As university students, we are all probably used to working from our bedrooms. However, this time may be a little different, unlike before, we no longer have the option of changing the scene and working in our uni library, or working in class, or working in our usual coffee shop, and that can be detrimental to some students work and focus.
Here are some tips on how to make the best from working from home, how to stay motivated and how to keep up morale.
Keep in touch with your tutors, friends and working groups
Email your tutors in the morning and let them know what you will be working on, send them work to approve and keep an open line of communication.
Video call your friends who are usually in your class, work on the materials together, apart. This will help you to stay focused and less lonely.
Take breaks as you normally would
Work your usual hours, don’t over or under work yourself. Act as if you are going to class and work the same amount you would have that day if you had gone into university. It’s important to not work when you usually wouldn’t i.e. lunchtime or in between classes. This will help you get a clear schedule and to not burn yourself out.
Work your normal hours
As much as you can, stick to finishing and starting work as you usually would. If you usually stop working at 5, stop. If you usually start working at 9, make sure you start working then. It’s important to have a work-life balance and doing this will help that.
Have a separate workspace and relaxing space
This means don’t work in bed. Have a place set up, whether that be a different room, your desk or your kitchen table that you go to work at. This will help your mind focus more when you are at your designated workspace, but also make it easier to relax when you have finished your days work.
Set boundaries with housemates
If you live with parents, your partner or friends, the chances are they will be working from home too. It is important that you set boundaries so you can all focus on your own work, ensure that everyone understands that during working hours, the aim is to work, not to socialise. You can all meet in a communal space i.e. the kitchen on your breaks, and that way you can communicate as if you would an office space.
Keep tidy
Keep the space around you clean, if you usually work in the library, the chances are it is always clean when you get there, and you don’t necessarily (although you should) have to tidy up after yourself. Keeping your work space clean will help you stay focused. Having a messy room could lead you to procrastinate and work on cleaning rather than your work.
Get dressed
Put on work clothes. You should get up at a reasonable time and act as if you were going to go to work. Shower, get dressed, brush your teeth etc. You don’t need to put on the exact clothes that you would wear to work, but it’s important to get out of your pajamas. This helps your mind to focus on work.
For more tips on working from home, watch this video
Featured image by Tonny Tran on Unsplash
