Staying focused when there’s only you and your computer in the room is a challenge. Without social motivation and a fixed learning schedule, you can easily fall into the abyss of procrastination.
That’s why one of the most valuable remote-learning skills you can attain is time management. Effective time management will help you eliminate procrastination, cut down the learning time, and achieve your goals efficiently.
Even if you aren’t a time-management pro, this is a skill you learn and hone. The following tips will teach you how to manage your time better for distance learning.
Create a Schedule – and Stick to It!
Despite the flexibility you have at your disposal, getting some structure can be useful. If you keep improvising your learning schedule, you will end up with missed deadlines.
Create weekly learning schedules. In this way, you will have an overview of your obligations. You’ll also be able to organize your learning and delegate enough time to conquer every assignment.
However, just creating the schedule isn’t enough. You need to stick to the schedule religiously if you want it to make an effect.
Set Milestones
The final goal can be too far away to keep you motivated. With milestones, that won’t be a problem. Set bite-sized goals or milestones to make your learning plan less unreachable. As you tick off the accomplished milestones, the rush of confidence will keep you going.
Let’s say that your goal is to pass the monthly test or complete your performing arts lessons from lessons.com.au. It would be best to segment that goal into milestones such as reading every day for 15 minutes, practicing 3 times a week, having an online group study session once a week, etc. The more achievable the milestones are, the more compelled you’ll be to fulfill them.
Exploit the Online Resources
There is a plethora of useful websites and platforms that can speed up your learning process. Considering that your laptop is your faithful learning companion, these resources are within your reach at all times.
Use reputable sources that can cut your studying time. For example, when you need writing inspiration go to WritingUniverse for free writing samples on various topics. Online resources such as this one can help you finish your assignments much faster.
Eliminate Distractions
The biggest enemy of distance learning is the distractions. Your phone ringing, notifications from Instagram, DM from a friend, a family member barging in your room – all of this can ruin your concentration and prolong your learning.
Have a serious talk with your family about not disrupting you while you learn. For your digital distractions, download the app and website-blocking tools, or use the Pomodoro technique.
Get Help
If there is a task you can’t seem to get right, turn to someone for help. Hire a math tutor, get research papers help from professional writers, or get assistance from native Spanish teachers with your Spanish lessons. You can find a solution online to any learning problem.
There is no point in endlessly staring at a computer and waiting for an answer. You’ll just waste your precious time.
Accept that You Need to Say No
There will be so many tempting invitations while you are trying to learn at home. However, you can’t say “yes” to everyone and still have enough time to learn. Even if you do manage to cram it all in your schedule, you will be exhausted – and won’t be able to learn effectively.
If you want to be a time-management master, you need to start saying “no.” Just think about what’s important at this moment. Give learning a high-level position on your priorities list and dismiss anything that will affect your learning schedule.
Final Thoughts
The foundation for effective time management is built on good organization, milestone-driven motivation, and strong will-power. Apply these tips and stay true to them. It will be challenging at first, I won’t lie. But once you start noticing results, you won’t stop until you’ve reached your goal.
Merissa Moore is a content writer and editor. She turned her biggest passion – writing – into a career thanks to her insightful research and impeccable writing skills. Her curiosity and diligent research have led her to writing jobs in various industries. Merissa is consistently working on improving her skills through various seminars and courses. In her free time, she likes to hike and read.
