We understand how difficult the current situation may be and it’s probably making studying harder than it already is for most students. So, we thought we’d share some tips on how to stay motivated and productive during quarantine.
1. Staying connected with your friends:
Try to stay connected with your friends online and even go the distance to have your regular coffee with them through a video call. Social distancing does not mean emotional distancing so stay connected.
2. Managing your time effectively
Students are underestimating the importance of time management, here are three main tips for you to use your time effectively:
1) Try to wake up as you usually would for university
2) Use the commute time to university to have a good breakfast
3) Set specific working hours to avoid overwhelming yourself. For example, if you have 4 hours of online classes, you can add a couple more hours to work on your assignments and structure your days accordingly.
3. Take enough breaks
Frequent breaks during your study hours have proven to be effective! Short 10-minute breaks every 40 minutes or so can re-energize your brain and improve productivity. Be creative with your short breaks, you can even do push-ups to get fit and increase productivity at the same time!
4. Separate your work area from your ‘chill’ area
If your work area is your bed then you’ve most likely experienced having that magical nap before you even started, or mysteriously see yourself clicking ‘continue watching’ as you finish a full series binge watching on Netflix.
Don’t underestimate the power of your state of mind when separating your work-space from your relaxing space – you’ll notice you automatically put yourself ‘in the zone’.
5. This also means no pajamas!
Staying in your pajamas gives that sense of comfort and send signals to your brain that you’re in the ‘chilled’ zone ready for your undeserved 3rd nap of the day. Shift your approach and try dressing up differently when you’re working and try to give it a try!
Fatema Kadhem
Final Year Polytechnic Student