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Seven Tips for Dealing With Study Fatigue

Aug 8, 2013 Jennifer Williamson, Distance Education.org Columnist | 1 Comments

College is enough to make anyone tired. But if you’re constantly juggling a full-time job, kids or other family commitments, and your academic life, chances are you’re tired a lot. And fatigue can seriously affect your performance in every area of your life. Here are a few tips to help you manage exhaustion—and get your studies back on track.

Make time for exercise

You might think that exercise makes you more tired—but in fact the opposite is true. A regular habit of exercise can make your mind sharper and give you more energy. If you can hit the gym even for thirty minutes before your study sessions, you’re likely to focus better and have more energy throughout your day as well.

See Also: Online Physical Therapy Degrees

Eat right

Avoid processed foods and foods that are high in sugar and fat. Cut down on alcohol, and stick to healthy fruits and vegetables as much as possible. The food you eat can dramatically affect your energy levels—and eating healthy will give you a much-needed boost and help your mind focus.

See Also: Online Nutrition Courses

Take a break

Maybe your problem isn’t so much physical as mental fatigue. If that’s the case, it can help to take a walk. Take yourself out to lunch with a good book. Schedule a spa day, or get a babysitter and go out for the evening. Whatever it takes to get your mind off your studies for a bit and help you relax and unwind—so you can come at them again later with renewed focus.

Manage your time

Sit down and take a look at everything you have to do, and the time you have to do it in. You may have a huge paper due in a week, and that could feel overwhelming. You may be tempted to put it off till the last minute, and then finish it in a night—resulting in intense fatigue, made worse by the stress you’ve been feeling all week about this paper. Instead, break up the number of pages you’d need to do in the week to get the task done on time—and do a little at a time until it’s done.

Ask for help

Run ragged by kids and school? Ask a family member or friend to watch the kids for a day so you can get some rest. Offer to swap babysitting when your life isn’t as busy. Ask your spouse to pick up some slack or see if you can change or cut back your hours at work for a short amount of time. Sometimes it’s not easy to fit extra rest into your life, but it’s possible if you can get the help you need.

Get more sleep

Easier said than done—but this is the best way to cut down on fatigue. Try to study during lunch rather than late at night or early in the morning. Or head to bed earlier instead of staying up late to watch TV and unwind. See where you can change your schedule to make more room for sleep, and you’ll likely have more focus in all areas of your life.

Getting enough rest isn’t easy—especially for people juggling a career, a busy home life, and school. Sometimes it takes major effort to make more time for sleep—including asking for help, switching work schedules around, and making sacrifices. But the change can be worth it. Without the exhaustion, you’ll be more focused, more productive, and will retain information much more easily. Changes in the amount of sleep and mental breaks you get are sure to be reflected in your grades—at a traditional or an accredited online college.

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Comments:

Satya Over a year ago

Great Article on dealing with the stress of exams. I personally have been through this in college. Have bookmarked your blog to read future articles :)

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