This post is all about a guide for online students.

I – for one – know what it means to have the freedom of online learning can be a lot more difficult than it seems. Sure, the great freedom from a strict schedule is amazing but with that “great freedom” also comes the constant fighting off the urge to put everything off until the next time. But when is “next time” going to be? Who knows.

Switching to online learning isn’t easy because it’s a totally new way of studying, minus the structure and social pressure of physical classrooms – which is great, but also not (?).

So, today we’ll look into

1. Find a study buddy (who won’t ghost you)
2. Let technology work for you, not the other way around
3. How to commit to your studies
4. Rewarding yourself (WITHOUT sabotaging your progress)
5. The secret of how to make it work

for more, visit my Pinterest @lifewthvee

1. Find a Study Buddy (Who Won’t Ghost You)

Studying on its own it’s already difficult. You – and your brain – need someone else, yes, for motivation but also for those moments when you’re about to say “f***k it” on an important paper at 1 AM.

And here is the key about finding an accountability partner: Don’t just pick your best friend.

Choose someone who:

• Keeps you committed to the tasks – like, “going to text you at 7 AM asking where you are when you’re late for your study session” committed type.
• Someone who’s not afraid to tell you when you’re slacking off
• Understands what “overwhelming” means

They don’t need to be perfect – you can both just sit there in silence, working on different things, and that’s okay.

2. Let Technology Work For You, Not the Other Way Around

The greatest paradox for an online student is that our phone and laptop are probably our biggest enemies right now, IF used the wrong way. Here’s what actually works:

• Forest app for blocking distractions (those little trees dying when you check Instagram really hits different)
• Trello or Asana for when your brain feels like a tornado of deadlines
• Habitica (to make studying feel less like torture and more fun)

The key is to master only one app before you try anything else. Your productivity system shouldn’t be perfect, it only needs to work for you.

3. How to Commit to Your Online Studies

The hard part of online learning is how easy it is to postpone tasks and assignments. If you want to succeed in your studies, accountability shouldn’t be optional for you. That’s why you need to create commitments that force you to be visible, to let others witness your journey.

• Join study groups and DON’T skip them
• Post your goals somewhere public
• Tell your family or roommates about your study schedule

4. Rewarding Yourself (Without Sabotaging Your Online Progress)

You need rewards that actually matter to you, not just what someone else says should motivate you. BUT you need to work for them. This means that you don’t reward yourself just because you managed to open your laptop, but because you actually finished an entire lecture without distracting yourself with social media.

Your reward system should be something like this:

• Small rewards for daily goals (maybe it’s 30 minutes of guilt-free Netflix)
• Bigger rewards for major achievements (finishing that brutal project deserves something special)
• Reward yourself, but nothing that undermines your progress (because a three-day gaming marathon probably isn’t the best idea)

5. The Secret of How to Make it Work

Here’s the truth: you’re going to make mistakes. There will be times your system won’t work and there will be days you’ll want to quit.

But that’s part of the process, because the reality is that you don’t need to be perfect – you need to be resilient. How to do it? Pick one strategy, try it for a week and tweak it as much as you need to adjust it to your needs.

Creating a system that works for you is like the soreness you feel after a good workout. It means, you’re doing it right because it won’t feel good at first because you’re basically learning to be your own teacher.

for more, visit my Pinterest @lifewthvee

The Bottom Line

Remember, if it was easy everyone would have a degree. But you’re not everyone. You’re here because you want to create a better future for yourself. Real work will make you want to quit sometimes, but if you really want it you know you won’t quit, and you’ll be able to create a study system that works for you – not just for the person you wish you were.

Here’s also a post about 10 Simple Ways To Study Everyday (without burnout) that might peak your interest.

This post was all about a guide for online students.