Studying at home? Check out Mollie’s tips for maximizing your productivity!
#VicCommuterHacks
If you’re like me, then you lived at the library until we were in lockdown again! I’ve always found that I get my best work done in an environment with few distractions and noise, and libraries are perfect for that. But with classes online and libraries closed or operating with reduced hours, I have been finding ways to adapt to studying at home.
Here are a few of my best tips for being productive at home, no matter how loud your roommates or family are!
- Don’t study in bed
I know… when your bed is just steps away from you, it can be so tempting to crawl in to finish up your readings — but all of a sudden your eyelids begin to feel heavy, and you start to lose focus.
Studies have proven that working where you sleep (or sleeping where you work) can hinder your productivity as well as your sleep quality by associating the two together. So when you work in bed, you’re more likely to be subconsciously thinking about sleep — something that can have negative impacts on your productivity.
Instead, it might be a good idea to invest in a desk, or try working somewhere else in your house like the kitchen table!
2. Move to an area with fewer distractions
What distracts you? Maybe it’s clutter, or your phone, or your guitar in the corner, or snacks! Either move to an area that doesn’t have these things, or move these things as far away from you as possible (yes — that means putting your phone in a different room!). It will help keep you focused in the long run!
3. Vary your study environments
In one 1978 experiment, participants who studied vocabulary words twice, in two separate rooms did far better on a test than those that studied them twice in the same room, due to a phenomenon known as multiple associations.
Long story short: changing your environment improves memory retention.
Switching up your study space, whether that’s changing the actual room you’re in, or even the part of the room you’re in, can help your memory!
It might also be helpful to physically switch positions once in a while — if you have a standing desk, it’s great to alternate between sitting and standing. I don’t have one, so instead, I often switch between sitting and working at my desk, and standing with my laptop placed on my bookshelf!
4. Negotiate “Quiet Hours” with your family or housemates
I know the feeling… trying to cram for a test while your family is loudly watching TV is not only distracting but stressful! To mitigate this, it might be helpful to set some ground rules with your housemates.
For example, if you know that you have an online class at a certain time, or always like to study between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., ask your housemates to be quiet during those times.
It may also be helpful to coordinate schedules so that your and your housemate’s or family’s quiet times align.
5. If that doesn’t work, get a pair of noise-cancelling headphones… or a cheaper alternative!
Noise blockers are a lifesaver for those times when you’re working at home in a noisy environment! If you like to listen to music while you study, you may want to invest in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones.
But if you prefer total silence like me, a pair of noise-blocking construction headphones are effective, cheap, and super stylish (wink, wink ;).
6. Try to get out of the house
Having lectures, studying, and living, all in one house can quickly get boring, and after a while, all of your tasks tend to start to melt together. In other words, productivity goes down the drain.
I try to go on a walk every single day! Going on walks is a great way to break up your day into different chunks, thereby creating separation between tasks. I like to reward myself in between my classes and study time with a walk (while listening to a fun podcast!). I always come back from my walks with a clear head, ready to move onto my next task!
When winter weather hits and it may be too cold to go for walks, try a quick at-home workout like yoga in between tasks! This is my favorite yoga channel to follow along with.
While it’s not the same breath of fresh air as a walk is, I always find that exercise has a similar head-clearing effect for me, and I can move onto my next activity mentally refreshed!
7. Dress for success
It may sound like a dream come true to roll out of bed 4 minutes before your online lecture, but working in pajamas may be squashing your productivity.
Studies have shown that clothes influence the cognitive capacities and attention of the wearer. Dressing as if you were going out (or at least changing out of your pajamas) has a positive influence on your work, so dress for how you want your day to go!
8. Go easy on yourself
Working from home can be mentally exhausting. With only a small degree of separation between your work and relaxation environments, you may not be as productive as usual or may feel more tired and irritable. Remember, we are currently living through a pandemic, which is creating huge changes in all of our lives — so it’s okay to feel less productive than usual.
If you’re going through a difficult time, want to get some school or non-school related advice, or just need a safe space to talk, the Commuter Don team is always here for you! Find us on Facebook or send us a message on Instagram!
I hope these tips for working from home were helpful… leave us a comment with some of your top study-from-home tips, and good luck with the new semester!
