So many people today are making a big transition. They are going from traditional learning to learning at home. Now, this may not seem like a big deal. In fact, some even might assume studying at home would be easier than traditional learning. Well, for some it might be, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t some with its own set of challenges that make it just as challenging as traditional learning. Personally, I was home schooled, and had to learn how to be self motivated and how to get the most out of my time. And I today I want to share exactly how I did that.
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The Steps for Learning at Home Successfully
When looking at how to be successful, we first need to look at the challenges of learning at home. Two of the most common obstacles are, distractions in the home, and lack of motivation. So how can we combat these challenges? I’ve created a small list to help answer that question. And in this blog post I’ll go over each step in more detail.
- Pick a study spot
- Create a study plan
- Make a study routine
- Be realistic
Picking a Study Spot
When starting on the road to successful home learning, we need to look at the study spot. Where do you do your best thinking? Where can you see yourself spending an extended period of time without getting too antsy or distracted? This spot can be anywhere in your home, outside, or even an entirely different building.
My study spots changed as I grew up home schooling. I started at the dining room table where I could have all of my school books within reach and have minimal distractions. Then I moved to the living room where I could comfortably spend hours at a time writing papers and trying to make heads or tails of why math all of a sudden had letters in it. I finally ended in my room where, depending on the day, I sat at my desk with my books neatly organized, or I sprawled everything out on my couch for a late night mass study session.
Create a Study Plan
Plan plan plan. Even if its only a starting point with a goal, having a rough idea of where you are and where you want to be, can be the final oomph to help motivate you to complete your work. How many classes do you have? How much time do you usually spend in each class? What time of the day is your brain most inclined to like that particular subject?
All thought out my school years, my mom and I sat down, and started the year by looking at the classes I had and writing them down in a planner. Each lesson in a day slot allowed me to see exactly what I needed to get done on that particular day, and looking forward on the planner helped me to see that by following that schedule, I would be able to finish the school year early. Having more time to do what I wanted instead of what the school wanted activated my inner rebel and motivated me to stick to my schedule.
Making a Study Routine
Now, you might be wondering what the difference is between making a plan or a routine. Really, the biggest difference is action on your part. It’s one thing to write down your plans and have them color coded to each day of the week. And it’s another thing to actually follow that plan, and accomplish what you set out to do. The easiest way to do this, is to create a routine.
When I was little, my mom would wake me up at the same time every morning, put some food in me, and have me sit at the table for school. Then I would work my butt off to get the work done for the day before lunch so I could binge watch whatever was on TV. Really, my biggest motivators were getting to watch TV or getting a sound nights sleep knowing I didn’t have overdue assignments to work on in the morning. And because I had the motivation mixed with routine and planning, I was able to be a successful home schooler. But there is one danger that cannot go unsaid.
Being Realistic
It is so easy to push yourself to get extra work done and pull all nighters to have that one extra day of schooless play. But there is a danger in thinking that way. This kind of thinking can easily lead to burnout, and cause your grades to drop, like flies. So, how can it be avoided?
Be realistic with your ambitions, and be kind to yourself. There were so many time I procrastinated and pushed myself to the limits getting work done and nearly making myself sick in the process. By honestly looking at my goals, and being honest with myself about what I could reasonably get done in a week, I was able to avoid burnout, and successfully finish school without premature stress balding.
That’s it!
Learning from home can be an amazing experience, if you are organized with your time, and honest about what your abilities are. Keeping in mind your goals and motivations are also great ways of staying ahead of the game, and getting through whatever kind of home learning you are doing.
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