What is the 52/17 Study Method?

52/17 Technique:

Lots of people find it hard to focus on work. Other people find it hard to stop working and take a break. That’s where the 52/17 study techniques comes in. This techniques was first introduced in an article for ‘The Muse’ in 2014. However, this principle was first talked about by an app called DeskTime which tracks your study and productivity.

How it came about:

There was a study which wanted to find out the correlation between work hours and productivity. Using the app DeskTime, they analyzed the top 10% of the most productive people on the app, and monitored their computer usage. On average, the most productive people did hard, focused study for an average of 52 minutes, and then spent 17 minutes away from their computer screen before returning for another work period.

52/17 technique compared to the Pomodoro technique:

Both techniques are similar in the fact that they support the idea of studying for a certain amount of time and then resting for a period of time. The Pomodoro techniques work intervals only last for 25 minutes, and many people find that time too short to do any effective studying. Similarly, when using the Pomodoro technique, the break only lasts for 5 minutes which is not long enough to give your brain a break. Therefore, the 52/17 technique is more popular among people as a study method. It really depends on what type of a person you are!

Benefits of the 52/17 technique:

- Replenishes motivation and attention

- Longer periods than the Pomodoro technique

- Prevents mental fatigue

- Helps the brain to work at a healthy pace

- Helps you become time conscious

In my opinion, the 52/17 technique works better than the Pomodoro technique as the work and break intervals are longer, meaning you have more time to get work done and recharge your batteries. This technique helps you to fight procrastination and fatigue. I believe the 52/17 technique is an efficient way for students to get work done while not feeling burnt out.