Tips For Studying From Home (In a Global Pandemic)

Here are the key things that have helped me whilst starting a degree during a pandemic. Hopefully you find them helpful or relatable whether you're also studying, working, or spending far more time at home now than ever before.

Wake up early enough to allow time to have a routine that doesn't involve studying before the day begins…

I like to wake up, (try to avoid looking at my phone immediately, I keep it on airplane mode for as long as possible!) then I make my favourite coffee and take it back to bed where I’ll read for around half an hour, preferably fiction for a bit of escapism. It sounds pretty luxurious, but just waking up an hour earlier than maybe I need to allows me to fit something in that is completely selfish and something I love to do before I devote the day to lectures or whatever else needs doing that day. I know that so many people have many other things going on, especially if you have children, carving out that time is near on impossible. But allowing long enough before lectures start, maybe extra time spent with the family really helps not to go straight from sleep mode to study mode.

Move your body at some point…!

Whether it’s a jump around during the tea breaks the lecturers kindly give us or more planned exercise.

Just getting up out of that seat can help so much with concentration and overall wellbeing on a study day. It can be really tiring staring at a screen all day and concentrating on new topics...moving your body even for a few minutes will help to feel more energised. But be gentle on yourself, don't set big goals. Running on the lunch break or a weight session after class, is a nice idea but possibility is low especially if you're tired. So set reasonable targets your more likely to achieve. You can always achieve those bigger goals on the non-lecture days.

Get outside - 3 short walks a day..

This is one I implemented using James Clear's 'habit stacking' technique from his book, Atomic Habits. His premise is that to make habits stick you should, Make It Obvious, Make It Attractive, Make It Easy, Make It Satisfying...

Making it easier you can 'stack' them with other habits. I went through a few weeks where i wasn't getting enough time outside, so I set a goal to walk three times a day, but it could be for 2mins if that's all I could do, the aim was just to get outside. I stacked this new habit with my meal times, as I will always eat at least three times a day. So before each meal, I will go outside for at least a 2min walk. Inevitably, I always end up for walking longer as I've made it outside. And doing before a meal gives me the reminder and the satisfaction to maintain it. Give it a go if you feel you're not getting out enough, especially on lecture days.

Eat well! and enough!!

Having some things stocked in the house that you enjoy snacking on is essential when having long days at the desk. Whilst concentrating your brain is using energy so ensuring you're eating plenty is essential. Some snack high in carbohydrates paired with a protein and fat will keep you charged through the lectures. (For example, bananas with almonds, peanut butter on toast, cheese and crackers, hummus and carrot sticks, or the one i'm enjoying in the afternoons right now, a toasted hot cross bun with butter!!) Having your favourite biscuits, favourite fruit or chocolate to hand in the afternoon helps a lot when you've just 'had enough', which is so easy to feel right now, your favourite foods are something to enjoy and help getting through those tougher lectures!

Remain engaged.. (note taking, ask questions, actively listen)

It's super hard remaining engaged in lectures, even more so now as we are only looking at a screen and not a person's face! So some things I found to really help keeping engaged include, active note taking. I write my notes electronically using an I-pad, download the slides and write directly on them so you can keep up and are not just regurgitating the lecturers words. Or print the slides off and write on them. Ask questions!!..this is a great way to ensure you're actively listening, try to ask at least one question per lecture. Actively listen, this one is easier said than done, but minimise your distractions, turn off your phone and try to follow the slides exactly as the lecturer is covering them.

Self compassion..

This is one of the MOST important tips of all... all the rest may come pretty instinctively to you, or at least you may know they are things that help. But self-compassion is something we often forget about.... we can be so quick to comfort a friend or family member when they are struggling through a hard time or just need some words of encouragement to help them see the 'why' in what they are doing. But we do not naturally talk to ourselves in the same way. You are doing amazingly, and you are doing the best that you can…take each moment as it comes and be kind to yourself. Try to stop and think what would you say to a friend?

Reach out to your academic support system..

They are there to help!! Please use all the support systems your uni offers. There is NO such thing as a bad question. If you're struggling or confused, ask as soon as you can. There are there for you, and acutely aware of how hard this is studying from home in a pandemic and will be more than happy to help.

Don’t forget to relax and do nothing sometimes!!!

We live in a world where people seem to live for 'the grind' but this is unrealistic and not sustainable. You are most likely doing far more than you perceive yourself to be. By comparing to others we can often feel like we need to 'do more', but it is completely OKAY to do nothing, and it is ESSENTIAL for studying well. You need to have down time and switch off completely from what you're studying. Take at least one day each week to shut the books and do nothing study related.

Hope these tips help!

x

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.” - Anonymous