Yea....what boiler said. All work and NO play makes for DULL training.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

I'm not a psychologist but I think the consensus is that learning goes the best with regular study breaks rather than unbroken studying, regular but not lengthy exercise, regular meals and sleep, group learning as well as individual study, and believe it or not some slack-time, because the brain reorganizes itself during daydreaming as long as it is not daydreaming during class and study.

As a graduate of a rather tough engineering school I had my share of all nighters, but I never thought it was a very good study technique. I felt regularity in everything was the best approach. I would study 6 days a week like clockwork, with the other day being devoted to doing something completely different. I would also fool around and have some fun every single day. You've got to have an "out" if you are not getting the point in something.

Techniques like these also apply to the office. I get as much done as anybody, even though I can be caught reading posts on APC and goofing off. I have noticed that the better workers take frequent breaks, do something else and are willing to goof off a little. We are not machines.

I also leave work after about 10 hours each day like clockwork. If it ain't done by 5:30 pm and ten straight hours of toil it doesn't need to be done today. I have colleagues who heroically stay late every day, and I honestly do not think they get any more done... in fact they look more piled up than anything else. Some of the most effective societies are very regular and organized, such as the Japanese.