Being efficient in studies is a challenge for many people, including those who do not know very well how to study at a distance. Although some have a greater facility to absorb new content, many face great difficulties in achieving good results.
Regardless of your field, and whether you are a digital nomad, a worker, or a full-time freelancer, we know that seeking the best performance is not an easy task. But having good internet providers and organized space can help a lot.
What happens is that this depends on several factors, even more so when we talk about distance learning students, who normally have other activities throughout the day. What to do to reconcile all the commitments and do well in your studies?
If you identify with this reality, you can rest assured! We have prepared a list of practical tips to improve your performance by studying at a distance. Keep reading with us!
1. Be Organized
Being organized is essential for the process of adapting the routine about the studies of a distance course. Each student must find ways to organize their days, weeks, and months if they want to be more productive. First of all, it is worth writing down all the tasks to understand how the course activities can be fitted into the agenda. Finding that time for studies is the most important part of structuring a new routine.
This can be done in several ways, whether using a task manager, calendar, a spreadsheet, or even a sheet of paper. The ideal is that it is the way that pleases you the most and that it helps you to fulfill your obligations. Another tip is to keep this note in an easily accessible place for you to consult whenever you need to.
2. Create a Priority List
Since we talked about organization in the previous topic, it’s worth complementing this topic with a trick that can effectively help you to be more organized: creating a priority list. The fact is that it is not enough to list what needs to be done, it is necessary to understand which obligations are most important and most urgent.
In this way, it will be possible to identify what should be carried out with a certain priority and what can be left for later – taking care to avoid procrastinating what is not so immediate. There is no ready-made formula for creating a list like this, as each person can have very different priorities. This is personal learning and should be encouraged, especially to facilitate the routine.
The best way is for you to start by organizing your list the way you see fit and, over time, verify that the method is working. If not, make adjustments until you find the ideal model and feel that you are managing to fulfill your tasks productively.
3. Focus and Discipline
Having focus and discipline also helps to improve performance when studying at a distance. Since distance education does not require the physical presence of the student, it is often easy to get lost and try to leave everything for later. Because of this, exercising your determination is very important to perform well in the course. There’s no escaping your commitments unless you give up and drop out of school—that’s not the intention, right?
So, start to identify everything that takes your attention in everyday life to overcome this challenge. For example, if the internet and social media take up a lot of your time, set time limits to mess around with it. If studying with a lot of people around isn’t working out, find a better place to do more.
These small attitudes and adjustments to your routine will make a big difference in the end. With an organized schedule and more focus on what matters, your productivity will surely be much greater.
4. Create a Study Schedule
An infallible tip to organize your routine is to have a very realistic schedule for your days, which includes both the academic part and your other tasks. This is a tactic that does not work only for those who do not intend to comply with the plan.
Divide the study time for each subject, setting aside a period to attend classes and do the exercises. If possible, try to book a fixed time to study, as if you have a class scheduled. This contributes to conditioning the body and mind.
5. Avoid Missing Deadlines
The study at distance requires meeting deadlines. Respecting them is paramount to preventing your time from being wasted. After all, this is one of the most valuable assets for those who have a busy routine and need to reconcile their studies with other activities.
Always leaving things for later is an evil that should be avoided as much as possible, because having a lot of accumulated tasks only brings despair, fatigue, and other damages. So, try to keep the dates in mind (or in your schedule) so you can meet all deadlines.
6. Escape From Distractions
Another effective tip to improve focus and performance in studies is to seek to escape any possibility of distraction. We know that no one is made of iron, and the temptation to do other things exists at all times.
Cell phone notifications, your favorite music playing or a television on in the background can wipe out all your power of concentration. When you are not focused, even a bird passing by the window can divert your attention. At these times, remember that you have a greater goal and that nothing should take you away from it. Realize what your biggest sources of alienation are and run away from them as soon as possible!
7. Set Goals and Targets
A great way to accomplish what must be studied in the course to have a good performance is to create goals. When we don’t set a clear goal, it becomes more difficult to organize for everyday tasks. In turn, when you know where you want to go and the goals are set, this helps to maintain focus and establish what actions are necessary to reach the target.
The big thing is not just considering the bigger goals, like finishing the course and securing the diploma. To reach this achievement, there are other small steps, right? It’s like dividing a ladder into steps and, thus, climbing progressively.
This division into smaller goals also serves to have more motivation. Doesn’t looking at a huge ladder seem more challenging than thinking about each step? The logic is exactly that, so set short, medium, and long-term goals. So, celebrate the fulfillment of each of them and gain the strength to move forward!
8. Have an Appropriate Place For Studies
There is no point in having the intention of studying if there is not an appropriate place for it to be done. It may seem silly, but this is a decisive point for your concentration, which naturally results in more effective learning. Look for a quiet, well-lit place that favors your body posture and allows you to focus on your studies. In addition, having a fixed location will help condition your brain to understand when to study and absorb content.
9. Avoid Too Much Comfort
Following the same idea of finding an appropriate place for studies, another crucial tip for those studying at a distance is to avoid excessive comfort. What does that mean? Just because you’re not in the classroom doesn’t mean you should study lying in bed or leaning on the couch. At first, these alternatives seem very pleasant, but they won’t do anything for your productivity. It is better to have a table to support the study materials and to sit in a suitable chair to favor attention.
10. Create Motivation Mechanisms
Having the motivation to study is also important to have a good income studying at a distance. Of course, not every day you will be so determined to do this, so you need to create strategies and mechanisms to stimulate your spirits.
In that sense, use your creativity as much as you can. You can mix easier and more difficult content, mix studying a more theoretical subject with a more practical one, and create rewards for yourself when a study is completed — an outing with friends or a longer break, for example. example.
What matters is not failing to fulfill your goals for lack of willingness – which is a common situation, but one that needs to be overcome. Are you looking forward to finishing your favorite series? Use this as an incentive, set a deadline to complete all your tasks, and enjoy your free time!
Adaptations are Up to You!
You could see that opportunities to improve your performance by studying at a distance are not lacking, right? Now it’s up to you! Apply these practices in your daily life and start to notice the effects.
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