At the beginning of lockdown, I was completing my final year as an undergraduate student, and I found the idea of being at home all day a luxury. I took full advantage of laying around in my yoga pants and oversized t-shirt whilst completing my degree at the beat of my own drum. However, now that I am returning to university as a postgraduate student, the thrill I once had of burrowing myself in my room has now dissipated as I yearn for structure. I reflected on my journey through my academic studies to pull together variables which motivated myself to push through any moments when I was in a rut, as I wanted to provide support for students who are struggling to adapt to the new working from home environment.
1. CREATE A DESIGNATED STUDY AREA
Have a specific area in your environment which you associate with studying, such as a desk in your bedroom or living room. Then decorate this space with objects and stationery which inspires you; this may include plants, a vibrant folder or an array of colourful washi tape. Creating an area in your environment which you associate with studying may help you to implement a healthy balance between recreational time and university work.
2. ADOPT A PLANNING SYSTEM
I would highly recommend you implement a planning system! For myself, I adopted two strategies which included plastering a monthly calendar over my walls in my study area and utilising a planner.
The information contained in my monthly calendar was bespoke to my university work such as presentations, submission deadlines and lectures or seminars. I found having a visual representation of my schedule enabled me to plan effectively for the deadlines that I had.
Utilising a planner enabled me to be accountable for the tasks I set myself. How would I use my planner, I hear you ask? Well, I would create a list of tasks I would need to complete either the night before or a week in advance. This allowed me to have a structure in my day, therefore, increasing productivity.
3. UNITE TOGETHER AND MAKE AN ONLINE STUDY GROUP
Adjusting to this era of online learning can be a challenge, as there may be a sense of disconnection when you are trying to establish a sense of rapport with your peers through video chat. However, you can use this experience to challenge yourself to make online learning fun. What I have found enjoyable is studying with my friends online as I like to video chat with my peers whilst watching the lecture online. We create notes together and then reflect on the topic discussed in the lecture to identify if there are any knowledge gaps. This proactive form of learning has helped me spark joy in my study routine and has enabled me to create a stronger rapport with my peers.
I would suggest going on the journey of implementing the strategies I have listed above and tweaking them to your needs. I hope you have found this reflection on my academic journey to increase productivity helpful!