Online school isn’t too fabulous, but through countless trial and error, I’ve gathered some key tips to elevating your virtual game. They are mostly based on the principle of habits and lifestyle adjustments, yet, coupled together, are pretty powerful. Here are five ways I’ve made online school a little easier for myself:
- Get Rid of Your Phone
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No, this does not mean put it on “Do Not Disturb” mode. It means placing it in a room other than your workspace during working hours. Having your phone even in sight is a strong enough distraction to detract from the grind. So, place it in another room and fully devote yourself to the task at hand. This is particularly important when in class; I’ve noticed that when my phone isn’t in sight, I’m really able to focus just as I would if I were in the classroom. It’s obviously not the same, but limiting your distractions is key to a more fluid experience.
- Separate Work & Play
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With school being online, it’s really easy (almost impossible not to) converge your “work” life and your “play” life. Because most of us are working in our bedrooms, whether it be in bed or at your desk, our school has now been completely integrated into our home. So, it’s our job to keep them as distinguishable as possible. If you are unable to relocate when working on school, then change your outfit for school hours. Or, throw on some makeup to make yourself feel like you got ready. Make time slots for lunch, and stick to it; don’t just eat “whenever.” Point being: integrate the habits from when you were a student at IRL school to being a student at virtual school. It holds you accountable and transfers you into student mode.
- Make A To-Do List Every Morning
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Without professors and TAs constantly reminding you about assignments and deadlines, or other students to consult with, missing deadlines, assignments, and overall losing sight of what’s going on has become far too easy. The best way to combat this is to spend 15 minutes each morning–just 15 minutes– to update yourself on all of your classes. This means surfing your class websites and transferring new information onto your to do list. This takes away from the anxiety of potentially forgetting when something is due and the panic that comes after. Save yourself the time and write it down.
- Make Time For The People & Places You Enjoy
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Online school doesn’t have to burn you out– fit in time for people & places you can look forward to! If you are living at home, promise yourself that each week, you will see at least one friend, safetly. Or, promise yourself to go on a hike at the beginning of the week. Promise yourself to take care of yourself. Doing things you enjoy is just as important as doing things you “have to do.”
- Set A Timer & Do It
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If an assignment or task takes less than 30 minutes to complete, set a timer for 30 minutes and complete it. This prevents small, rather easy tasks from accumulating and transforming to stress. Make a promise that every time you turn on that 30 minute timer, you will complete X. In time, you’ll form a habit of the 30 minute timer, and procrastination will be a curse of the past.
I know online school isn’t ideal, but it’s here for a little while, and we might as well make the best of it. There are two ways to see this chapter: as something happening to us, or something happening for us. Online school gives us more time for ourselves, allows us to plan our weeks with more wiggle-room and can open up new doors for what you didn’t have the time for prior. You might as well make the most of it, because we won’t ever get this time back.