How To Study for Long Hours Without Burnout | Anuj Pachhel

Summary

Anus Pachel, a final year MBBS student, shares his strategies for studying long hours without burnout. He emphasizes measuring study time using bigtimer.net, spacing out study sessions to avoid burnout, and adhering to the law of diminishing returns by studying in 2-4 hour blocks. Pachel also stresses the importance of starting study sessions immediately after waking, minimizing distractions, and alternating between active and passive studying. He advises maintaining a positive mindset towards the subject and suggests taking breaks or engaging in ergonomic adjustments to prevent burnout.

Takeaways

• 😀 Start by measuring how much you are actually studying using tools like bigtimer.net to track focused study time and distractions.
• ⏰ Break your study sessions into manageable intervals (e.g., 2-3 hours) with regular breaks to avoid burnout and increase productivity.
• 📉 Understand the law of diminishing returns, where productivity decreases over time, and limit study sessions to 2-4 hours at a stretch.
• 🛌 Begin your study sessions as soon as you wake up to take advantage of your fresh and focused mind.
• 🚫 Minimize distractions by physically removing them (e.g., placing your phone in another room or using focus modes like Zen Mode).
• 🎯 Set focus hours where your goal is to complete a specific task without distractions and move on only after achieving that goal.
• 📝 Alternate between passive and active studying (e.g., textbook reading vs. solving questions) to improve long-term retention and avoid monotony.
• 💪 Maintain a positive mindset about challenging subjects, which can significantly improve motivation and study endurance.
• 🌴 Take regular breaks and recognize signs of burnout, such as exhaustion and lack of motivation. Rest and recharge to come back stronger.
• 💺 Improve your study environment ergonomically (comfortable chair, proper lighting) to enhance focus and comfort during long study sessions.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video focuses on how to study for long hours without burning out and provides tips on maintaining productivity, especially during exam periods.

What is the first step the video recommends for effective studying?

The first step is to measure how much time you are actually studying. The video suggests using the website bigtimer.net to set a timer for a specific duration, and only stop studying when the timer runs out.

How does the speaker suggest handling distractions while studying?

The speaker recommends pausing the study timer if you get distracted to accurately track focused study time. Additionally, minimizing distractions by putting your phone in a different room or using apps like Zen Mode can help.

What does the 'law of diminishing returns' mean in the context of studying?

The 'law of diminishing returns' suggests that the longer you continue studying, the less productive you become. For example, you may read 50 pages in the first hour, but only 10 pages by the fifth or sixth hour.

What is the ideal maximum study duration, according to the video?

The ideal maximum study duration is between two to four hours in one sitting, after which it's recommended to take a break and then start a new session.

What is the Pomodoro Method, and how is it relevant to studying?

The Pomodoro Method involves breaking work into intervals (e.g., 25 minutes of work followed by a short break). The speaker suggests a similar approach for studying, such as studying for 2 hours, taking a break, and then continuing.

Why does the speaker recommend starting to study right after waking up?

Starting to study right after waking up takes advantage of a fresh and clear mind, which allows for faster progress and a higher likelihood of sustaining focus for a longer period.

What does 'active' versus 'passive' studying refer to?

Passive studying involves activities like reading textbooks, while active studying involves engaging with material through problem-solving, answering question banks, or taking tests, which enhances long-term retention.

What are the signs of burnout mentioned in the video?

Signs of burnout include decreased concentration, constant mental and physical exhaustion, zero motivation, and boredom with activities that were once enjoyable.

What does the speaker suggest doing if you experience burnout?

The speaker recommends taking time off to recharge, which could be a trip, a walk, or simply resting at home. This break helps refresh your mind and allows you to return to studying with renewed energy.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Enhancing Study Duration and Preventing Burnout

Anus Pachel, a final year MBBS student at GMC Nagpur, shares his strategies for studying for extended periods while avoiding burnout. He emphasizes the importance of measuring actual study time using tools like bigtimer.net and taking breaks to maintain focus. Pachel suggests spacing study sessions throughout the day to prevent burnout and adhering to the law of diminishing returns, which recommends studying for no more than 2-4 hours at a stretch. He also encourages starting studies immediately after waking up to take advantage of the fresh mind and minimizing distractions by using apps like Zen Mode. Pachel highlights the significance of setting daily study goals, alternating between active and passive studying, and maintaining a positive mindset towards the subject matter.

