It is easy to get distracted or be unmotivated. At first, being at home gave me more reason to put work off to the side. It wasn’t until I developed a good routine and limited my distractions that I have seen my work progress.
My biggest challenge was distractions. For example, sometimes I had my TV on during Zoom lectures. I would gaze off during lessons, or I would scroll through social media and I knew I wasn’t going to get caught because my professors couldn’t see me. It took me some time to overcome this challenge, but I found solutions that helped me stay focused.
I started by making a dedicated workspace in the den at my house. This way, there was no TV or my comfy bed. I also put my phone in a different room until my class is over so I am not constantly opening apps or texting friends. I put my class schedule on my fridge so my family knows not to interrupt during these hours. I then developed a routine: when I finish a class, I go for a quick walk with my dog to stretch, have a snack, and then get back on my laptop for homework or my next class. These small breaks between hours of sitting in front of a computer have been the most helpful thing for me.
My advice to other students struggling with remote learning is to make sure to take breaks in between work so you do not exhaust yourself too early. Having a dedicated workspace makes a big difference in how efficient you can be with your classes, too. Lastly, building a routine is important. This way, you stay on track with work and maintain good habits.
There have even been benefits to remote learning. I save gas and mileage not having to drive to campus, and I save time not having to find parking or walking to classrooms. I can use this extra time to study, or sleep in an extra hour. I also get to see my family more. Before we shifted to online learning, I would only see my brother and dad for one to two hours a day, because we were all on different work schedules and I was in school most of the day. Lately, we have been able to have dinner together more often. Even though these are tough times, I appreciate the extra time I get to spend with my family.
Only time will tell when we can get back to in person classes, but until then, we must stay positive and motivate ourselves to continue learning.
