3 crucial point to why this works:

short breaks

random

study 90, rest20

short breaks: There is a mechanism in our brain called neural replay. Which basically states that when we rest, our brain will activate the same neural firing pattern when we study, aka, when we rest, our brain will study things that we just learned. Even for just a few seconds! So inserting these short breaks will not only help us study better, but faster.

random: Why random? This is related to a concept in behavioral psychology: reinforcement. Reinforcement means that through the consequence of a behavior, we increase the chance of acting the behavior again.

For example, daily rewards in games (like Duolingo) does the following:

you log on

you get rewarded for logging on

you are more likely to log on again

There are essenstially 4 types of reinforcement techniques, but the most powerful one is called variable ratio: delivers reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses, making it highly resistant to extinction—like in gambling. This is where our randomness kicks in, you will get a 10 second break every 3-5min. You know that you will need to study at most 5 minutes to get the break. This is positive reinforcement at its best.

study 90, rest20 : The brain operates in 90-minute productivity cycles (ultradian rhythm). Pushing past that leads to fatigue. After each session, a 20-minute break helps your brain reset. But be careful: don’t break the flow by scrolling TikTok. Instead, meditate, stretch, or listen to chill music to stay in the learning zone.

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