How to Master Online University

25th Mar 2022

Even though all legal restrictions have been relaxed now and face-to-face teaching is returning, I think virtual learning is here to stay. While there are many benefits to this hybrid mode of learning, I totally appreciate that it isn’t for everyone, so I wanted to share a few tips on how to maximise your productivity at home and get the most out of online university.

Get into a routine

When you’re studying from home it’s so easy to work late at night or from your bed or at the weekends. Structure your day into working and non-working hours, the same as you would for a 9-5 job. Start studying at a set time every day, schedule in proper breaks (and take them!) and don’t work past a certain time each evening. This helps you to switch off and relax so you’re properly re-energised for the next day.

I’d also encourage you to exploit the flexibility that online university offers and organise your working day around your other commitments. This is one of the benefits of asynchronous learning, so enjoy it. For example, I love running but much prefer to go during the day rather than in the evenings, so I get up a little earlier to do some work before I enjoy a leisurely mid-morning run.

Set up a work space

As most of us will be studying from our computers in our bedrooms, it’s important to separate your working life from your home life as much as possible.

Try and work at your desk every day (easier said than done, I know).

Optimise your work space by investing in:

A comfy chair – a bit of an investment but makes all the difference.
A desk lamp – I like the “eye-caring” ones which have variable brightness and shine directly downwards so don’t hurt your eyes.
A laptop stand – once you try one, it’s hard to use a laptop without one!

Remove distractions

There are endless distractions when working from home.

Mobile phones are probably the main distraction for us all. While using “do not disturb mode” helps, I find placing it way out of reach (ideally in another room) is the best way to prevent mindless scrolling. We tend to take the path of least resistance, so if your phone is in another room you are much less likely to get up and get it rather than reaching across your desk to check your notifications.

Establishing a proper study routine with scheduled breaks, as mentioned above, maximises productivity while working and minimises opportunities to procrastinate.

These are the changes I’ve made over the past 2 years to adjust to working from home. I hope they work as well for you as they have for me!