Students tell me that the more free time they have, and the less structure is given, the more difficult it is to plan their work and avoid procrastination. On days like this, it seems that there is plenty of time for everything, so I can postpone the important tasks for longer. The problem is that unfinished work accumulates; this causes anxiety and other unpleasant feelings. When they arise, we go to the activities that help us forget: TV series, gaming, even substance abuse. Unfortunately, this escape does not help in the long run, and the feelings come back as soon as we take a break from that.
4 tips for planning your time when working or studying at home
Some people feel much better when they have a schedule and routine. You can start planning your day by determining when will you wake up, how much time you spend having breakfast and taking a shower, how much time will you spend on studying, how long will the breaks be, when will I have lunch – and so all the way until the evening. When planning your days, it is important to foresee not only the work that should get done, but also the realistic time for relaxation and entertainment, because this is no less important.
When working and studying remotely, it is widely advised not to work in bed or another place that is dedicated for resting. Even if your home is just one room, be creative and find different spaces for rest and work: move your chair, use windowsill, shelves, etc.
When you decide to have a rest or entertain yourself, it is useful to have more activities in your mind. If you usually relax by watching videos on YouTube, try interchanging it with something else from time to time: exercising, going for a walk to a remote place, call a relative, cook something new, etc.
You need a routine not only for your activities, but also for sleeping. When there is no strict schedule, you might feel a temptation to stay in bed until noon. In this case, it would be natural to feel tired only at dawn. With such night patterns, sleep problems naturally arise. Even when getting enough hours of sleep, the person feels sleepy, tired, it is hard to start working on the important tasks. In this case, it is advised to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day. The length of your sleep should not exceed the recommended 7-9 hours (you should feel yourself, when you feel most productive). If by the end of the day you still do not feel tired, try adding more physical or mental work to your everyday routine.
How to use your time wisely?
When a person is restricted to take on the usual activities, there is more free time. The information in the media might make us more stressed, raises the obscurity and uncertainty. Naturally, people feel more anxiety and fear in such circumstances, it is more difficult to start new hobbies. Luckily, these days so many people in the world are facing the same problem, so there are thousands of tips about what to do with your free time. Listen to yourself and feel what would be best for you. Some suggestions:
- If you usually feel that there is not enough time to learn something new in your field, this is a perfect opportunity for that. It could be anything from a free online course to books that you have not read during the last semester, to podcasts about the new technologies. Start by spending at least 15 minutes at a time, and if you are interested, increase that time day by day.
- Find a training course online. Any physical activity helps with your psychological well-being as well.
- Try something creative: writing, painting, playing any instrument, making basically anything with your hands is useful for your brain.
- Do not forget your mental health. Talk more to your relatives and friends, teach your grandparents to use video calls and share your feelings with them. Start a diary. Contact a psychologist for online counseling.
- Avoid reading too much about the virus, especially if you feel a rush of anxiety after that. Filter the information you see, choose only the reliable sources, and limit your reading time to one or two short windows a day.
- The studies will continue, even if the format will change. This will add some consistency and peace to your everyday life. Starting next week, you can continue your previous routine with only some adjustments.
VGTU is offering free online psychological counseling for the students (video call or email). If you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or just want to talk about solutions to your problems, contact us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
