Schooling from home: Tips to get you through the day

And just like that, thousands of students are now 'online students' thanks to COVID-19. While we’ve all been here before, we might have forgotten how to stay productive while schooling from home.

To help you through the next few weeks, here are a few of our best e-learning study tips:

1. Wake up at the same time every day

Let’s start at the very beginning of your day with an easy first tip: wake up at the same time every day, just as you would if you’re getting up to go to school. Yes, this means setting your alarm and following a very similar morning routine that you would usually follow!

By having a time you need to wake up, you’re more inclined to go to bed at a normal hour, which means you’ll get enough sleep and be ready for the day ahead 💪

2. Get dressed

While your school may not require you to put your uniform on, getting dressed each day before school is important. Changing out of your pyjamas and into some normal clothes will help you to resume your normal routine, stay productive and focused. It’s important to shift your mindset from relaxing to getting things done, and what you’re wearing can go a long way to helping achieve this.

3. Sit at a desk

Okay, we admit, staying in bed all day does sound like a dream. But in reality – it’s your worst nightmare. Falling asleep in the middle of doing school work is only going to set you back 😴

To avoid this, make sure you’re sitting at a desk or table. This way, you can have your textbooks out, your laptop open, have all your stationery and everything ready to go for class. There’s less of a chance that you’ll fall asleep during class, plus sitting in a chair allows you to keep a good posture rather than slouching in bed and ruining your back.

4. Take your recess and lunch breaks

It’s so important that you take your breaks and take them properly. When it’s ‘recess’ stop and have a snack, get up from your desk and move around. Same goes with ‘lunch’. Stop what you’re doing and have a proper break. This is a good time to eat, get outside, take a walk, sit in the sun and take a break from looking at your computer screen.

It’s important to take these breaks to ensure you stay motivated and productive for the rest of the day. Plus snacks... 🥪

5. Take an after school break

Just as you would take a break after school ends on a normal day, catching the bus home or spending time with your friends (pre-COVID), it’s important to take some time for yourself before getting into your homework. You may not have to travel anywhere besides from your desk to the TV room, but that shouldn’t stop you from having a proper afternoon break.

Close your computers and textbooks, and walk away from the school day. Use this time to exercise, have something to eat, or even do something as mindless as watching some Netflix. Then, when you’re ready, you can sit back down and do your homework. For more advice on how to go about your after school routine, check this out.

That being said, if you’re the type of person who feels like they can continue going and are on a roll from class then by all means, continue studying! Just be sure to take your break at some point in the afternoon. It’s important for your mental health to walk away from your desk sometimes 💆

6. Get some physical activity in

Now more than ever, fitting in physical activity is going to make a huge difference not only to your physical health but to your mental health and your ability to get through the next few weeks.

Even though your regular school sports might be cancelled, it doesn’t mean you should give up on exercising altogether. You can take it easy by going for a walk or run, or trying something different! There are hundreds of apps that you can follow that have at-home yoga classes, pilates, F45 workouts, strengthening workouts, HIIT training and more 💪

7. Have some ‘me’ time

Last but definitely not least, switch off for the day and have some ‘me’ time. Everyone has their own way of doing this, whether it be putting on a movie or TV show, doing a puzzle, reading a book or listening to your favourite podcast. Take some time to do this. Just because you’re home all the time now, doesn’t mean you have to use your free time to study, that’s not how this works. Take some time out!

Remember

This is confusing for all of us. Online school is a shock to the system for some, and it’s going to take time to adjust again. Just remember, it’s important that you treat your online school days as regular school days so that you maintain some routine and structure. Not only will this help you with your school work, but it will also keep you sane and will stop you from going stir crazy.

You can find some more helpful tips on our Instagram or follow us on TikTok. See you there 👋