Tired and frustrated from transitioning to online study? Keighley Bradford has some tips to help you get productive.

Transitioning from face-to-face learning to an online classroom environment can be daunting, however, once you’ve got the hang on things, you’ll find that it’s not all that scary. There are some simple tricks to help you adjust to an online-student routine, as well as endless resources to help you keep on track with your studies.

Develop a Routine
Sounds obvious, but developing a routine is essential for productivity. You need to train your mind and body to be ready to focus on what you aim to accomplish. With most of us now working and/or studying at home, it’s even more crucial to set these rules and boundaries.

Lock your classes and commitments in your diary and mark when those assessments are due. If you know you focus better after doing a particular activity (like exercise), then build your routine around that. Leave room to be flexible and remember that you don’t need to have the same routine for every day.

Make a To-Do List
Seems old-school, but ticking and crossing off each ‘measly’ task can be invigorating. Plus, that sense of accomplishment can be a motivator which helps you get on with the next task. Notice how the more detailed you are, the more likely you are to scratch it off your list quicker? Aim for small, achievable goals to help you reach that larger milestone sooner.

Daily planners and dairies work well for this, as do desk planners. If you’re like me and work across multiple devices and locations, looking into a digital platform could be beneficial. I personally recommend something like Trello.

Have Courtesy in the Zoom-Room
Alright, so this one might depend on your tutor’s virtual classroom settings/platform of choice, but as a general courtesy in a crowded [virtual] room, please keep your mic turned off unless you’re speaking. It’s appreciated, trust me. Turning off the mic reduces any background noise interference from you and your peers so that you can actually hear what the speaker is saying without straining your ears over random background noises.

Get Friendly with Your Resources
Studying from home is so much easier when you know of and how to use the resources at your fingertips. In addition to their standard resources, UON  also offers a range of @ home services for students to help you keep connected during these trying times. UON resources include:

Microsoft Office
As a UON student, you can access Microsoft Office for free via NUmail! For flexibility,  this gives you access to Office 365 for up to five devices. Nice!

Adobe Creative Cloud
For the creative UON students needing access to the Creative Cloud Suite, you can download it and use with free licensing until 31 May 2020.

EndNote
A free referencing program perk for being a UON student! While the software can be confusing at first, EndNote is actually pretty cool once you learn how to use it. Plus, on scholarly sites like ProQuest you can save heaps of time by citing resources directly to EndNote, with just a click of a button.

UON Library
Surely you know by now the wonders of NewCat saving you from a trip to campus – however, for those who love the feel of a book beneath the palm of your hand, as a UON student you can check out up to 100 books from the library!

Did you know – you can now borrow up to 100 books from our physical locations? pic.twitter.com/WM0Y64la7X

— uonlib (@uonlib) April 3, 2020

Know Your Limits
With the added stress and anxiety self-isolation and social distancing, putting our mental and physical wellbeing first is a priority. It’s okay to take a break, practice some TLC, or talk to a UON Councillor if you need it.

Feature Image: energepic.com from Pexels

NB: Remember that *most* of these tips are from personal things I do, trailed and tested by me and me alone. Some of these things might not work for you – and that’s okay! The UON community is constantly sharing new resources and tips during these trying times.