Since school has switched to online, I have had so much trouble staying motivated. Staring at a screen for hours on end during lectures, with homework on top of that, is draining, especially while being cooped up in the same place. I used to have different study places on campus like the library or the coffee shop inside the Memorial Union, and now I stay in my apartment glued to a screen. While I am more of an introverted person and do not mind the alone time, I do like being in a common place where everyone is studying because there is this sense that we are all going through school together. Trying to do my assignments alone is exhausting and lead to a decrease in my motivation, so I decided to make a change. I had to learn different strategies that helped me to stay motivated while learning online. There were some that I found helped and others not so much. Eventually, I found little methods that I incorporated into my studying habits that help me stay focused in school.
1. Get a Planner
My mind is constantly at war with itself and I found that having a planner has helped lessen that internal fight. I invested in a planner where I write down everything that needs to get done for the week for every class. I write down all my assignments, reading pages, discussion posts, and meetings for any clubs. From there, I can see what needs to be done each day instead of grouping it all together. Having a planner helps organize my thoughts and allows me to focus on one task at a time. I have even started to break down the amount of pages to read before the date it needs to be finished in order to make it a bit less daunting. This motivates me to get everything done because I get a sense of satisfaction when I cross out anything I have finished, knowing that there is one less assignment I have to do.
2. Change of Scenery
Another strategy I tried to stick to was to change up my scenery every once in a while and have a study buddy. I tend to be a chatterbox with my friends so in the past I usually got the majority of my work done alone but now it is different because when I am alone I tend to get sidetracked easily. Staying in my room at my desk was not keeping me motivated. I found that switching up the rooms you do your schoolwork in helps. When I would get restless at my desk I would gather my things and move to the living room and study at our coffee table instead. Even working on our little patio outside is refreshing, too, because it has fresh air and is very calming.
3. Study Buddy
My roommates tend to study out in the common area of our apartment as well and we end up studying together. While we do not take the same classes it’s nice to have someone working right alongside you that you can have some side conversations with. It tends to be my favorite way of studying because we suffer and perservere through it together. Having a study buddy helps me stay on task because if I start to get off track she will catch that and tell me to get back to work and vice versa. We push each other to try and complete our schoolwork with words of encouragement. This method works for me because I have someone to interact with while still getting work done.
4. Breaks & Rewards
While it is important to get work done it is equally essential to remember to take breaks and maybe even reward yourself. Technically, breaks and rewards are two strategies but I lump them together because during the break I give myself I tend to spend the time watching an episode of a show on Netflix or reading a chapter of a book, which is a reward for me. I love to read and I love Netflix so my unwinding time tends to revolve around those two activities. However, I give myself limits on how long my break should be so that I stay on track with my day. I give myself thirty to forty-five minutes to relax every couple of hours so that I do not burn out from nonstop working. Finding an activity that de-stresses my mind is great because it allows for me to slowly collect my thoughts and regroup while also enjoying myself. After my break time is up I find myself more willing and more motivated to get back to work for school.
