We’ve all been there, trying to study or finish that last assignment when all we want to do is … anything else. Maybe we’re overwhelmed with the work we have to do, or maybe we feel the pressures of perfectionism and don’t want to start. We push ourselves to “lock in,” but call it quits too often, feeling guilty each time we pick up our phones to doomscroll again and again. Doing anything but the work we have piled up always seems to feel better than actually getting things done, but the sinking feeling in our stomach knowing we’ve wasted time is much worse. Can we really consider these pauses to be “breaks” if we feel worse after taking them?

We may trap ourselves in a cycle of counterproductivity and double the time it takes to complete a task. In this “popcorn brain” mindset, we work and get little done, then stop working and think about how we could be working. By the time we resume our work, we feel ashamed, not refreshed, and we stay up late in attempts to catch up.

A break is not shameful, not when it has the potential to act as a tool that makes productivity much more efficient. We just need to know how to use them.

Just as an athlete wouldn’t do 150 consecutive bicep curls while strength training at the gym, as students we must take meaningful breaks in reasonable intervals. One popular example of this is the Pomodoro method, where 5 minute breaks follow 25 minutes of work (10 minutes of break to 50 minutes of work is also a popular option). By time-boxing our productivity and knowing we will be rewarded, we remain more focused when we work in the meantime. When we do get a break, however, it’s important to take it seriously—stand up, take a short walk, drink a sip of water or refresh your bowl of snacks. Try to avoid the doomscroll, and find something relaxing while also not too stimulating to do.

On the other hand, these non-academic activities do not need to just be breaks from the “actual” work. In chasing productivity—which is to say our work—we forget that productivity can come from doing things for fun. From knitting a sweater to reading a book, pursuing hobbies is also important, and we can even gain new skills and perspectives.

Take, for example, communities that form around specific interests. Avid readers may join a book club, and find fellow readers to nerd out over exciting scenes. Thespians (or enthusiasts of the craft) may join together to put on or watch shows. Singers, songwriters and musicians may collaborate and start a band. These connections are important as well. Not only can we bond over our interests, but we can exchange ideas and opinions that are much more diverse than one field in the academic space. Beyond that, we learn different ways to problem solve and communicate with other people, or even mitigate our stress. At the end of the day, it’s important to finish your assignments in a timely manner, but our hobbies and interests are what keep things interesting and elevate our mood when it comes time to sit down and start your English paper.

Let’s take our hypothetical band. The singer may be a future doctor, the guitarist an engineer, the percussionist an English student and the piano player an aspiring forensic psychologist. At school, they will be in different classes, learn about different issues that excite them or drive their aspirations, which they can share with the members of the band. Connected by their love for music, this band is diverse in their backgrounds and perspectives, and they have a lot they can learn from each other.

Being on the premed track, I find it easy to neglect my hobbies because they never seem as important as the next assignment or exam. I allow it to sit in the corner of my mind, only to be accessed if I have free time. However, the people I have learned from the most are my writer friends, who I have discussed so many things from plot arcs to problems in today’s society. I aspire to learn as much about the world around me as possible, which starts with connecting with the world around me. I cannot do this from a bubble. We cannot do this from a bubble.

So, whether it be a break or a creative outlet, I propose that it is important to dilly-dally, to look beyond the need for productivity to grow and learn from the world around us. We can let our seemingly unproductive outlets be a door to new worlds, where there is so much to explore.