Online classes used to be something we – or at least, most of us – never even thought about. Now, it’s suddenly the new norm. And it’s a huge change for everyone!
Some people might be thriving and living their best life, while others are barely keeping up with assignments and/or having breakdowns every week.
If you’re part of the latter group, I’ve got a little something that could help.
Oftentimes, we students become overly stressed and emotionally overwhelmed simply because we feel unproductive. Though it’s not easy to instantly become a productive person, there are small habits you can form to make the move towards that goal. One of those is to create routines!
Today, I’m going to show you what my daily routine is as an online student, along with the little things I do to keep myself organized and sane. Hopefully, you’ll walk away (click away?) with some ideas of how to maximize your day tomorrow!
My Daily Schedule
7:30 – 7:55 Wake up, wash up, get dressed…
7:55 – 8:15 Breakfast
8:15 – 8:30 Last-minute catch-up work
8:30 – 12:20 Morning online classes
12:20 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 15:00 Afternoon online classes
15:00 – 17:00 Part-time job and homework*
17:00 – 18:30 Homework
18:30 – 19:00 Dinner
19:00 – 20:00 Finish homework
20:00 Begin my night routine**
23:00 Go to bed
* My job requires little energy, so I often multitask and do my homework while working. Depending on the class and the day, I can spend anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours on each assignment. I don’t suggest creating a strict timetable for your homework, as it can vary each day and you should keep going until it is completed.
** My night routine includes exercising/stretching, showering, planning out the next day (creating a todo list), maintaining my blog, and getting ready for bed.
If you’re looking for some tips to wake up earlier in the morning, I’ve got the perfect post for you:
Of course, there are many other habits I’ve built that help me stay productive. Let’s get into them right now!
Productivity Habits
Start an assignment ASAP
As I mentioned before, this is a habit I’ve built that has helped me become productive.
As appealing as procrastinating may be, starting the assignment early is the best option here. And once you start, it’ll be easier to complete it (inertia, anyone?).
If you have trouble with procrastination, check out this post:
Work with someone
It’s important to note that you must work with the right person. Working with the wrong people could lower your productivity by a lot.
Generally, when I study in a group, I look for people who:
- Are working on the same assignment as me
- I can work with easily
- I know won’t get distracted super easily
P.S. Working in a group doesn’t mean you have to be discussing all the time. In fact, my study sessions are quiet half the time unless someone asks a discussion-worthy question.
Take breaks
Although my schedule doesn’t show it, I take plenty of breaks. And you should, too!
One popular productivity technique is the Pomodoro method, in which you focus for 25 minutes then take a 5-minute break, and repeat.
I don’t follow this rule exactly, because I find that I can stay productive for longer before needing a break. Usually, I try to complete an entire task before taking a break.
It will take a little trial-and-error before you find what works best for you. And it might vary day by day, which is okay! However, once you find that sweet spot, you’ll be crushing the productivity game.
Create schedules
Time-blocking and setting goals are great ways to maximize your productivity.
Every evening, I take the time to create a schedule for the following day. I usually do this on the default Calendar on my MacBook because it’s super easy to do so.
However, if you prefer pen-and-paper planning, I do suggest getting a high-quality planner. I don’t suggest bullet journals (they take extra time to maintain aesthetics-wise) or journals (it can be difficult to get organized on a blank slate).
If you don’t already have a planner, I highly suggest this Productivity Journal. Not only does it let you create time blocks for each day, but it also lets you prioritize tasks, set short-term and long-term goals, form habits, and more.
You could also try out the Ultimate 3-in-1 Student Planner (made by yours truly), which includes 45 pages of planning sheets, templates, checklists, and more to help you stay organized and productive.
YOU’LL LOVE THIS POST: The Ultimate Guide To Studying From Home
Study Tips
Go to class
This should be a no-brainer. If you don’t go to class, you’re missing out on a lot of possibly-important information.
It’s also one of the few opportunities where you get to ask questions directly and communicate with your teachers or classmates. I mean, I’m pretty sure that not many students enjoy sending emails to teachers to ask for help.
Study your mistakes
Whether this be mistakes you made on a test, quiz, or even just something you realized didn’t make sense during a discussion, you should take the time to review it and figure out what you did wrong.
Doing this will not only correct your misunderstanding, but it will also strengthen your knowledge.
Some teachers have test corrections for mistakes, which you should definitely use to your advantage. If your teachers don’t have those, create your own version and study what you did wrong.
Make use of extra resources
We all know how robust the Internet is these days.
Although you shouldn’t rely completely on the information you find online, they can be really helpful for validating, correcting, or strengthening what you know.
If you’re trying to learn something online, make sure to go to reliable sources. Although teachers seem really against Wikipedia, I think it’s a perfectly good resource for historical or scientific facts.
Other resources like Khan Academy, Fiveable, and educational YouTube channels can also be extremely useful. Dig around, and you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Conclusion
I hope you found what you were looking for in this post! Though online school can be challenging, there are small things you can do to make it better.
If you’re looking for more tips about online classes and productivity, check these posts out: