With students across Australia still working their way through exam season, the recent launch of the KitKat Study Guide helps remind students to take more breaks.
One might groan at the idea of a KitKat-sponsored guide advising kids to follow the KitKat marketing line about taking a break, but it does speak to a genuine concern facing Australian students.
Research from the KitKat team reveals 83 per cent of students suffer from study fatigue with 66 per cent admitting to having their head in the books for more than five hours without a break.
The research also found two in five students feel lonely during exam periods, with many looking to online resources to help them feel supported (58 per cent) and less alone (51 per cent).
The KitKat Study Guide provides the perfect study buddy and quirky reminders to take a break, based on the Pomodoro study technique promoting regular breaks for improved productivity. Following 25 minutes of power study, the guide ends with a five-minute break encouraging students to step back from the books and return feeling refreshed.
“Students aren’t taking regular breaks, fearing they will run out of time or momentum, but breaks are key to improving concentration, enabling retention, and overall wellbeing during the stressful exam period. A break is a ‘wakeful rest’ and its purpose is to recharge your brain,” says time management expert and author Kate Christie.
“The best way to ensure you have regular breaks is to build them into your study schedule – a simple rule of thumb is to study for 25-30 minutes and then take a five-minute break.
“In fact, research found that students who do take the time for a micro-rest claimed to return from breaks with reduced stress levels (42 per cent), feeling more productive (38 per cent) and with increased concentration (35 per cent).”
Christie told EducationDaily that parents and carers can play a pivotal role, by monitoring students during exam preparation periods and encouraging them to look after themselves, as well as their studies.
She says that one of the best things family members can do is to reinforce a fresh perspective to help reduce the pressure the students typically put on themselves.
“A lot of students go into these final exams thinking, ‘it’s the culmination of 12 years of school and I have to do incredibly well – I have to do my absolute best’. You want to do what you can to take a little bit of the pressure off them,” Christie told EducationDaily.
“The reality is that a lot of kids don’t even want to go to uni straight from school, or they want to get into a course that doesn’t have to have a high score for entry, but the kids are still stressing about it, trying to get the highest possible score.”
“It’s about having the discussions that let them know that their wellbeing matters, and they don’t need to add unnecessary stress to their exam preparation workload.
“Ultimately, as parents, we want them to do the best they possibly can. But it’s still about having lots of conversations along the way to remind them that it is just a point in time that will pass – and remind them that there are lots of different pathways to degrees and careers, even if you might not get the score you need right now.”
KitKat study habits research findings
- Students also feel that guided study sessions on YouTube would help them to manage their time more effectively (58 per cent)
- 27 per cent of students avoid regular breaks because they are not sure how often they should take breaks and 23 per cent say they are not sure how long a study break window should be
- Despite feeling the pressures, students find it tricky to stay on-task with many admitting to being procrastinators and actively seek out other things to do instead of studying (30 per cent)
- Students wish they had a better study technique and a more structured approach to studying (57 per cent) with many (one in four) admitting to ‘cramming’ everything in at the last minute and pulling all-nighters in the lead-up
- When students do find time to take breaks it’s usually to have a snack (61 per cent), go to the bathroom (52 per cent) or to scroll on social media (45 per cent)
- Students admit to relying on luck – wearing lucky items of clothing (18 per cent) or using a lucky pen (16 per cent) to help boost their chances during exams
- Due to the pressure to surrounding study, students are finding new and interesting places to fit it in including in bed (52 per cent), in the car (38 per cent), on the bus (35 per cent), on holidays (26 per cent), at work (20 per cent) and even while on a plane (13 per cent).
Parents and carers can offer practical support
The news that too many students are not taking advice to give themselves regular breaks from study is something Christie says parents and carers should help address, where possible.
“As a time management expert, I found the statistics from the study really alarming,” she told EducationDaily.
“A lot of them are not taking breaks because they’re worried about losing motivation or running out of time, or they don’t know how to take a break, or how long to take a break…so they don’t.”
As parents, Christie says “we have to help set themselves up for success”.
“One of the best ways we can do that is to sit down with them and help them work out a calendar or study routine. Plan for the study period with them. Colour-code a schedule and help them plan it – spend 25 minutes on English and have a break, spend 25 minutes on maths and have a break. Sit down and plan their schedule with them – and tell them you’ve got their back.”
Christie says that might mean that “while they’re studying, you’re making them some snacks”.
“You’re going to pop your head in and remind them to take a break. You’re going to be there to help them test their knowledge. And you’re going to explain how those regular breaks will actually help them.”
The KitKat Study Guide outlines those prescribed breaks. Finding fun ways to spend the break can be personal, with Christie saying exercise is important.
A supportive study buddy
“The majority of students feel there needs to be more guidance on how and when to take study breaks (89 per cent) and the best part about the KitKat Study Guide is that it does the heavy lifting for you,” says Nestlé Head of Marketing Confectionery Melanie Chen.
“The Study Guide is fun and unconventional, treating students to soothing, satisfying sounds and chocolatey visuals while championing regular study breaks.
“We also know exams can be a lonely time, which is why the Study Guide has been created as a study buddy that provides support, some quirky jokes – a bit of calm amongst the chaos of exam season. We hope students use it, enjoy it and are reminded to take regular, well-deserved breaks.”
