Studying At Home Tips
How to stay focused at home? Here are our studying at home tips
We all have different ways of processing information. If your method of studying usually involves sitting with your head down in the library, then having to change because of the global pandemic may be a bit tricky.
Here are our top studying at home tips to help you make the most out of your home study time.
1. Stick to a routine
Most of the problems associated with home study have to do with a lack of motivation. Having a strict routine helps you stay motivated and driven even in the midst of distractions.
Of course, setting a routine that deviates wildly from your normal activities may be more of a hindrance than advantage, therefore it is best to stick to a routine that doesn’t change your usual pattern of activities too much.
2. Create a study schedule
When you don’t have lectures and seminars to keep you on schedule, your study habits can suffer. Having a study schedule is essential in making sure you set your focus on the most important task at hand.
3. Stay in touch with your tutor and classmates
Getting in contact with your tutor or classmates creates a shared sense of purpose, and it goes a long way in sparking motivation and keeping you driven in times like this.
Virtual meetings can be held with the use of apps like Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, or good old phone calls, and they give you the ability to bounce ideas off your peers as needed.
4. Have a dedicated workspace
At this point we should start to notice a trend; a lot of the issues with studying at home arise from an interruption in your normal pattern, and the only way to reverse that is by creating a pattern similar to your old one. Creating a dedicated workspace in your home is a study pattern that mimics the library environment and can help you settle in to home study.
5. The Pomodoro Technique
This is a tried and tested technique to help improve focus and reduce distractions. It works by focusing on a singular task for about 20-25 minutes, then taking a five minute break to refresh your mind.
It has been proven to help increase motivation and renew your mental energy when it starts to flag.
Getting started with the Pomodoro technique.
6. Engage your learning
Try to learn as you would at university. For example, if you take notes in lectures then also take notes at home. Always have a notebook and a pen handy. If treat your home study with the same attitude as studying at university then you’ll definitely reap the rewards.
7. Give yourself something to look forward to
Research has shown that humans are motivated by the idea of reward at the end of periods of stress or intense effort. Studying is no different.
Because of this, setting some sort of reward for yourself can be a great way to keep yourself motivated, in the face of what often seems like monotonous and unrewarding work.
8. Take regular breaks
It’s even more important to take regular breaks during home study than when you’re at university because you will usually have more distractions in your home. Having regular scheduled breaks will help you deal with these distractions.
9. Block out Distractions.
If you really can’t focus, using apps like Forest or Freedom can help you shut off some of the more tempting apps (like Instagram), while you get some studying done. We have full articles covering how to use these apps below…
If you are a student with additional needs going to university in September, make sure you get your dsa assessment booked as soon as possible.
