(which is not really, but getting there)
With everyone at home self isolating because of the coronavirus, working at home is a norm that seemed to only be reserved for freelancers, bloggers, and youtubers. Now, we’re all at home doing work and school in a country and economy that is seemingly falling apart.
I am in my fourth week at home doing school work, and it’s getting a little more bleak every day. However, I am trying to stay motivated to do school work, apply for scholarships, and plan for college in the fall. So, I’d like to share some of how I’ve been productive at home, and maybe it’ll help you out too.
WAKE UP BEFORE 9
To be honest, I am very guilty of not being able to do this, but I’m trying to get better at it. It’s definitely not an easy feat if you’re not a morning person and knowing that there’s nowhere you need to be doesn’t help either. Sometimes I wonder how I got up every day for school so early. However, waking up early makes sure that the day doesn’t feel like a waste and you don’t get into this mindset that you’re up for too few hours to get anything done. You still have time!
Having a scheduled video call or activity helps a lot too because you don’t want to be late to your meeting and you’ll wake up (or at least that’s how I view it as a person that hates being late to events).
MAKE A SCHEDULE FOR YOURSELF
Having a schedule has helped my productivity tenfold. One part of my daily routine is watching live webinars for AP classes that College Board has set up. I was a little upset that the AP tests were still happening, but alas they are, and I still want to be prepared for the 45 minute exams.
Knowing that I have the daily review webinars to watch at a certain time keeps me a bit in check. With the rest of my time, I put each assignment into hourly slots with breaks for other activities to keep me sane.
CHANGE OUT OF PYJAMAS
I don’t know about you, but there’s just something about wearing outside clothes (as I grew up calling them) that makes you feel productive and motivated because you had a purpose to change out of your pyjamas and a place to be. Obviously, we aren’t going anywhere, but changing into other clothes makes me work better. I feel less sluggish and less likely to want to sleep and lay in bed.
In the first few days that I did this, I thought I’d be fine in a sweatshirt and jeans, but I found that changing into a more dress-y outfit or ~fancy~ outfit, as my family called it, is lots of fun. I’ve been wearing my blazers and jean jackets to get into this mood.
EXPLORE A NEW PASSION OR HOBBY
This is the way that you stay productive in another form. In times where you are at home, there’s this expectation that you are working and moving all the time to not be labeled as incompetent or lazy. While it is important that you do some ~self-care~ and take some time for yourself, there are other ways that you can seem productive and get things done.
For me, this is because I am procrastinating some of my online homework by picking up an old hobby of mine. I got back into cross stitching and made a Baby Yoda a couple weeks ago just because I wanted to, and this is a hobby that I left behind after fourth grade.
You could also explore some new hobbies or passions. If you are into learning something new, watch a Crash Course series on YouTube and take notes. I’m starting the film production and sociology ones this week, and we can learn together!
IF YOU ARE STILL IN SCHOOL, APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
Unfortunately, my senior year was cut short with the announcement that Washington was doing remote learning for the rest of the year for K-12 schools. However, as sad as I am about missing some of the senior activities I had been looking forward to for years, I need to look forward to college. And with looking to college means being able to pay for it.
The scholarship search has doubled for me because now I have time to dedicate to writing those essays and finding good ones to apply for. Most of the ones that I get are from my school’s College and Career Center List, but there are tons of scholarship websites out there that just take a little time to scroll through. Niche, Potential Magazine, and Unigo are some pretty general options out there.
OVERALL, KEEPING BUSY
All of these activities culminate to me just keeping busy. This is the way that I am (and feel) productive with my days that just feel longer each time I wake up. Doing homework, reading, learning something new, writing, cleaning, taking a short walk around my neighborhood. Those are the things that we can all do together and spend our time.
So, I leave you asking you all to stay safe and stay home if you can.
Thanks for reading!
Don't Make Lies 