The new year has started, and so have our new classes, so it’s time to get focused. But it’s cold out, and sometimes, we don’t want to make the trip to Wells or a coffee shop, so we stay at home and study. While it’s comfortable, studying at home can lead to more procrastination and giving in to the desire to just lay in bed. With that, here are some tips to be the most productive at home!
- Remove ALL Distractions (with a Thought Journal!)
This one’s obvious, but we tend to forget what can really distract us. Our phones are one of our main distractions, but we can also be distracted by our own thoughts. When we balance a lot of responsibilities, they can occupy our headspace, even when we’re trying to focus. You could be working on an important project and suddenly you’re thinking about a club meeting you have to go to or what you’re going to make for dinner.Â
When this happens, it helps to make a Thought Journal! This is just a place to write down any lingering thoughts you get while working. Once you’re done working, you can look through your Thought Journal and get your tasks done! With this, you’ll be able to focus on the tasks at hand without worrying about forgetting your other responsibilities.
- Separate Your Space
When working at home, it’s important to separate your studying space from your relaxing space. This is why it’s so important to not do homework on your bed, since you’ll be too comfortable to actually focus. If you live in an apartment or a house, this might be easier to do, since you can set your studying space as your kitchen or living room. In a dorm, this might be harder, so try making it a point to only work at your desk, and when you take breaks, you can move to your bed. This tip allows you to trick your brain into working only in certain areas of your space and relaxing in other areas!
- Body Double
Procrastination is tempting, and when we’re alone, it’s so much easier to give in and distract ourselves. However, when we’re studying with other people, they keep us accountable and make sure we finish our tasks. This method is called Body Doubling. You can do this in a public place like a library or coffee shop, but this also works at home!Â
Ask a friend to come over and work together (this works even better if you’re working on the same assignment!). While you’re working together, you won’t feel the need to procrastinate because you know that if you do so, they’ll call you out. If your friend isn’t able to be there in person, working on a video call also helps, and you can take scheduled breaks together. And if all your friends are busy, I recommend looking at websites like LifeAt.com, studytogether.com, and studystream.live to find study rooms with other students. With LifeAt, you can also personalize your study room with different videos, music, and motivational quotes!
All of these methods can be personalized and altered for your benefit, and they may not work all of the time. The important thing is to build a space for yourself where you can be productive and focused, and these tips can help you do that, no matter how big or small your space is.