Many new challenges have come with the shift to online classes, however, I never expected how difficult it would be to focus during class.. I figured online learning would have less distractions because there are no people to talk to or noises and other disturbances in the classroom. Unfortunately, my thoughts have proven to be incorrect. Sitting through class in my dorm room honestly offers more opportunities to lose focus. I have access to anything in my room and anything on the internet. In-person lectures offer a purely academic setting and engaged peers to motivate me, but Zoom does not have the same effect. Since all of my classes are online for the semester, I am trying to adjust my habits.
One thing that I have started to do, whether I’m in class or just doing homework, is putting my phone on the opposite side of the room. This is a pretty classic trick, but it can be really effective. Eliminating my phone as a source of distraction guarantees that I won’t be on social media. However, losing the phone is not as helpful if you will still get text notifications on your computer. One way to prevent this issue is turning on do not disturb for texts on your laptop. This is especially helpful if you know your texts will be distracting and/or not very important. If you have a group chat that is always blowing up throughout your classes, the do not disturb setting may serve you well.
I use my computer for everything school related right now. When I’m taking notes, I have Zoom open for the class itself and a doc open for my notes, which is common for many of us. While this is convenient, it definitely leads to me opening other tabs for things completely unrelated to the class. Some people find it helpful to use a different device for notes than the one you are using for Zoom. One of my friends uses an iPad for notes and keeps her Zoom on full screen mode. The same idea goes for taking handwritten notes.
While it can be easy to take advantage of the ability to turn your camera off on Zoom, keeping it on helps with focus. If you are comfortable with others seeing you, this is probably one of the best ways to ensure you are engaged in class. I’ve noticed that turning my camera off makes me listen more mindlessly, as I have the ability to do other things with class in the background. For example, in a normal classroom, I would never be able to make myself a coffee, but this is extremely tempting when it’s right behind my desk in my room. Keeping my camera on ensures that I don’t do any other tasks and devote my attention to the Zoom.
When in doubt, change up your work location. If you need a change of scenery, take advantage of the time we have left with beautiful weather! I find that taking classes outside helps me focus since I don’t bring anything other than a backpack with school stuff. Check out our Zoom Away from Your Room article for some good places on and around campus to do your classes.
Changing a few small habits can make a big difference when it comes to staying engaged during Zoom class. This semester is not what anyone expected, but all we can do for now is try our best to adapt. Hopefully we will all be back in lecture halls and seminar rooms some time soon!