleep. We’ve all been there, tossing and turning well into the wee hours worrying about stuff that it’s impossible to do anything about at that exact moment. A weekend away might just be the tonic you need to get your sleep back on track. Away from the worries of everyday life you’ll probably find yourself sleeping like a baby. Better yet, just a couple of good night's sleep can help reset your body clock and banish your inner insomniac.

Use it as Inspiration

Booking yourself a weekend away can act as a huge inspiration and help motivate you to knock your studies out of the park in the short term. While a spontaneous weekend away might help in other ways, a planned break will give you something to focus on and look forward to.

If you’re feeling down or uninspired to study, spend an hour planning some fun activities for an upcoming weekend. Use it as an incentive to knuckle down and accomplish what you need to in the run up.

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