05:02

🔄 Combating Burnout Through Recognition and Self-Care

The second paragraph delves into recognizing and overcoming burnout. Pachel outlines signs of burnout, such as decreased concentration, mental and physical exhaustion, and lack of motivation. He advises taking time off to recuperate and engage in enjoyable activities to relieve stress. Pachel also stresses the importance of ergonomics in study environments, suggesting improvements like comfortable seating and proper lighting. He recommends sharing the study journey with others, either through study groups or online platforms, to foster a sense of community and support. Lastly, Pachel humorously suggests subscribing to his channel as a means to stay motivated and productive, wrapping up the video with a call to action for viewers to like and engage with the content.

Keywords

💡Burnout

Burnout refers to a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion that can occur as a result of prolonged stress. In the video, the speaker discusses how they have experienced burnout multiple times due to intense study sessions and how they've managed to overcome it by changing their study methods. The video emphasizes the importance of recognizing the signs of burnout, such as decreased concentration and a lack of motivation, and taking steps to prevent it.

💡Study Methods

Study methods encompass the strategies and techniques used to learn and retain information. The video focuses on optimizing study methods to reduce burnout and improve efficiency. Examples include setting up timers for focused study sessions, spacing out study time, and alternating between active and passive studying. The speaker shares personal experiences and suggests using tools like bigtimer.net to track study time effectively.

💡Law of Diminishing Returns

The law of diminishing returns is an economic concept that states that as more of a factor of production is added to a production process, the marginal returns from each additional unit decrease. In the context of the video, the speaker applies this concept to studying, suggesting that productivity decreases after a certain amount of time spent on the same study material. To counteract this, the speaker recommends breaking study sessions into blocks of two to four hours.

💡Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that involves breaking work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. The video suggests using a similar approach to study sessions, with the speaker recommending studying for two to three hours, taking a break, and then repeating the cycle. This method helps maintain focus and prevents burnout by incorporating regular breaks.

💡Minimize Distractions

Minimizing distractions is crucial for maintaining focus and productivity during study sessions. The video advises removing physical distractions, such as mobile phones, and using apps that limit notifications during study hours. The speaker also suggests setting aside specific 'focus hours' where the sole objective is to concentrate on one task, which helps in achieving uninterrupted study time.

💡Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements, and its cognitive abilities to minimize stress and prevent injury. In the video, the speaker discusses the importance of ergonomics in study environments, such as having a comfortable chair and proper lighting, to enhance the study experience and prevent physical discomfort that could lead to burnout.

💡Active Recall

Active recall is a learning technique that involves actively trying to remember information without looking at the source material. The video emphasizes the importance of active recall in studying, suggesting that after reading textbooks, one should spend time solving questions or taking tests to reinforce learning. This method is said to help build long-term retention and is contrasted with passive reading.

💡Positive Mindset

A positive mindset refers to an optimistic and constructive attitude towards challenges and tasks. The video stresses the significance of having a positive mindset towards studying, as it can influence one's motivation and ability to study for extended periods. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about how changing their mindset towards a disliked subject allowed them to study it more effectively.

💡Study Schedule

A study schedule is a planned timetable for study sessions, outlining what topics or materials to cover on specific days or times. The video suggests creating a detailed study schedule to ensure that study goals are met efficiently. The speaker shares their practice of planning the entire week's study topics in advance, which helps in maintaining a structured approach to studying.

💡Recognizing Burnout

Recognizing burnout involves identifying the signs and symptoms that indicate excessive stress and fatigue. The video discusses the importance of being aware of these signs, such as decreased concentration and a lack of motivation, to take timely action to prevent or address burnout. The speaker shares personal experiences and emphasizes the need for self-awareness in managing study stress.

Highlights

Anus Pachel, a final year MBBS student, shares his study techniques to reduce burnout and study for longer durations.

Use bigtimer.net to measure actual study time and ensure you only count focused hours.

Pause the timer when distracted to avoid false productivity tracking.

Study in sessions of 2-4 hours with breaks to prevent burnout, following the Pomodoro method.

The law of diminishing returns suggests productivity decreases after prolonged study periods.

Maximize study efficiency by spacing out sessions and alternating between study and relaxation.

Start studying immediately after waking up to take advantage of the fresh and clear mind.

Minimize distractions by physically detaching from objects that divert your attention.

Utilize apps like Zen Mode or Focus Mode to reduce notifications and stay focused.

Establish daily 'focus hours' dedicated to a single study objective.

Create a detailed study schedule to know exactly what to accomplish each day.

Balance active and passive studying to enhance knowledge retention and application.

Maintain a positive mindset towards the subject to improve study duration and effectiveness.

Recognize burnout symptoms such as decreased concentration and mental exhaustion.

Take time off to rest and recharge when experiencing burnout.

Improve ergonomics by ensuring a comfortable and conducive study environment.

