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Top Ten Tips for Studying at Home

Top Ten Tips for Studying at Home: Finding Serenity and Success in Your Work Space Sanctuary

  1. Get up and get ready for the day. Take a shower. Eat a healthy breakfast. Exercise, meditate, and get mentally prepared for a productive day. And for goodness sake, put on some pants.
  2. Complete your chores before you begin to study. Multitasking decreases production. To keep your focus, eliminate errands and other household tasks first to reduce the risk of distractions.
  3. Explore spaces that fit your educational needs. Find a well-lit area free from interruptions. Be sure your space has enough room for your study materials. Get to a desk, kitchen counter, or cozy up by a coffee table (just be mindful of your posture and your back after extended periods of time). Soak up some vitamin D— open a window or, if possible, study outside. Either way, you know what works best for you, so change your schoolwork scenery as needed.
  4. Own and organize your study space. Make your academic area easy to focus. For those within your production proximity, be sure they know that your study zone is not a synonym for open office hours. Have a clear floor space available so that you are able to get up and walk around if needed. If you have a dry erase board, put it to use. Label and color code your coursework. Use different folders and notebooks for different subjects. Organize your pens, highlighters, and any other necessary tools so that they are at your fingertips.
  5. Make a routine a reality. Craft to-do lists for assignments and deadlines. Construct consistency while studying at home and create accountability for what gets done in a day.
  6. Use your phone for background noise, but keep it out of sight. Classical music and calm, soothing sounds can help when studying. However, constant notifications coming from your cell phone are not-so-helpful, and studying can quickly be outweighed by screen time. Resist temptation and tuck your phone away to accomplish the task at hand.
  7. Treat your study area like a classroom and take notes. Read and ask yourself questions out loud. Teach yourself and make flash cards to gauge your understanding. Take practice tests. You are your own best resource, use metacognition to make things happen.
  8. Communicate and collaborate with those in your cohort, professors, and peers. Use technology to study with other students. Whether it be via video conferencing, online messengers, or specific apps or programs designed for productivity, having a partner or group can certainly help get things going.
  9. Take a break. Alleviate accumulating frustration, burn out, or stress. For every hour, take a 10-15 minute break. Walk around your house, practice a yoga pose, listen to music, play a game, or give a loved one a quick call. Monitor these moments by using a timer to stay on track.
  10. Reward yourself after completing a task. Give yourself a small treat for every paragraph you read or problem you solve. Listen to your favorite song, or do a random dance in the middle of the room, whatever motivates you to accomplish what you set out to achieve!

Bonus Boost: Shut down your computer every night to start the next day fresh, focused and fixed on success.