5 best tips to excel at LFH

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us have been forced to learn and work from home. This has highlighted the difficulties associated with learning from home from pre-schoolers all the way through to adults. Here are five tips to help YOU get through these hard times with a bit more ease.

1. Get on Schedule

Our brains rely on predictable patterns and routines to make sense of the world around us. Without structure, we would spend more time trying to pick up on patterns rather than being able to problem solve or think abstractly. Create a schedule that provides stability, not stress.

For example, try to eat your meals at the same time, take breaks at around the same time, and try to stick to your studying schedule.

2. Don't get overwhelmed

Learning is very important, but well-being is vital to effective learning. If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, play to your strengths in order to increase self-esteem. Increased self-esteem allows for better learning with higher confidence. Promote success first, then move to more challenging material.

For example, if you feel yourself getting frustrated with your studies, switch to studying  a subject you enjoy and excel in until you feel better and ready to go tackle the more difficult material.

3. Designate a learning space

Create a space for yourself free of clutter and distractions. A decluttered space allows for a decluttered mind. Designate an area in the house that is for learning only. When you enter this space, it is with the mentality to work, learn, and be productive. Having a consistent learning area will help you get into the head space needed to learn better and faster.

4. Take breaks

Taking breaks every 60-90 min for about 20-25 minutes helps you avoid overwhelming your brain with too much information at once. Constructive breaks include light physical activity, fresh air, or a light snack. Breaks were once a chance to interact with peers, so take some time to call a friend to socialize. This will allow you to feel refreshed and prepared to go back to learning. A good way to time your breaks is to set an alarm, like a bell excusing you from class at school.

5. Avoid Distractions

In a world of social media, smart phones, and endless information on the internet, there are infinite distractions that inhibit productive and effective learning. When you enter your designated learning space, be sure to leave your phone outside the room to avoid temptations. Do your best to interact with only relevant content to learning— avoiding superfluous information acting as a distraction. This can also mean turning off laptop notifications and closing social media apps to help keep you focused. Another way to avoid distractions is to use all-in-one platforms where you can find many different tools in one place versus having to jump through several applications. For example, Zoom has everything you need for virtual classes and Upword is a home for online reading and learning.

Following these five simple tips will help you get the most out of your time studying at home. This list is meant to guide you into creating a good physical and mental space to alleviate some of the additional stresses and hardships associated with learning from home and the COVID virus.

Our robust platform at Upword offers many different tools designed to increase productivity and efficiency, making it a great tool to get you started with at-home learning.