When Home Life is Crazy and You Need to Do Your School Work
Often when a household is a chaotic environment, families choose an online school as their best option to minimize the craziness. Here are some tips to manage a successful path through a disorganized environment. Online high school can be stressful even in the most structured and organized home. So these tips can be an encouragement no matter the environment.
Set Up a Designated Study Area.
Have that special place where you go when it’s time to do your school work. If possible, clear away any distractions such as video/gaming equipment, pets, small children and phones (we will come back to the phones). Basically, you’re just training yourself that when you are in this special place it’s “Go Time”! Setting these boundaries for yourself concerning people and distractions not only will make a difference with school but will teach you a valuable life lesson.
Commit to a Schedule
Now that you have a particular space, build in a time schedule for yourself. A rule of thumb is around an hour per subject per day with online. Figure out a schedule and actually make something you can see that’s a physical reminder. This act of creating your OWN schedule cements your commitment to follow it.
Start with the Goal in Mind
Take time to break down the amount of lessons you will need to finish the course based on the amount of days in the term. It’s so encouraging to think you might only have to complete a couple of lessons a day to finish a class on time. Getting behind with your classes makes it difficult to catch up.
Find a Study Buddy
This is one of the most important tips for success! Life can happen with occasional roadblocks. If you are just not understanding the assignment, it’s so nice to be able to talk it through with someone. Two people can work quicker at problem solving and the support builds confidence. Either to move on to the next assignment or communicate/email your teacher for some good options. Just don’t get stuck… keep moving forward.
Phones
They can be a huge distraction; they also can be a helpful tool. Music without words can help many students get in the zone and focus. So set your playlist and don’t touch or look at it for an hour. After an hour, get up and move around, maybe get a drink, then check your phone. After this break, set your phone up again for the next session. If an hour is too long, break it up into smaller sections. At some point. everyone has to learn how to control their use of their phones so why not start now.
We all can make excuses why we aren’t able to get things done. It is true that it’s difficult to be productive if the environment is loud physically and visually around you. Use some of these strategies so you can be successful in your chaotic world. These and other tips can be discussed with the teachers at Hope High School Online no matter where you live in Arizona. They are a phone call away and would love to answer any of your questions. The effort is worth the reward of walking across that stage with your diploma in hand.