Whether you’re in school, or you have children of school age at home, it’s great to have a place in your home for focused study. With some parents also working from home and rooms already serving multiple functions, it means there isn’t always a dedicated space for students to work. Here are some tips to give your at-home study space a boost.

Designate a Space

Routine is one of the things that can increase success in school, and creating a similar structure at home can be of equal benefit. This often starts with designating a specific space solely for study. While kids might like to bounce from the living room to the kitchen table to their bedrooms, having a go-to spot for when it’s time to get focused can help give them the structure they need to succeed. Choosing an area in advance allows you to outfit it for optimal focus. If you do have children, getting them involved in creating the space can make them more interested in using it.

Remove Clutter

One thing we can do to make this space more conducive to learning and focus is to make it completely clutter-free. Something as simple as adding a few baskets or storage containers to keep things out of sight can make the area a better work/study environment. A neat and clean study space will make it much easier to pay attention.

Minimize Distractions

Distractions are probably the number-one problem with at-home study. When you’re choosing a space, do a scan for nearby distractions — is it within sight (or earshot) of a television that could get turned on during study time? Can telephone calls be easily heard? Each potential distraction might seem small, but cumulatively they can make it very difficult to get work done. Working to reduce them as best as possible will make study considerably easier and more efficient.

Think About Ergonomics

It takes some adjustment to study at home effectively. While it can be tempting for any of us to work from the couch, it doesn’t help our posture or focus to lounge with our computers on our laps all day. Set up an area where a keyboard will be at the right height and the screen at eye level. Choose an office chair that’s ergonomically designed. These things go a long way to make extended study manageable.

 

With just a few simple tweaks, we can create an at-home study space that’s optimal for getting high-quality work done in a timely manner.

 

If you’d like to talk more about setting up a successful space for studying at home, or if there’s something else I can be of assistance with, please get in touch. I’m always happy to help.