Q&A: Is there a maximum daily math study duration after which one risks causing more harm than good?

More volume equals more progress provided that you're working productively and not burning yourself out.

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I don’t know that there’s a hard limit. More volume equals more progress provided that you’re working productively and not burning yourself out.

• If you're tired and your head is spinning and you're making tons of silly mistakes, then it's time to stop.
• If you're so fatigued that you can't help but zone out (or get distracted scrolling through memes) between questions, then it's time to stop.
• If you skip the next couple days because you're so blown out from the previous study session, then it's time to reduce the single-session duration and increase the consistency.

But until you hit those issues, doing more will have you truly learning more and making faster progress towards your long-term goals.

Basically, challenge yourself to put up some serious volume, but also be honest with yourself about whether you are working productively and showing up consistently, and don’t lose the long game trying to win the short game.

Based on my experience, I think everybody should be capable of putting up at least 2-3 hours per week, like a 30-minute workout each weekday. Doubling that, 60 minutes per weekday or 40-45 minutes each day, seems sustainable as for most people and will have you moving twice as fast. Beyond that is where things tend to start falling apart, but the specific breaking point varies from person to person.

Related: What’s the Highest Sustainable Daily XP on Math Academy?

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