This year of virtual learning brings a whole new slew of challenges to school and studying effectively. Many students feel more productive when at a library, study hall or classroom surrounded by other students. Studying at home means working on your self-control and staying away from Netflix, daily naps, and your fridge! When you are at home, there are many different distractors that can take your attention away from schoolwork, especially if you live in a shared space. All of us are already learning how to live in a pandemic, so none of us want the added stress of dropping grades as well. The guide below will teach you how to study as effectively as possible during this time!
- Have a Designated Study Space
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This is probably one of the biggest challenges. We all know how tempting it is to take advantage of being at home and to want to watch your lecture from bed, but it’s vital that you separate your workspace from your relaxation space. If you do your work in bed, you are more likely to get distracted by Netflix and social media, or you may even be at risk of falling asleep. You are also more likely to feel anxious and stressed once it’s time for you to relax or go to bed as you will associate that space with schoolwork!Â
- Create a Ritual
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This can be anything from always sitting down with your coffee or glass of water, to lighting a candle when it’s time to work. If you practice this long enough, your brain will associate your action with the need to study. In other words, when you light your candle, your brain knows it’s time to study and will be able to focus more easily. On the other hand, when the candle is not lit, then study time is over.
- Meditate
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Meditation is a great way to center yourself and clear your mind to focus on your tasks. Try using a meditation app like Timeless, Simple Habit, or Calm. You can also try searching for meditation videos on YouTube or even just set a 5-minute timer to try meditating by yourself.Â
- Schedule, Schedule, Schedule!
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Planners are essential! Try writing out all of your exams and due-dates and prioritize what needs to be done. Try planning out your day by the hour and see if you can stick to that schedule. This method can be much more effective than just writing a to-do list for the day!Â
- Reward Yourself
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Try whatever you think will motivate you to do work! For example, how do you train your dog to sit and rollover? You reward her! If that’s the case, then why would you not reward yourself? Your reward can be anything from a tasty treat to one episode of the latest show you’ve been binging on Netflix. Set yourself a requirement of what you need to complete, whether it be 60 minutes of studying or finishing a paragraph of your paper, and reward yourself when, and only when, you’ve accomplished your goal. Make sure to write down your reward into your hourly schedule so you know it’s coming. This way, you won’t stress about falling behind to take some rest time!
This will be a challenging year, but it’s also an opportunity to create some new productivity habits. With these simple tips, we can all conquer the year of online learning and be back on campus (hopefully) in no time!