Share your study journey with others to prevent loneliness and stay motivated.

Subscribe to channels like Anus Pachel's for motivational and educational content.

Transcripts

in the last 3.5 years in maps i have

studied for countless hours with study

sessions ranging from 30 minutes to over

18 hours during exam weeks i've also

burnt out quite a lot of times and felt

the increasing inertia to pick up the

book after i had closed it but by

researching and remodeling my method of

study i have come up with a perfect way

to reduce burnout and also study for

longer duration if you didn't know me hi

my name is anus pachel i'm a final year

mbps student at gmc nagpur and welcome

to the channel and in this video i'll be

going over exactly how you can do the

same chapter 1 how to study for long

hours the first point is measure how

much you are actually studying in the

first place the simplest way to do that

is whenever you're sitting down to study

set up this website called as

bigtimer.net and set up a timer for

let's say two hours and hit the spacebar

button and only and only then start

studying you will see the timer ticked

down to zero and only if it has sticked

down to zero are you allowed to do

something else that might be watch a

movie or take a small break of 15 or 20

minutes what you should also do is that

while you are getting distracted let's

say you're having thoughts of going to

the park later in the evening or you

know going to the gym later in the

evening whenever you're having these

thoughts just hit the spacebar button

and pause that timer so that you know

that at this time i'm distracted and i'm

not studying so the timer doesn't give

you false information and restart it

once you're back in that concentration

mode trust me this is the most effective

tip that i can give you to increase the

hours of time you're studying because

you know exactly how much you're doing

it and try to do at least two or three

of these sessions every single day

spaced out between different intervals

so that you don't burn out easily let's

say if you want to study six hours a day

instead of sitting just zero to six in

one go space it out like two hours of

studying four hours of chill two hours

of studying four hours of chill and

again two hours of study this way you

won't feel the burnout ever and you'll

also get the same amount of work done

but much more efficiently this brings me

to my second point the law of

diminishing returns now what the law of

diminishing return states is that the

longer you keep doing the same activity

if it's not repetitive such as reading a

new book where each new chapter is a

different set of things your

productivity decreases after a certain

amount of time that means in the first

star you might be reading 50 pages but

in the fifth or sixth hour you might be

reading only 10 pages now that's law of

diminishing returns which will give you

returns which are less when the same

amount of work has been put in please

make sure that you know this so what is

the maximum duration that you should

actually study well the answer according

to research is max to max of two to four

hours it depends upon different websites

but yeah that seems to be the sweet spot

for most of us because our brain cannot

focus for more than that so what do we

do we split our time into different

zones so first we sit down for two to

three hours then we take a break and

then we again sit down for two to three

hours and this is exactly the principle

of the pomodoro method next point just

wake up and start doing it without

wasting your time into anything so if

you're studying for an exam your

schedule should look like this right

after you wake up you just pick up your

textbook and sit down on your desk not

worrying about i need to have breakfast

first and then i will sit and study or i

need to work out first and then i'll

study just wake up and start doing it

because you will notice as soon as you

wake up your mind is so fresh and so

clear that you're going to get the work

done faster and you're going to have the

willpower to sit for a longer period of

time the next is the most practical

thing is minimize distractions i've

already made a video on that but in

short whatever is distracting you it

might be this phone so just take this

phone and keep it in a different room

detach yourself physically from the

objects which are distracting you but

you might say that

i use my phone for studies all the time

how will i get rid of my phone but the

simple answer is you can use apps like

zen mode or you can use focus mode

whenever you're on the phone you're not

bombarded with notifications which you

know

lead to wasting of time try to do at

least four to five zen mode sessions

every single day where you just turn off

your phone for one hour be it in focus

or zen or just switch off completely and

at that time just focus 100 on your

studies which brings me to my next point

that is the focus hours i've talked

about this a lot on my channel but again

i'm telling you because it's one of the

most important things which i do in a

daily life focus hours is those hours in

which i had set my mind to one thing and

one thing only and my goal is to

complete that objective in the set

amount of time that may be reading let's

appendix from surgeries in two hours or

watching seven marrow videos every

single day when these focus hours my

mind thinks of nothing else but the goal

at hand and only and only if that goal

is achieved am i able to move on to

something else the next point is setting

up a beautiful schedule for your studies

only and only if you know what you have

to do during the day will you actually

do it so usually i have got the entire

week already planned in which i know in

this day i have to study these these

topics from marrow or from books or from

clinics or hospitals right after i wake

up i know what i have to do so i just

get on to it the next point is flipping

around between active and passive

studying passive studying can be defined

as just picking up a textbook and

reading it whereas active studying can

be defined as solving the question banks

