Staying motivated whilst working and learning from home has become increasingly difficult over the past year. We’re now in our third lockdown, and it can be hard to stay focused on your studies or workload whilst stuck in the house. Tutor House shares some tips and tricks for staying on top of your work during lockdown.  

1. Do the hardest task first ✅

Getting your worst task out the way first does wonders for productivity. It’s tempting to put off the most daunting task til the end of the day, but that’s the least helpful thing to do.

Completing a difficult task gives you a sense of accomplishment, and inspires you to get started on the next job. 

2. Get up and get active every hour 🤸🏽

Sitting at a desk or the kitchen table for hours is unnatural and bad for our bodies. Our spine is compacted and our shoulders start to ache from hours at the computer. 

In a normal school day, you’d be walking between lessons every hour, taking part in PE or moving round the classroom during lesson time. In the office, we’d normally be getting up to talk to colleagues, walking to the kitchen for a coffee and getting outside on lunch breaks. 

Make sure you get up and move your body every hour, even if only for 5 minutes. You can do some back and neck stretches, a few star jumps or take part in a little desk yoga.

3. Make your workspace welcoming 🌿🌿🌿

It can be really tricky to find a comfortable, tidy space to work in whilst at home - particularly if you’re living with young children and big families. But if you can, try to make the place where you work as welcoming as possible. 

This could be putting a green, leafy plant by your desk, tidying away the paperwork that’s been piling up for weeks or getting a comfy cushion for your desk chair. 

Small details like these help you enjoy your workspace more and promote productivity. 

4. Set realistic goals 📝

Write yourself a to-do list or schedule for the day, but don’t make it overwhelming. You want to be realistic with what you set out to achieve for the day. 

You’re unlikely to learn your entire A-Level Chemistry syllabus in a day, but you could set yourself a few topics to revise and create flashcards for. 

At the same time, it’s tempting to put overly easy things on your to-do list. Make sure the stuff on your list is actually worthwhile and is really helping you to tackle your workload.

5. Be kind to yourself 💛

Working at home during a lockdown is really hard and it’s important to remember that you’re doing the best you can in a tough situation. 

Make sure you’re fuelling your brain and body with good food, taking walks at lunchtime and having chats with your friends to break up the day. 

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