Thanks for your suggestion. I did try by making a TODO list (and even breaking down to the extent of what I should be working on at a given hour), but couldn't adhere to the scheme.
Thanks this is indeed a good suggestion. I had tried similar approaches earlier and had been successful to make some time for myself in the interim to focus on some of the areas I was interested in. Having tried those approaches, I am bit tired of doing the balancing act. Hence I am thinking to experiment with taking a break and see if I can make the best use of it.
Thanks for your input. Can you please elaborate why you think it might not be a good idea to to be in full student mode
(if one ignores the monetary aspects and the risk of not finding a job soon after the break)