Being at home all the time is tough, especially when you’re suddenly forced to be there 24/7. If you’re struggling to get motivated to do schoolwork at home or you just want some tips to help the process, try these!Â
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Go through your major rooms (living room, bedroom, dining room) and clean up any unnecessary clutter.
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Clutter around you clutters your mind and makes it hard to focus on schoolwork. When there are more things to distract and to bother you around, it’s harder to care about schoolwork. If there are any stray plates or garbage lying around, tidy them up! If there are a bunch of miscellaneous things lying on your surfaces, put them in drawers or bins to create less clutter while still having everything you need around you.
- Create a space that’s only meant for work.Â
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This space can be anything from your dining room table, to your desk in your room, to your coffee table. Pick a space in your home that you intend to only do work in, at least most of the time—we all know Boulder houses don’t yield a lot of options. Having a space you dedicate to work will help your mind associate that spot with schoolwork and increase your focus when you’re there.Â
- Find a space to work with a lot of natural light.Â
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While you’re picking out your work-only zone in your house, try to choose a location with a lot of natural sunlight if you can. Sunlight is more blue-toned than electric lighting, so having a space with natural sunlight will help keep you more alert than sleepy. This is especially helpful in a time where you aren’t encouraged to go outside as much.
- Replace your lightbulbs.Â
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If you don’t have a place with a lot of natural light, or you’re just someone who prefers to do work later in the day where there isn’t as much of it, try to replace the lightbulbs in your house with daylight light bulbs. Daylight bulbs mimic the bright white light the sun gives, and contain little-to-no yellow tones to keep you alert in a similar way that the sun would.Â
- Reorganize your furniture.
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If you can, try to reorganize the furniture in your room or even your living room and dining room if your roommates don’t mind. When you reorganize the placement of things in your home, it can make your space feel like a whole new place which is stimulating to your mind. I’ve moved the furniture around in my house three times since I’ve lived here, and every time it makes my home feel new, different and exciting! Plus, as your brain gets used to how things are set up, your daily routine becomes more muscle memory. Think about how easy your morning routine has become. You could probably get out of bed, walk to your fridge, grab water and sit on your couch without even opening your eyes. By moving things around, your brain becomes more stimulated, which is so important for getting motivated at home!
I hope these tips help you navigate this whole new way of life. Good luck, everyone!