Sonoran Desert Institute knows better than most: Studying from home can be hard.
SDI, as an online school specific to the firearms industry, is loaded with students who study outside of the physical classroom. However, some students may be faced with new challenges, whether it’s having to deal with roommates or family members suddenly operating from home, or even being obligated to take on both your schoolwork and occupation from home given the current pandemic.
Working from home and studying at home share a lot of keys to success, and we’re going to share them with you.
This list presented below is an amalgamation of two lists from Oxford Learning, both of which provide valuable insight into turning a portion of your home into a viable work space.
1. Don’t be Passive With Your Studying
It’s easy to think, “Hey, I’m going to start poking at X work or study project, and see what I can chip away.”
That’s a great way to prepare to fail.
Be aggressive with your studying. Put your mind into a state where it’s looking to answer project-related questions before you hit the ground.
Oxford Learning’s questions look something like this:
Questions to ask yourself before you study:
- What am I about to learn?
- What do I already know about this subject?
Questions to ask yourself while you study:
- How does this information fit into a bigger picture?
- Do I understand what I have just read?
- Can I paraphrase it?
- Are there any key words or ideas that I need to write down? Why are these words and ideas important?
Questions to ask yourself after you study:
- What can I take away from this study session?
- What do I need to review or learn next time?
2. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Period. Set a bedtime. Set an alarm for the morning. You can’t study at your best when half of your mind is screaming for a nap. This means planning your days, which brings us to points three and four.
3. Know Thyself
Seriously. Know how you work and when you work best. If you’re a night owl or a morning person, take note of that. That knowledge will be invaluable when you:
4. Create a Timetable
If you have a mountain of work to do and no established game plan, there’s a decent chance that mountain will look unbeatable. Plan your segments of work out. Plan in breaks – don’t be too hard on yourself. Plan mealtimes. Use your knowledge of when your brain is at its best to craft a schedule that’s right for you!
5. Have a Designated Study Area
Pick a spot. Stick to that spot. Your mind likes routine, and if you have a spot that’s used for studying (and primarily studying), your brain is going to switch gears with you as you settle into the physical location to get work done. Try to avoid your bed or a location where distractions are handy.
6. Stay Off Social Media
Easy, right? Not so much. But it’s important, as Oxford Learning notes. Stay offline outside of your course of study.
7. Don’t Study to Remember, Study to Understand
Connect what you know to other things you know – see how your material fits into a bigger picture! If you study to answer your own questions, as mentioned in the first tip, study will be not only longer lasting, but more satisfying!
8. Learn From Your Mistakes
Working from home, whether it’s professional or academic, isn’t something humans are innately capable of doing. It’s hard work! Understand that mistakes will be made. Make the choice to embrace them and move forward from them a better person.
What do you think about this tip list? Please share this on Facebook and Twitter and let us know!
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