Online courses enable you to learn whenever and wherever. However, if you’ve already decided on an online degree, you may be wondering how to keep up with your online education while balancing work-home commitments. It is important to know how to manage your time. Here are some of the time management tips for online learners.
Contents
Time Management Tips for Online Learners
1. Set up a schedule
Once you’ve got your course, check off all the major assignments on the calendar that you check regularly to stay informed of what’s coming. From there, create a weekly schedule that focuses on everyday tasks that can get you on the right track, such as reading essential documents, contributing to class discussion forums, responding to students’ topics. other students and complete the exercise. You’ll also want some flexibility for any unexpected surprise, such as a rushing project at work or vacation planning.
Online learning requires a number of different structures. The more you integrate these tasks into your regular routine, the easier the process becomes. It can be as simple as setting aside the same hour each day to complete an assignment.
2. Create a dedicated study space
Being outside a traditional classroom can offer more flexibility, but comes with challenges. While it can be difficult to get your work done from the comfort of a couch, having a dedicated study space can be a major driver of the success of online learning.
Find a quiet place and make sure you have devices like a laptop, headphones, and a reliable internet connection to reduce the amount of time you spend on unnecessary distractions.
Setting aside space for online learning can allow you to separate professional and school life from your personal life, helping you maintain a productive mindset when it’s time for class.
3. Eliminate distractions
To maximize the time you have to focus on your studies, try to reduce distractions. While creating a dedicated workspace is a logical first step, you can take other actions.
Resist the urge to multitask whenever possible. You can easily hand out your course material in the background while you are working on something else, but it can be detrimental to your ability to learn. Research shows that multitasking can have a significant negative effect on productivity.
Simple actions like mute cell phones and turn off the television can also help.
4. Learn to say no
One of the harder time management tips to master, especially when you’re studying online, is the subtle art of saying “no”. From social invitations to supporting friends and family who may not understand what it takes to earn your online degree, it’s easy to take in too much – then have no enough time for your studies. Don’t be afraid to say no. The important people in your life will understand.
5. Avoid multitasking
If you choose to work from home, avoid multitasking. Research shows that switching between tasks can reduce productivity by 40%, so while you may think you’re getting more done, you are actually achieving less. . Study time is not the time to finish laundry, turn on the TV or tidy up the dishes piled up in the sink.
If you tend to multitask, try the Pomodoro Technique, which helps you get the job done in 25-minute intervals. The process is very simple:
- Set a timer for 25 minutes and work uninterruptedly within the allotted time
- Take a five-minute break to make coffee, go for a short walk, or check in with a friend
- Once you’ve completed these four attempts, reward yourself with 30 minutes of longer breaks
The more you focus, the sooner you start checking out your to-do list assignments.
6. Ask for help
Online students feel isolated easily. However, it’s important to remember that your professors want you to be successful. Take the initiative to ask for help. Approach for better understanding of the lecture material or to request instruction for the exercise. Since you do not meet in person every week, it is difficult for your professor to know if you need assistance, so speak up when needed; they will be grateful.
Additionally, faculty bring decades of shared industry experience into a classroom that you can use to your advantage. Introduce yourself and ask the professors how they have applied their knowledge in this area. The stronger your relationship with professors, the more likely they will introduce you to other thought leaders in their network or serve as professional references.
These are time management tips that may be useful for you when having an online course.
