You’ve been studying for hours (or going through Tumblr thinking about studying…). The limited winter daylight has come and gone. Your eyes are beginning to close. You feel as if you are going to crack if you read one more line.

Welcome to studying burnout! We’ve all been there.

Here are some tips on how I avoid studying burnout:

Stop wasting time!

I am constantly trying to organize my notes perfectly, wasting precious study time. While sometimes organizing notes needs to be done, it doesn’t need to be done to a perfect degree while you are chasing a deadline. Sometimes I will come to the realization that I’ve been working for an hour on something that is making my notes look pretty, and not bringing the knowledge into my head. When this happens I take a deep breath, let go of my desire to have perfect notes, and just do something. Sometimes this is just reading the book again (or for the first time), going through class notes, or drawing flow charts. I find when I do it on a scrap piece of paper, I am more able to let go of the neat side of me and just get things done.

Eat a snack!

Studying uses energy, specifically brain energy! Our brain uses glucose when we are studying, so we want to keep fueling it! Of course the best option is a healthy snack, but every once in a while you need to have cookies, and that’s okay! So make yourself a snack, relax for a few minutes, then get back to work!

Move around!

Get the blood flowing, and learn while you do it! Moving around can help wake you up, and it gives you the break you need from sitting. Try pacing rhythmically while you recite your notes. This allows you to increase your energy, and to keep studying. If this isn’t waking you up, have a dance party (just not in the library).

Study with friends!

Studying in a group can be a very effective way to learn new information. Different people understand different material right away, so having someone explain something to you in a different way than your professor can help you understand. Also, teaching other people is one of the most recommended methods of mastering material. However, this only works if you are actually studying. Talking to your friends about Friday night with your book open for two hours, surprisingly, does not count as studying. Instead, alternate 30 minutes studying, 10 minutes break.

Take a break!

When you get stuck doing the same thing over and over, it is easy to get lost in your own thoughts. If something just isn’t making sense, take a break to gain a new perspective. Even while we are not consciously working on a task, our brain continues to work. Allow yourself to keep your sanity, and to hopefully have an aha moment.

Go to bed!

It’s no secret that humans need sleep not only to function, but to survive. Do yourself a favor, get some sleep. When studying late a night for a big exam, it is easy to be tempted to pull an all-nighter. Do. Not. Do. It. Instead, go to sleep for a few hours, wake up and study some more. If you don’t sleep, your brain will not be able to perform at its best during the exam. By allowing it to rest for a few hours not only are you more focused in your studying, but you will be more awake and focused during the exam (which is what really matters).