Guide to Studying at Home

You might be used to doing your homework at home, but studying at home when you've not got any classes to go to on Monday is a totally different ball game. Trying to stay focused when there's no one checking up on you is tough, especially when you can think of a million other things you'd rather be doing! I've written down a few of my top tips for studying at home that will hopefully make the next term a bit easier:

1. Decide on a 'work zone'.
   Sitting on your bed or sofa might sound like a great idea at the time, but it's important to find a dedicated study space. Studying where you usually relax will not only make it harder to focus when you're working, it will also make it much more difficult for you to switch off when you're done. Try to find somewhere that you can work without distraction, ideally at a table or desk.

2. Set your goals. What do you want to achieve from studying at home?
   Are there specific subjects that you need to work on? Write down what you need to learn in easy to digest chunks to help you visualise what you'll be spending your time on. When you next go to study, focus on just one of the smaller topic areas for that session. This will help make each study session feel more like a distinct lesson, which will make it feel less repetitive.

3. Take a break! Taking a break is really important for your concentration.
   Every half an hour, set a five-minute timer on your phone and go and do something different such as stretch, get something to drink or chat to your family members. When you go back to studying you'll feel more refreshed and ready to work.

4. Split up your day into smaller chunks.
   If you spend the whole day working on one subject, your brain is bound to feel fried by the end. Instead, try spending no more than an hour on each subject and mix it up a bit. Do your least favourite topics in the morning so that you'll have something to look forward to in the afternoon.

5. Be realistic about your expectations.
   It's easy to be hard on yourself when you're not being as productive as you'd planned. Remember that we're going through strange and unprecedented times and no one is expecting you to be working normally when nothing around you is normal. Just do your best and remember that your best will look like different things on different days.

6. Give working an not working equal priority.
   When we've got the structure of weekdays and weekends, school days and holidays, we balance out work and play without even thinking about it. Without that structure, it's important to make sure that you're putting as much importance on your chill time as you are on your study time. Find a way of doing that which suits you, and play around with it a bit until you find a system that works.

7. Stick to a routine.
   With no one to see and nowhere to go, the days can start to blur into one and we often forget to do the basic necessities. Even something as simple as eating your meals and going to bed at the same time every day will have a huge impact on your mental and physical health, which in turn will have a positive impact on your studying. Write up a timetable or set reminders on your phone if you're having trouble remembering.