TIPS FOR STUDYING REMOTELY
Be careful with the comfort
Staying all day in pajamas and studying from bed might sound tempting but won’t do you a favor for your productivity. Follow your usual routine and make sure you have a dedicated study place – comfortable and with good lighting. This will help you focus and get into study mode.
Communication
It is important that you keep the daily interaction with professors and colleagues. You can go beyond e-mails and use other digital tools to avoid the sense of isolation. Communication while remote can be challenging but it’s the core of maintaining your relationship with colleagues, managers, or teachers.
Repurpose your commute
Not having to rush for classes is a one of the major perks of studying remotely. But that doesn’t mean you must spend this time sleeping or worse - start studying earlier. A better idea is to use this ‘extra’ time for yourself – family, coffee, work out, etc.
Don't multitask
Multitasking at home can easily turn into wasting your day. In order to stay focused on a task, you can try setting your alarm for 25 minutes and dedicate your full attention to a single activity during that time, after that take a 5-minute break.
Be organized
Make sure that your desk is uncluttered and that you have a time planner or daily schedule to keep track of your tasks and to avoid multitasking (and procrastinating). Don’t forget that you actually need to stick to that schedule.
Find your study style
Keep to your routine as much as possible when you study remotely. Take into account your personal learning style as well – during daytime, or nighttime, with music, etc.
About the breaks
Breaks are important but since you’re at home you can think of a 2-hour nap or several episodes of this TV-show... An idea is to make your breaks more frequent but only for 10-15 minutes (checking social media doesn’t count for a break).
Manage stress
Sometimes stress is inevitable. Make sure you get enough night’s sleep, eat healthy, work out or take walks in the nature once in a while. If you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list, you can try the rule of three – you only list three manageable tasks and after completing them you choose another three. In this way you can break down larger or multiple tasks.
Chores
Keep in mind that chores can come in your way as well and sometimes they might seem... appealing, especially if you have a lot to study. Prioritize your tasks so that you don’t have to switch between e-mails and laundry.
Set some boundaries
Studying from home can give your family and friends the impression that you’re available all the time. It could be hard to resist the temptation, therefore it’s best to ask them not to contact or disturb you during certain times of the day.
Switch it off
Probably you’re spending your study breaks on your smartphone or you’re constantly switching between that paper and Facebook. It’s hard but you can try to put your phone in another room or install apps that remind you to re-focus or block the social media for a certain time.
Log off
As the line between “work” and “home” is getting blurrier, you can get stuck to your computer screen for a longer period of time. That’s why it’s important to give yourself time for breaks and to actually set a time every day when you officially “log off” for the night.
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