Tips and tricks for studying during lockdown
By: Carolina Hall-Rodriguez
Tags: Leeds University Union, Lockdown, Study, University, Exam

It’s exam season, and things are more than a little different for students this year. So, I have compiled some tips and techniques (from research as well as personal experience and that of other students) which I hope will make things easier and help you as you navigate studying in a Covid world.

Location, location, location

Cut yourself some slack: This year, you might find yourself in a less than ideal working environment — and so it’s crucial to remember that you can’t be expected to work in the same ways as usual. You may find yourself needing to take more breaks or that you are less focused than usual. Despite what we are told by this culture of constant productivity and efficiency, these things are completely normal and you shouldn’t expect yourself to be able to power on like a machine - it’s just not sustainable . I know this may be easier said than done, but it’s far more productive for you to acknowledge the changes around you and those you need to make to your working pattern than beating yourself up for not being able to continue as ‘normal’ — both for the sake of your work and your mental health.

This year, you might find yourself in a less than ideal working environment — and so it’s crucial to remember that you can’t be expected to work in the same ways as usual. You may find yourself needing to take more breaks or that you are less focused than usual. Despite what we are told by this culture of constant productivity and efficiency, these things are completely normal and you shouldn’t expect yourself to be able to power on like a machine - it’s just not sustainable . I know this may be easier said than done, but it’s far more productive for you to acknowledge the changes around you and those you need to make to your working pattern than beating yourself up for not being able to continue as ‘normal’ — both for the sake of your work and your mental health. Establish a workspace: You’ve probably read enough about creating the perfect wfh desk, and I know that for many students, these ideas just aren’t workable. So instead, I’m going to focus on the idea of the workspace — hopefully you’ll be able to apply these ideas to your own space.

You’ve probably read enough about creating the perfect wfh desk, and I know that for many students, these ideas just aren’t workable. So instead, I’m going to focus on the idea of the workspace — hopefully you’ll be able to apply these ideas to your own space. Create a boundary: Try to establish a clear difference between a working space and a non-working space. I know this may seem to contradict my last point, as not everyone has a dedicated desk, but there’s more than one way of doing this and it can be possible even if you have a mobile or multi-purpose workspace — let me explain. If, for example, you are studying at the dining table or sat on your bed, or if you have one desk that you use for work and leisure, you could keep a dedicated box or magazine file where you can effectively ‘package up your workspace’ once you’ve stopped working. That space can then be used for eating or relaxing, without reminders of your uni work. The act of putting things away and physically changing the way a space looks can be really effective in creating the illusion that it is a different space, creating clearer boundaries between work and rest. It can be tempting to leave work out so that it is easier to pick it back up in the morning, but boundaries like this can really help in allowing you to relax more and equally to focus better when the time to work does come.

Try to establish a clear difference between a working space and a non-working space. I know this may seem to contradict my last point, as not everyone has a dedicated desk, but there’s more than one way of doing this and it can be possible even if you have a mobile or multi-purpose workspace — let me explain. If, for example, you are studying at the dining table or sat on your bed, or if you have one desk that you use for work and leisure, you could keep a dedicated box or magazine file where you can effectively ‘package up your workspace’ once you’ve stopped working. That space can then be used for eating or relaxing, without reminders of your uni work. The act of putting things away and physically changing the way a space looks can be really effective in creating the illusion that it is a different space, creating clearer boundaries between work and rest. It can be tempting to leave work out so that it is easier to pick it back up in the morning, but boundaries like this can really help in allowing you to relax more and equally to focus better when the time to work does come. Don’t eat where you work!: On a related note, something which I am very guilty of is eating my lunch at my desk. If you are able to, take breaks in a different location than where you’ve been working! This might mean going to a different room, or even going for a walk outside. This can really help to break up your day so that you are able to return to your workspace feeling a little more refreshed.

Setting intentions

Try a to-do list: This one seems simple, but they can make a world of difference to your motivation and sense of accomplishment.

