Self-care is an essential part of your studies. Taking care of your physical and mental health can help you stay productive and have a positive state of mind.
Studying online can sometimes be a little taxing. If you’re spending all day sitting at your computer, you might start feeling a little sore and overwhelmed. To avoid this happening, some self-care can go a long way.
Take breaks
Whether you’re spending time researching a project or writing up study notes after class, give yourself some time to take a break. Remember to stretch frequently and get away from your desk.
Many studies agree that the most people can maintain concentration for in one go is around 50-90 minutes. Anything more than that will likely leave you feeling frustrated and tired.
With that in mind, plan both short and long breaks throughout your day. These can be the perfect times for a treat, such as a hot drink or a quick scroll through social media. Check out the Pomodoro technique for breaking your day into manageable chunks.
Practise mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of being fully aware of yourself and your surroundings. It’s about putting aside distractions to get in touch with how we’re feeling in the moment. This technique can help to reduce stress, increase wellbeing, and boost your mental health, creativity, and memory.
Get enough sleep
A regular sleep routine can work wonders in supporting your health and wellbeing. Sleep helps to reduce stress and boost productivity, allowing you to focus on your studies.
Try to set a regular bedtime and make sure you’re tired when you get into bed. Avoid caffeine late in the day, minimise your screen time before bed, and make sure to get plenty of exercise.
Stay social
All virtual learning providers in Victora offer opportunities to engage with your peers.
Whether it’s posting questions on forums or chatting with your classmates in ‘real time’, try to make the most of opportunities to connect with your peers. You could even create a virtual study group to share learnings and work through challenges with like-minded students.
Beyond virtual learning, there are also plenty of ways you can stay in touch with friends and family, via phone, message, and video chat. Know that there is help and support out there if you need it.
Schedule 1:1s with your teacher
When studying online, it’s also important to schedule regular check-ins with your teacher and trusted people in your life.
With your teacher, you can discuss learning goals, how you’re tracking with your studies, and any challenges that you need help to work through.
With a trusted friend, parent or mentor, you can talk about your wellbeing, how you’re going with balancing your study with other commitments, and bounce ideas for how to overcome challenges.
You might consider questions such as:
- What are my learning goals this week/this term?
- How am I tracking to achieve my goals?
- Is there a topic that I don’t understand? Do I need any help from my teacher?
- What can I do tomorrow/this week/this term to set myself up for success in online learning?
- What makes me happy or brings me joy? Am I making time for these things in my day/week?
- What do I find most challenging? Are there steps I can take, or others can take, to overcome these challenges?
The content on this page has been adapted from Future Learn's How to succeed with online learning.