This is an idea I would have disagreed with a year ago but after starting it I was pleasantly surprised . A study blogger friend of mine recommended it . I thought he sounded like a maniac . Eventually it helped me realize how much I hate 5 minute breaks . Really . what can anyone do that ' s any fun in 5 minutes ? Don ' t answer that . PAfter a short session of studying , let yourself stop . Don ' t fight it . But . set many consistent periods throughout the day when you start studying . So . if you want to study an hour a day set up 4 separate 15 minute study sessions per day . Spread those 4 sessions to hard to miss times likeSession 1 When you wake upSession 2 After lunchSession 3 After your last classSession 4 Before bedYou just develop a habit of creating super short study sessions to accommodate your attention span . Maybe it ' s just my personality type but I dread 5 minute breaks . I either 1 . Struggle to relax for 5 minutes and am disappointed by the timer . 2 . Start something fun just to still be disappointed by the timer . Recall does improve when you take breaks but a 5 minute break just makes me feel worse than having no break at all . That ' s why accepting short sessions with long breaks works so well for me . Maybe you could try it ?