Creating a classroom at home and working on your own instead of with classmates can be challenging. We understand that its easy to get distracted and find something so much more appealing to do, so, we got our thinking caps on to come up with some top tips to help you concentrate and nail the school day, even when you're studying in your bedroom!
Create a workstation
Create a designated area that is for working only, so that when you sit down to study, you're in the right frame of mind. Ensure that your workstation area has minimal distractions, so don't set up near a TV, leave your phone in another room and disable any chat groups that are set-up on your laptop. Study time is for studying only and will make break time even more satisfying.
Variety is vital
Try to vary your day. Having to sit and write a series of essays with no break or change of activity is a tall order. If you've got a list of things to do, plan and structure your day and ensure that the different activities are staggered and mixed, that your brain gets to think about different things as the day goes along. Maybe start with writing, then try a bit of maths or science, followed by art to keep it interesting, and don't forget to take breaks...
Stock up on stationery
Nothing makes us want to get scribbling more than a new notebook and pen. If you're lacking inspiration, why not treat yourself to some brilliant new stationery, so you can fill fresh new pages with your notes, thoughts, mind-maps, doodles and diagrams. STABILO pointMax writing pens are perfect for bringing colour and creativity to you notes and doodles as they're available in 24 vibrant colours.
Have a break
Take regular breaks to give your brain a rest. It will be much easier to concentrate for your study periods if you know you've got a break to look forward to when you can message your friends. Perhaps you could time these with your friends' schedules too, so that you all have an agreed time to chat. You'll be less likely to distract each other and won't be worried that you're missing out.
Colour me happy
When it comes to note-taking, keep it colourful! It makes your work more interesting to look at and will actually help with retention, so that the information stays in your brain and is ready when it comes to tests and exams. Research has found that writing in colour helps us retain 50-80% more information than standard black or blue.
Use your imagination
Bring subjects to life by thinking of them creatively. This is particularly useful for subjects like History or English. Put a fantastical spin on things and turn History into an epic story, with historical figures as heroes or villains doing dastardly deeds or heroic rescues. Think "Horrible Histories", but with a secondary school spin
Getting classwork done from home is a new challenge for all of us, but with a bit of dedication, and by taking a few sensible steps, it shouldn't be so hard. And if you concentrate and get your work out of the way, you'll enjoy your downtime even more!
Good luck and stay well everyone!