Performance curve

In general, we recommend that you do not work for more than 45 minutes at a stretch. It doesn't matter whether you are summarising a text, working on your thesis, searching for literature or studying for an exam.

You are entitled to a short break after each 45-minute work session. Initially 5-10 minutes, after a total of 90 minutes of work (that is, after two sessions of 45 minutes each), a break of 15-20 minutes is scheduled. After a total of 3 hours of learning, it is time for an extended break of at least 1 hour.

After this long break, you are advised to continue in the 45-minute rhythm. After 3 more hours of studying, your working day should be over.

The following figure shows the rhythm of the breaks once again.

You can also print out the overview model: 45-minute model

 What does SusiStress have to say about this?

“What? I’m supposed to study for only 45 minutes?!
Then I’ll never manage my workload!
I’ll do nothing but take breaks?!
Besides, it sometimes takes me ages to get into the material – and then I'd have to take a break again, so to speak. And after the break, I find it difficult to get back into the material.”

Perhaps you can identify with SusiStress’ comments. First of all, this is quite an understandable reaction that is triggered spontaneously in the minds of many students.

Unfortunately, breaks often have a bad image because they are seen as wasted time.
From a learning psychology perspective, however, breaks are extremely useful. They ensure that the learned content is better remembered or that the work process remains persistently efficient.

Unfortunately, students usually tend to overextend themselves in terms of time. However, our brain cannot work at full speed for 3 hours or more at a stretch. Then what happens is that you learn a lot and diligently, but the amount of teaching content you can actually remember remains little when measured against the learning effort.