on different apps so let's say you have

a schedule for four hours in that three

hours you study the textbook and one

hour without fail give it to solving the

questions and solving the q banks or

giving a test or reviewing it whatever

it is just make sure that you are

practicing something active in your long

duration of study hours what i generally

do is that after the clinics in the

hospital i come back home study a little

bit and in the end of the day i go ahead

and solve the question bank for whatever

i've seen in the morning or i've studied

in the afternoon this way i'm able to

keep my knowledge updated as well as

practice active recall which will help

me build up long-term retention last but

not the least have a very positive

mindset about the subject because if you

are approaching it in negative way you

will never ever be able to sit for long

ask to study it you will only ever feel

like i just want to get off the subject

because i don't like it i did not like

biostats but when the examinations came

i convinced myself that it is one of the

best things out there and only and only

if i convinced myself that was i able to

study it for a long period of time

because otherwise i would not even have

picked up the book to study it the same

way if you don't like a subject that

might be maths that might be science

hindi sst whatever you're reading just

have a positive mindset towards it from

the start and you will see a lot of

different changes happening in your life

in fact this generally does not even

apply to subject it applies to life as

well whatever you're doing have a

positive mindset from the start and it

will work out in the end chapter 2 how

to prevent burnout or how to get rid of

burnout if you're facing it the first

thing is recognizing the signs and

symptoms of burnout and getting to know

that you are actually suffering from

this so what are these symptoms of

science if you ask me first of all you

will have decreased concentration

towards anything that you're doing that

might be swimming driving studying

reading solving question banks all of

that you will also feel a sense of

constant mental and physical exhaustion

let's say if i tell you to study physics

you will feel kimujanai karna i'm done

with it i don't want to do it if you're

not burnt out you will be in a positive

mindset saying okay i'll do physics for

one hour you will also feel the sense of

zero motivation for whatever you want to

do in life and feel a lot bored whenever

doing that subject so if you're

suffering from these signs and symptoms

it's kind of easy to diagnose you as

being burnt out with whatever you're

doing especially if you like the subject

early on most important thing that you

can do over here is take time off

because you might have worked yourself

you might have overworked yourself and

the only way you can prevent it is just

by stopping the work for a few days

enjoying yourself and getting back into

your crime i suffered from burnout last

year where i was just constantly

focusing on making youtube videos such

as this one as well as studying for my

exams continuously which happens every

single month and this this caused me to

burn out so much that i wasn't even

enjoying the process of studying or

making videos so guess what i did i went

on a trip to mumbai and i just released

all the pressure felt fresh after it and

came back with double effort in both

studies as well as making videos and as

you can see the performance of the

channel has increased as well as the

amount of time i'm putting in my studies

have increased however it does not have

to be as extravagant as going on a trip

to mumbai and taking some breaks it can

also be as small as just taking a walk

or taking a few days off just staying at

home enjoying your favorite show binge

watching something or just trying out

something new maybe try out cooking

maybe try out driving something which

you did not do before that will spark a

lot of interest in your mind to get back

to the things which you already love the

next point is ergonomics so ergonomics

is the way a man interacts with their

environment and the environment

interacts with the man it basically

applies to how your room looks like

where are you sitting is it comfortable

do you actually want to be there when

you're studying all of that so have a

good table have a good chair if you

don't have that join a library join to

go to your college library they usually

have fantastic tables and chairs they're

also air conditioned sometimes so it

might be ergonomic for you if you feel

like the light source is different then

get a new light source or move your

table around so that it fits the perfect

light source all of these things are so

tiny that our brain does not pay

attention to it but actually they are

really really important take care of the

ergonomics design your setup in this way

that you will actually love sitting

there and working a lot of the people

find this next point pretty relatable is

sharing your journey with the world i

see a lot of study streamers on youtube

but the same way if you're feeling

lonely you can join the study sessions

from different streamers all across the

world so that you can share your journey

with them if that's not possible study

with a friend both of you guys set up an

objective that you have to study for

four hours and only and only then we'll

go out of the library and go and get

some chai personally this is really

really great to prevent burnout because

whenever you are with a friend it just

feels good to be studying and discussing

because you know that you are not alone

in this journey there someone with you

is actually traveling the same path the

last tip i could give you is subscribing

to my channel would keep you motivated

keep you more productive and give you

videos such as this one and also

subscribing is absolutely free of course

and you can always unsubscribe later

well that was it for this video smash

the like button if you liked it and if

you want to watch me react to some

medical memes here you go right it's

your energy i'll catch you in the next

one goodbye

[Music]