Preventing Procrastination: Study Tips for Online Learning
During these unprecedented times, multiple institutions have converted to a virtual learning format for the safety of their student body and staff. Consequently, the lives of students around the globe were drastically altered, with many scrambling to adapt to this new way of life. As someone who is part of this group, I have spent the past couple of weeks trying out various methods to figure out how to optimize my studying in a rather distracting home environment.
From this experience, I have gathered essential tips that will certainly enable you to establish a sense of routine in your life and win the battle against procrastination.
1. Create a planning system personalized for your needs.
Although this piece of advice may be considered slightly generic, I believe that it is crucial for every student to follow this recommendation. For those who possess a love for art, aesthetic planners and calendars will definitely allow you to feel at home. When writing down your assignments, develop a color scheme using items such as highlighters as it may help make it easier for you to differentiate between classes.
However, there are many who do not particularly enjoy creating works of visual art. For those who prefer simplicity and convenience, utilizing a simple to-do list on online platforms ranging from Google Keep to Momentum (a widely used Chrome extension) may be the way to go. Regardless of your system of choice, prioritization is key for success. Personally, I would suggest you write your top five most important agenda items, and complete them before turning to anything else. As most often people are unwilling to tackle their entire workload head-on and thus procrastinate, by focusing on only a few tasks at a time, their workload will seem less daunting, resulting in more willingness to engage with each task.
2. Eliminate all distractions.
I have found that order in your physical work space works wonders for your productivity, and will, by extension, improve your organization skills. Unless you are claustrophobic, I believe that the smaller the room, the better due to the fact that less space ensures less room for possible distraction. Additionally, remove any excessive items you do not need out of your line of sight, and stack all necessary files in organized rows.
For the desk itself, try to sort out as many items as you can, leaving overflow study materials on nearby spaces—the clearer the desk, the clearer your mind will become. Furthermore, when studying, completely shut down your phone or pass it on to a family member so that the temptation of constantly checking your notifications does not become a problem. If you are still preoccupied because of disruptive background noise, wear noise-cancelling headphones or turn on peaceful music using Spotify (I would recommend listening to jazz music playlists).
3. Connect with your teachers often.
Since the method of contact has been reduced to through a screen, it is quite likely that many students will gradually withdraw from social interaction; this may pose a problem later on when one is confused about the coursework. As a result, I truly think that the conversations you have with your teachers may end up becoming your most valuable resource this term.
By emailing them and attending Zoom conference sessions, you will have the opportunity to ask any follow-up questions that may arise instead of having to figure out difficult topics on your own, saving you both time and stress.
Before sending out your requests, however, it is important that you master the art of emailing properly. From having perfect grammar throughout to an accurately generated signature at the bottom, you should hold your emails to a high standard of professionalism as they represent your public persona in an online environment. With more casual conversations, it may be appropriate to add emojis or images to add some personality and color to your messages. Remember that email etiquette is important, such as asking people how they are doing before posing a question or making a request and ensuring you get the time zones right when scheduling a meeting.
4. Maintain a level of balance in life.
Lastly, because having a balanced lifestyle will greatly improve your mental health and performance in school, it is critical that you create space in your schedule for non-academic activities. Widely recognized as beneficial, exercise should be integrated into your daily routine, whether that means you running a couple of miles or simply doing yoga stretches in your room. To do so, you should block out an hour or two in your schedule each day, and plan your workouts using online fitness plans as a model.
In addition to exercise, although often overlooked, receiving adequate sleep is absolutely necessary. For high school and college students, you should be sleeping at least six hours a night as a bare minimum.
To resist the temptation to constantly snack on sugary foods, study far away from the fridge as it can help prevent over-consumption and mindless eating. When eating your meals, do not attempt to complete homework while doing so because focusing on your food will make you feel fuller and assist your stomach in digestion. From colorful salads to hearty steaks, there are a variety of healthy food options you should steer toward whenever possible to keep your body energized and filled with good nutrition; there are numerous online sites and channels that can easily help you find what is right for you.
