We all know that studying during the best of times can be difficult, let alone during a world-wide pandemic! So how can we keep focused and get the work done, especially if it's exam season?
1) Routine!
Having a routine is now more important than ever with many of us stuck at home all day. It can be so easy to put off studying until later in the day, or the next day, or even the next week, because our lives have all suddenly lost their usual routine. But it's really key to try and find a set time every day that you're going to study and stick to it. Work out when you study best and use that as a guide to help you get the most out of your revision. If I'm finding it particularly hard to work, I will follow my school timetable and complete work for each subject at the times I would usually have a lesson in school. This helps me keep focused as it means I'm only working for about an hour per subject and it also makes life feel a bit more normal as it's a routine I'm used to.
2) Get outside
It can be so easy to spend the whole day sitting at home in front of Netflix when you're in lockdown, but it's really important that you get some time outside even if it's just sitting in your garden. Studying outside can be a nice change of scenery and can sometimes give you some motivation, but regardless, it is crucial that you are taking care of your physical and mental health by getting some fresh air and exercise.
3) Turn off the news
We've all heard the classic tip of avoiding distractions whilst working and usually this means all social media, TV, and other entertainment. However, during Covid, we find ourselves so overwhelmed with news updates, reports, and government broadcasts, that even if it feels necessary and informative, it can actually be a huge distraction. Make sure you turn off the notifications for the Apple news app or any other news apps and try to avoid listening to the radio that includes news bulletins or having the news on in the background. Not only is it often detrimental to our wellbeing to constantly hear the harrowing statistics, but it doesn't help us stay motivated to focus on other things! Try and keep your news checking to a minimum, just as you would with social media.
4) Try to study with others
In a world where social contact is essentially banned and most in-person study is cancelled, it can be really motivating and extremely beneficial to revise with someone else, either virtually or physically (if your country allows it). Living in lockdown can be really isolating and this often affects our motivation to do anything, let alone study. It can be really helpful to spend an hour or so discussing work with a friend or a small group of friends and going over things that you've found difficult. If you're able to do this, it can give your studies a boost and you'll find you've done a lot of work without it seeming like a chore.
5) Don't put too much pressure on yourself
Lastly, don't put too much pressure on yourself or have too high an expectation of what you should be doing each day. We are in a full-on pandemic, which is something most of us have never experienced before (and probably don't ever want to experience again!). It can be seriously damaging to expect yourself to work at full capacity for 12 hours every day or to even work at the same pace as you were doing so before this all started. Relax, set reasonable, achievable targets, and just do as much as you can. No-one can criticise you for doing your best!
With the pandemic still quite far from being over, it's more important than ever that we get into good habits as early as possible. Life is still pushing ahead and this means we have to go with the flow as much as we can. The light is definitely at the end of the tunnel and the more we learn now, the better we will be when we come out of it all. Best of luck to everyone taking exams or having to study for something- you can all do it!
Image: College Parent Central
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