This one seems simple, but they can make a world of difference to your motivation and sense of accomplishment. Keep it realistic: The main thing here is to think about how long tasks generally take you, and what you can realistically get done in a given amount of time. Remember that this will look different for everyone, so don’t feel discouraged if a task takes you slightly longer than you think it should. A realistic and manageable to-do list is the best way to avoid giving yourself too many items and feeling like you haven’t done enough at the end of the day.

Getting started

Sometimes, getting started really is the hardest part, and it can be really difficult to get past that mental block . Whilst there is no one-size fits all fix for procrastination, there are a few things which I have found can help.

Start small: Start your to-do list with a low-effort task or something quick and easy, and intersperse these types of tasks throughout the list of bigger, more daunting ones. These easy wins really help with your sense of accomplishment and can motivate you to continue to get through the rest of your list. It also means that even on ‘bad’ days, you will feel as though you have got things done, even if it wasn’t everything you had hoped to do.

Start your to-do list with a low-effort task or something quick and easy, and intersperse these types of tasks throughout the list of bigger, more daunting ones. These easy wins really help with your sense of accomplishment and can motivate you to continue to get through the rest of your list. It also means that even on ‘bad’ days, you will feel as though you have got things done, even if it wasn’t everything you had hoped to do. The 15 minute trick: If you’re really struggling to motivate yourself, this tip can be used throughout the day. I personally like using it when the mid afternoon slump hits, or towards the end of the day when motivation runs low. The trick is to pick a task of any size and tell yourself ‘this will only take me 15 minutes’. It may sound silly but hear me out — when you are really lacking motivation and focus, the prospect of sitting down to work for hours is naturally going to be daunting and discouraging. But 15 minutes is a different story. Setting yourself a short, timed task can really help you get past the mental block that was preventing you from sitting down to work in the first place. You may find that once the 15 minutes are up and you’ve passed that block, you feel able to keep going with your to do list — which is fantastic! Alternatively though, you may come to the end of the fifteen minutes and find that you are very much ready to take a break and that’s okay too — in fact it might show that you prefer working in small spurts and require breaks more frequently.

Time management and… tomatoes?

The Pomodoro Technique: I first read about this method in my second semester of first year and it really challenged the way that I looked at studying. It seems like a simple concept but working in short bursts felt like such a stark difference to the three hour exams I was used to sitting, and the constant grinding culture that we are so often exposed to. You may be familiar with this method already, it’s called the Pomodoro Technique and is summarised here. Remember that this will naturally be a trial and error process at first as you figure out what you are able to do in 25 minutes, and that’s okay, it is a learning process and before long you will be able to plan out your sets and work through them really effectively.

I first read about this method in my second semester of first year and it really challenged the way that I looked at studying. It seems like a simple concept but working in short bursts felt like such a stark difference to the three hour exams I was used to sitting, and the constant grinding culture that we are so often exposed to. You may be familiar with this method already, it’s called the Pomodoro Technique and is summarised here. Remember that this will naturally be a trial and error process at first as you figure out what you are able to do in 25 minutes, and that’s okay, it is a learning process and before long you will be able to plan out your sets and work through them really effectively. The use of study timer apps can be really useful whether you are using them to do the Pomodoro Technique or not. They can be especially useful if you are someone who can be easily distracted by your phone — we’ve all been there! — as many have the function of not allowing you to use the phone whilst your study timer is running.

Be prepared

Lastly, in the unpredictable and uncertain times that we are living in, it’s important that we take advantage of the things we are able to control (whilst acknowledging that there are many things that we cannot). One of the ways in which you can do this with regards to your assessments is having provisions put in place in case something does go wrong. For example, knowing who you need to email or call in case you are struggling to hand in a piece of work or if your broadband stops working. Chances are, these things won’t happen, but it’s always good to be prepared just in case, as well as for your own peace of mind.

I hope you find some of these tips useful if you try them out. Whilst I have focused on studying techniques in this article, I would also like to give a gentle reminder that these are extraordinary times that we are living through and whilst students are being incredibly resilient, it is important that you give yourself breaks, acknowledge that it is okay to be less efficient and above all to prioritise your mental and physical health.

I wish you all the very best in your assessments and remind you that LUU is here to support you throughout. Visit LUU’s Help & Support page to access any help you might need.