Studying at home can be a challenge for many people. It’s even harder when your study area is a shared space with others or has background noise bleeding from other rooms. Another point to consider is for most, the home is a comfort zone. Your brain kicks into relaxation mode often and needs a conscious jolt to concentrate on studying.
However, it is still possible to stay motivated and achieve your study goals from the comfort of your own home. In this article, we’ll explore some tips and tricks for how to stay motivated to study at home.
There are some handy tips you can implement today to ensure you get the best out of studying at home. Let’s see some of them below.
Have a specific study time, create a timetable
Planning a specific study time ahead can help you stick to your study schedule. By doing this, it becomes easier to avoid distractions and focus on studying when the time comes.
Let everyone know when it’s your study time
After creating a study timetable, it is important to inform your family or roommates about this time. This saves you from unnecessary intrusions and distractions when you begin studying.
Consider getting a quiet room if there’s no designated study room
If you live in a small apartment without a designated study, you may choose a second room that’s quiet and away from distractions. For example, your roommate may be watching a football game while you decide to stay in the room.
This might mean having a study desk in this room so you can be comfortable while you focus on studying.
Like in the first tip, you can also structure your study timetable to fit into the time of day when your study area is most quiet (for example, between 3 – 6 am).
Ensure you’re done with your chores for the day
Where your study time is later in the day, ensure you do all chores before studying. This saves you from two things: thinking about the chores while studying, or being reminded of them by a roommate/sibling, or parent.
Neither is great for your concentration.
Focus and avoid multitasking
Imagine reading, and running minor errands while having one eye on the TV. How do you concentrate?
Multitasking can be tempting, but it actually decreases your productivity and makes it harder to focus on your studies. Instead, try to focus on one task at a time and avoid distractions like social media or email.
Take regular breaks
Regular breaks are great for productivity. Your body needs short, regular breaks to help reduce eye contact with screens, stretch your body, and have your brain wander for a while.
Focusing is important during your study time, but so is taking regular breaks. The Pomodoro technique recommends a five-minute break every 25 minutes and a longer break after every 4 Pomodoro sessions.
Try taking a 5-10 minute break here and there to recharge and refresh your mind.
Keep a positive mindset
It’s easy to become demotivated when studying at home, but keeping a positive mindset can help you stay on track. Try setting achievable goals and rewarding yourself when you achieve them.
Personally, I’ve found my most productive time studying at home is at night when people are asleep. And I’ve adopted some of the tips mentioned in this post to help me as well.
You can make the best of your home studying time. Remember to stay motivated, test and use the strategies that work best for you and enjoy the process. How do you stay motivated to study at home? share your tips in the comment below!