Get yourself a thermos or insulated pitcher. Fill it with hot water. Bring a mug and a few tea bags back to your room. Now you have a day’s worth of hot tea at your fingertips.
Get away from the computer and take some pen-and-paper notes. I know it may be tempting to just stare at your screen all day, but any chance to rest your eyes is a good one.
On that note, invest in some computer glasses, or a blue light filter program for your computer. We’re all in the digital realm these days, and protecting our vision is important.
If you need to, set yourself a weird sleeping schedule. All of my classes are in the afternoon or evening, due to classmates in other time zones. I stay up til 2:00 am and sleep in until 10:00 am or later most days.
Have different clothes set aside for class. I understand the temptation to show up to that Zoom call in your pajamas, really I do. But your mind connects certain physical objects with certain activities, and it can be difficult to truly wake up when you’re giving your brain signals that it’s time to sleep.
For the same reasons, do not study in your bed. If you get sick of your desk or table, try spreading out on the floor instead.
Do not check the news before studying or class time. You will be distracted, anxious, and unable to focus. Get your own day in order first, then worry about what’s going on outside.
If you are struggling to feel productive even while you’re getting your schoolwork done, take breaks to do chores. It means you’re still getting things done, but you’re switching from mental progress to physical, tangible progress.
Go sit outside for a while. Leave your phone in the house and just sit on the front porch, or in the back garden. Being shut inside is not good for creatures like us, so we need all the sunshine and fresh air we can get.
Please, for goodness’ sake, do not compare yourself to other people. For every blogger out there proudly posting 3 pictures a day of their immaculate, artistic, detailed notes, there’s two dozen who have gotten absolutely nothing done and feel like shit because of it. Other people’s success is not your failure. We are all struggling right now, even those of us who are good at hiding it.