Organize Your Learning Space

Being organized is a crucial component of being a successful online learner. A well-organized study area can help you focus on your work and ultimately impact your success in the program.

Here Are Several Tips to Set Up Your Learning Space

1. Remove all distractions from your study area: This includes your phone, games, apps, clutter on your desk, junk food, or even other people not involved in your learning. By the way, there are different apps that will lock your social media browsers for a set period of time to let you focus on your task!
2. Prepare ahead for your study time: find notebooks, text books, recording devices, or any other tools that could be helpful for your immediate task. Looking for items will often take more time than the project itself.
3. Experiment with lighting: Do you work better when it is bright in your room? Or do you prefer more subdued lighting? If you are not sure, try out different options and use the one that helps you focus.
4. Adjust your study space to the ideal temperature: Did you know that on average productivity is at its highest if your room temperature is set between 71°F and 72°F? Below or above that range, errors increase. That is why if you can control a thermostat, do that!
5. Add white noise, if possible: Current research shows that white noise (where the specific source of noise is unclear - just imagine a quiet coffee shop with some people talking, clutter of cups, jazz music playing in the background, and rain drops hitting the window) resulted in better learning and performance, including attention on a task, accuracy, speed, enhanced creativity and even lower stress levels. Next time, when you are ready to study, go to a music channel or website with ambient noise and see if it helps you focus!

Other Places Where You Can Study

• CCRI Libraries
• Academic Computer Labs
• The Great Hall in Knight
• The Atrium in Liston and Newport
• The cafeteria in Lincoln
• The various couches and chairs around each campus
• Your local library
• Coffee shops

Next, we will look at tip for Managing Time.