Take a Break!

Recess is NOT just for school

If you’re like me, you’re frantically trying to get presents wrapped and packages sent.  Here’s a gift you can give yourself and your kids in this last week before Christmas, and going forward into the new year:  a quick break to refresh and regroup.

Learning to take a break improves health and productivity.  Too much work and not enough time out can result in mental health problems, memory failure and even heart attack.  The secret to managing stress is to build relaxation breaks into every day so that they become part of your lifestyle.

Simply taking a deep breath brings much-needed oxygen into the body and relaxes the muscles. It also slows down the heart rate (which accelerates when we feel anxious) and helps calm the mind.

A part of study skills training is learning how to take a break.  Study time will be much more productive if students work for an appropriate amount of time for them, then take a short break to relax the mind and move the body.

For students who struggle in school, recess may be their “best subject” of the day.  They need the movement and mental break in order to re-focus and do their best in the classroom.

The same is absolutely true with homework.  It may be hard to give your kids periodic 5 – 15 minute breaks in homework because you don’t want to add any more time to the hours you’re already spending.  But the bottom line is, we all do better when we’re less stressed, and a few brain breaks may actually reduce the amount of time you have to spend.

My best to you as you wrap up this year and wrap up your gifts!  Take a break!  Enjoy the moment!

Here’s a gift for you: 

Attend a FREE Parent Information Night to find out why your smart student is struggling and what can be done to change that permanently.  Meet our director and get your questions answered.  Click here for upcoming dates:  https://learningdisability.com/parent-info-night/

“Helping smart but struggling students dramatically improve or completely correct their learning and attention challenges by developing the underlying learning skills that are not supporting the learner well enough.”

We serve children and adults with diagnosed or undiagnosed learning and attention challenges including learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADHD, auditory processing disorders, and autism spectrum disorders.

Jill Stowell, M.S.

Author:  At Wit’s End A Parent’s Guide to Ending the Struggle, Tears, and Turmoil of Learning Disabilities

Founder and Executive Director – Stowell Learning Centers