Best Study Break Ideas for Effective UCAT Preparation

If you’ve started your journey through a UCAT preparation course, it’s normal to end the day feeling tired and slightly stressed. But, if you feel exhausted only after a couple of hours of study, chances you’re not taking enough breaks.

It’s important to take regular breaks, as your brain needs rest. During this time, your brain reboots and refreshes its abilities. According to various studies, taking short breaks of less than 10 minutes after every 90 minutes of going through your UCAT prep course can help improve concentration. It can also enhance your creativity and boost productivity, both of which are required for tackling different UCAT sections.

Are Your Breaks Doing More Harm Than Good?

Just like your efficiency may vary during different periods of study, all breaks are not the same. The quality of the break is an important consideration. While many students turn to social media during their breaks, this may not give you the require rejuvenation. In the contrary, it may actually add to the stress, rather than calming you down. Badly planned breaks can cost your UCAT preparation dearly. It can drain your mind and lead to extended hours of zero productivity. So, here are some ideas to make the most of your study breaks.

Ideas for Study Breaks that Rejuvenate You

Get Some Fresh Air

A brisk walk in the open can work wonders for your energy levels. Tear yourself away from your UCAT prep course and go out for a walk. You’ll come back feeling more relaxed and less stressed. Choose a green spot, since nature has an amazing effect on our minds and bodies.

Take a Power Nap

This is a short nap of 10 to 20 minutes. You will wake up feeling more cheerful and alert, which will increase your productivity through the rest of the day. Sleeping for longer than this may make you feel groggy and ruin your sleep at night. So, set an alarm and stick to the schedule!

Meditate

Meditating not only helps you relax better but also makes you more focused for an extended period of time. It’s a good way to clear your mind of unwanted thoughts like the UCAT cost and whether you have enough time to give it a good shot. Meditation can help lower stress and anxiety and keep you fight fatigue.

Breaks may help you focus better, but what you really need is the best UCAT preparation course, like the one offered by iCanMed. Such a course will take you systematically through all the UCAT sections, give you tips on preparing for the test and guidance on doing well in the interview.

How to Keep Distractions Away While Preparing for UCAT

Distractions and procrastination can wreak havoc on your study schedule. It can trap you in an endless loop of laziness and regret, leading to stress and anxiety. If you are preparing for the UCAT, you might have asked yourself, “How to prepare for UCAT without being distracted?” Turns out, it isn’t very difficult to focus your attention for long hours of study.

You just need to be disciplined and follow some rules after getting enrolled in a good UCAT preparation course.

Rule #1: Minimise Phone Use

Before you start a study session, put your mobile phone on silent and keep it at the other end of the room. Also, if it’s a smartphone (which is highly likely), turn off the internet to escape the disturbance caused by recurring social media notifications.  

When you are on a break from, you can always check your phone for any important calls or messages.

Rule #2: Use Focus Techniques

Although distractions can hit you like a wave, once you steer clear of the urge to submit, you will be able to focus on the task at hand. So, whenever you feel as though you are drifting off into irrelevant thoughts, mentally say “Stop!” This will take some time to get used to since you won’t always be aware of when you start daydreaming.

Another method is to take a deep breath if you feel any uneasiness or the urge to escape studies. Here’s how to do it.

Whenever you feel like there’s something that you need to do or you feel like checking your phone, close your eyes and take a deep breath. After two seconds exhale slowly and if the thoughts persist, repeat this cycle.

Rule #3: Demand Privacy from Loved Ones

There are times when our environment, more than our own mind, becomes the source of distraction. You need to be careful when it comes to handling your parents, siblings or friends, who may unintentionally interrupt your study session.

So, just before you start studying, you should make it clear to your loved ones what you need from them. Just inform them that you are focusing hard on UCAT questions or are giving a UCAT practice test and would need their support in the form of privacy.

This will not only help them understand your situation, but also respect your honesty and commitment towards your studies.

So, now you know the answer to the question of how to prepare for UCAT without distractions. The next step is to increase your chances of success by enrolling one of the best UCAT preparation courses, such as ICanMed, which can guide you to crack the UCAT exam.