Many universities around the country are moving to online classes either for the rest of the semester or for a few weeks. Millersville is among those and I got to thinking of how can I motivate myself to do school work at home. I associate being at home with breaks and not having to do anything, so getting motivation to do anything is extremely hard. I came up with a few things that have helped me in the past, you should try them out! Maybe you can find something that works for you.
- Get up around 9 A.M. or 10 A.M. and make your bed!
-
The hardest thing is to get out of your cozy bed (that is so much more comfy than your dorm bed). You definitely can sleep in on weekends, but during the weekday, get up at a reasonable time and log on to your computer to see what you have to accomplish. I found that if I make my bed, it makes my room feel neater but also makes it less tempting to get back into bed.
- Make yourself a decent breakfast
-
Something else I try to do is make myself something to eat and maybe a cup of coffee or tea so I don’t get distracted by my hunger when I’m trying to get work done.
- Get dressed and do your make-up.
-
Getting out of your comfy PJ’s helps motivate you to actually sit at your desk and do some work. Plus, if you’re dressed and ready to go, your brain is more likely to be put in “work mode.” Doing your make-up is an extra step you don’t have to do, but it can also do the same thing! Plus, put your contacts in if you wear them. Personally, I associate wearing my glasses with relaxing and my contacts with doing work.
- Keep a set schedule
-
Keeping a schedule that you can stick to will help you with keeping on track. Try and stick to the schedule you had when you were on campus. For example, I had class 10 A.M. – 1 P.M. so I will do work for those three classes during that time and then take a break for lunch like I normally would. This helps keep your mind on track at those times and then you have the remainder of the day to do whatever. I would also avoid doing homework late at night (unless that’s the only time you have to do it).
- Keep in contact with your professor
-
Make sure if you have a question about something, email your professor! They want to make this transition as easy as possible on you as a student. Also, try and give your professors some slack, they are struggling with this too.
- Keep in contact with your friends
-
Your biggest support is your friends right now since they are going through the same thing. Living at home, being away from campus, and having to do online classes. Check up on them every once in a while (and they should check up on you too)! Make sure you all are doing alright in classes and help solve problems if anyone has them!
Good luck with your online classes! It will all be alright!
HCXO, Erika.