The coronavirus pandemic brought a lot of stress and sadness with it, but it also taught us a lot of things. We found out, by force, that we can do at home the things that we do at the office or at school. Professionals have started working from their living rooms and kids have started ”going to class” from their bedrooms. But, although many professionals are happy with working from home, a lot of young people complained that they do not know how to study effectively at home.
This is usually because older, more mature people have the required discipline to stay focused on what they need to accomplish and not get sidelined by distractions such as Netflix or Youtube. With younger people, this discipline exists, but it is rare. Some have it. Most don’t. And this is not a problem. Because having discipline is a skill. And you get this skill by learning how to study effectively at home.
At Atlantic London, we meet with a lot of young people. We asked them how they do it, how they study at home. After gathering all of their answers, we noticed that there are two main directions. The first one calls for following certain steps that will help get you the army-type discipline that you need in order to study effectively at home. The second one is a method one student called “discipline without having discipline”. We totally agreed with his description so we are going to use it for our article. But let’s talk some more about this two main directions.
Learning how to study effectively at home like a marine
Like a marine or like any other member of a branch of the military. This is not that important. What’s important is that you, the student, get the required mindset to be able to study effectively at home. But what if you do not have discipline. How do you get into that mindset then?
It is easy. There are some steps that you can take to teach yourself to be disciplined. If you follow these steps, you will learn how to study effectively at home. In fact, you will probably learn how to do anything effectively, at home or anywhere else for that matter.
Step 1: Set up a study/work space
This first step is one of the most important. If you need to study, then you need a good study space inside your home. What does this mean? Well, you need to get a good desk and a good chair. Not necessarily a comfortable chair. You don’t want to fall asleep. A good, supportive chair, placed near a window, so that you get a lot of natural light.
Additionally, try to keep your study space clean and organised. This will help you focus.
Step 2: Establish a routine
You have to find a routine which works for you. If you study better in the morning, create your schedule around this. If you know that you can study at full focus for one hour, do that and then take a break. What’s important is that it works for you. This is very important. You and only you can create this routine. So don’t even think about borrowing from anyone else.
Step 3: Establish a study plan
This is an extra step which will help you learn how to study effectively at home. Some need it, some don’t. With a plan, you can add goals. You break down your objective into several smaller objectives and try to take care of each one. Reaching these smaller goals will boost your morale and help you stay positive while doing something that you might not really like.
Step 4: Do not work from your bed
This is maybe not a step, but a piece of advice. If you want to learn how to study effectively at home, you should know that you can’t do it from your bed. It might be more comfortable, you might like it more, but it won’t help. It will never help. Once your head hits that pillow, you can be sure that all your focus will go out the window.
Step 5: Keep in touch with your colleagues
This final step might be a little bit more difficult. You study well in school because you have your colleagues with you. And you might not believe it, but having a community around you helps. You can ask people for clarifications, you can exchange ideas and you will also be able to stay focused.
Step 6: Don’t be afraid to take a step back every once in a while
Sometimes it helps to take a step back. If you’re stuck, if you feel that there is something holding you back, stop. Take a step back and try to look at the bigger picture. Maybe you need a break. Maybe you need some fresh air. Sometimes, disconnecting is the key. It will help you get over that hurdle and back on track to studying.
The “discipline without having discipline” method
The “discipline without having discipline” method is really simple. It calls for you to take online courses. That is it.
With online courses, you can study when you want, for how long you want. And, if you have any difficulties in understanding a topic, you can always rewatch the course whenever you have time.
Online courses come with a lot of advantages. Flexibility is the biggest of them. If you have a difficult schedule, they are perfect for you, as they allow you to study whenever you want, wherever you want. And, as they come in video format, there is no easier way to help you study. If you want to learn how to study effectively at home, this is one of the best ways to do it.
