Being surrounded by the same four walls isn’t so easy for students during the lockdown. Nevertheless, studying at home is still a more convenient option with one exception: staying motivated and driven can be hard sometimes. Here are some ideas to stay motivated.
Reward System
When you study at home, it feels like you’ve got all the time in the world and that a couple of Mindhunter episodes won’t hurt your focus. That’s a slippery slide.
It’s easy to dive into binge-watching and suddenly realize that it’s already evening and you haven’t started your lab report. Yes, it’s easy to fix if you know that experts from WritePaper offer students professional paper help, but it can’t save you all the time. So, follow the rule of “completed task = reward”. The bigger the reward is, the more serious the task should be, and vice versa.
Keep Your Room Clean
Before starting with studies, make sure your room is neat. No one is capable of working in chaos unless the chaos is created by the working process itself. If your table is full of dirty mugs, candy wrappers, and a pile of books and notes, it’s hard to focus on studying.
First, tidy up your work area. It should be like a clean sheet of paper. Hide all the gadgets, books, journals, and other items that won’t help you complete your task at hand. By leaving only the necessary things out, you reduce the chances of getting distracted.
Manage the Workload Bit by Bit
Clean up your laptop as well, and close all the folders and windows that you don’t need. Make your computer desktop tidy too. It’s just like your desk; your computer laptop should also be organized and cleaned up.
Pretend You’re Not at Home
Do the same rituals you would follow if you were away at college:
- brush your teeth and wash your face
- have breakfast
- get dressed
- read a book you would read on the bus
- go to your first class
- eat lunch
- proceed according to your curriculum
Yes, it’s a routine, but it will help you create structure to stay productive. Be sure to give yourself breaks as well!
Set a Goal
A short-term one will do as well, but a long-term goal should always guide it. Most people find it difficult to establish a long-term goal. For instance, if your short-term goal is to pass an exam, ask yourself why you need to do it and keep creating the chain of similar questions until you find your long-term goal.
Sometimes, people come up with an abstract or philosophical idea that suddenly fits. To remember your purpose, write it down and stick it on your fridge or somewhere else where you will look at the note frequently. It may seem like a minor thing but it will help keep you motivated.
Cover Your Basic Needs
Motivation will be difficult if you’re distressed physically or mentally. Proper nutrition, sleep, and personal hygiene are integral to a positive state of mind. If you skip one of them, everything else may crumble.
One can’t be focused or motivated if they only spent four hours asleep. Usually, it only leads to sleeping in and headaches. One can’t think properly if they eat junk food or snacks that make their sugar level jump constantly. Finally, skipping a shower and sitting in pajamas all day long might not be motivating. So, take care of yourself first.
Reconsider the “Home” Options
You don’t have to stay home all the time. You can change location and study at a local cafe or at the public library. You can also study in different locations within where you live. You can even arrange to study with your friend at their house or the library. As you go back home, you will feel refreshed, and the function of the home will be restored.
And in case going out isn’t possible, try to at least change the rooms sometimes or study with someone via an online call. It is not a cure, but still, the chances to procrastinate are fewer when your friend is also hitting at the books or writing an essay.
Summing Up
There are plenty of ways to stay motivated when stuck at home. In some cases, you don’t even need to be at home. Just look for other places and go there occasionally to unwind. Of course, you shouldn’t forget about having some rest from chores and studies as well to avoid burnout.
To get as much as possible out of the tips below, do follow several of them at once. At first, it will not be easy to do, yet, habits are powerful. Good habits are much harder to develop, yet, they are 100% worth the effort. However, always mind one of the tips above: take baby steps. It will make the adjustment process less stressful.
p.s. Related posts:
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