15 Sep Studying at home and staying motivated

(Source Deakin University website)

Studying at home without the structure of campus lessons and with distractions like social media, and television can be challenging. And once you finally start studying it can be very hard to maintain concentration. Zoe, our student representative on the TDHS Consumer Participation Committee, raised the great idea to post some motivational hints and tips on our social media to help students and we happily obliged.

How do you stay motivated when you’re studying online? What motivates us changes from person to person. Some people are motivated by the joy they find in doing particular tasks. Others are motivated by external rewards and reaching goals. Deakin University has put together some hints and tips of different things you can try if you feel you need to raise your motivation levels so you can explore what works for you and assist in:

• Understanding your study habits;
• Updating your goals;
• Reaching out.

For more information you can visit https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/deakinlife/2020/05/26/top-tips-for-staying-motivated/

Time management is one of the top ways to stay motivated and when you have competing demands on your time, even a spare half hour can become a precious commodity. If you plan your time effectively you can maximize the potential of every minute you put towards your studies.

The Pomodoro Technique seems to be an often used and recommended time management technique. It takes its name from novelty kitchen timers shaped like pomodoro tomatoes. For more information on this technique and some other time management tips, you can visit https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/deakinlife/2018/06/05/three-great-time-management-techniques/

Deakin University also offers a range of planning tools to help you effectively manage your study and your commitments. These included digital and printable weekly planners, as well as trimester and assignment planners. You can select the tool that best suit you by visiting https://www.deakin.edu.au/students/home/cloud-students/study-support/weekly-planner?_ga=2.98372572.2108409156.1599637772-945205281.1599637772

And remember, it’s also important to take some time for yourself. Go for a short walk or have virtual cup of tea with some chocolate with your friend. Try and do at least one thing a day that puts a big smile on your face.