Hello My Socratica Friends! We’re here to help you be a GREAT student. And being a great
student should happen not only at school, but also when you get home. So - be honest
- when you try to study at home, do you find yourself distracted? Do you keep looking at
the TV? Your phone? If you are really serious about being a Great Student, you need to give
yourself a place where that can happen. Today we’ll talk about how to make a productive
workspace that lets you focus on your studies.
First, decide where in your home you want to study. NOT your bed. Your bed is for sleep!
Don’t let yourself muddy the waters and use a place where sometimes you work, sometimes
you relax. Ideally, this should be a special place you set aside where ALL you do is study.
It doesn’t have to be big. There just needs to be enough room for a small table and chair.
Pick something that suits your needs. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on special
office furniture. One of my friends bought a picnic table for her study space - she could
spread out her books, and even have her study group over so they could all work together.
If you can, pick a study space that’s away from obvious distractions. For instance, you
don’t want your TV to be in earshot! Do you live on a busy street? Move your desk
away from the window to the opposite wall, where it should be a little quieter.
That window, though - that can be really nice for natural light. If that’s not convenient,
consider getting a full-spectrum light. You should think about a good lighting situation
for when you study at night anyway.
If you follow the principles of Feng Shui, you will want to pick what’s called the
“Command Position.” This means - basically - face the door diagonally from the other
side of the room. You don’t want to be distracted by the idea that someone could sneak up on
you. If you face the door, you’ll be prepared to deal with anything that comes at you, including
opportunities!
Next let’s talk about how to ORGANIZE your workspace. Most people fall into two camps
- either they like their desk perfectly bare, or they want absolutely everything out where
they can see it. Which are you?
Here’s a hint - what does your computer desktop look
like? Hey, it’s okay. Don’t try to force yourself to be one or the other. Do what comes
naturally to you.
That’s not to say it’s okay to strew things around so badly that there’s no place to
sit. Or, for that matter, putting things away so quickly that you don’t know how to find
them again. The trick is to have a very deliberate way to organize yourself, both with your office
supplies, and with all your digital files.
Above all, make sure things are easy to find. We probably want to make an entire video about
staying organized, but here are FIVE quick tips to get you started:
1) Label all your papers - your class notes, your homework, your quizzes and tests.
2) Designate a separate notebook or binder for each class, and store all your papers
there.
3) Treat computer docs and other digital files the same way - they need to be very well labeled
so you can search for them.
I always put the year, then month, then day (that’s the best
way for sorting) - and then the name of the class, and then the specific subject.
4) Create folders for your digital files that are also well-labeled, so it’s really easy
to find everything.
5) You can also apply automatic LABELS to your EMAILS and then SORT them into
FOLDERS. Can you tell I like putting things away?
Even if you’re one of those people who needs to see everything - that’s no excuse for
using up every inch of your desk. Make sure to leave enough room for your computer or
laptop, a notebook, and a book. If you don’t have room for these things, you’ll find
yourself balancing things in your lap, dropping things on the floor, and hunching over your
desk.
Speaking of your posture - we need to talk about Ergonomics. Put simply, you may be hurting
your body by not placing your computer monitor, the keyboard, the mouse, etc. in the right
places. This can lead to pinched nerves and repetitive stress injuries like Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome. Your workspace should be adjusted to fit your body, not the other way around.
You should be able to extend out your arms to type or write something without straining
or bending into weird positions. And you should be able to look straight ahead at your monitor.
If any of these things are not happening naturally, it’s time to move things around. Again,
you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money to make your setup more ergonomic.
You can lift your monitor up with some bricks or some books. A lot of it is just awareness.
Take a moment before you start working, when first you sit down at your desk, to make sure
your keyboard and mouse are in the right place so you don’t have to strain or pretzel yourself
into some weird position.
Don’t forget to check your chair as well! Is it adjustable? Ideally, you should be able
to sit up straight in your chair, with your feet flat on the ground. You might have to
add a pillow.
We do care about your well-being here at Socratica. That’s why we’re making these videos free
for the world. That’s not to say they’re free to make. If you enjoy our content, you
can help us continue by supporting us on Patreon. Now let’s get back to whipping your desk
into shape. So you can get good grades. And get a good job. And then support us on Patreon.
It might be easiest if you start with a bare workspace, and then add in what you need.
The organizational expert Marie Kondo suggests you have a few categories of things to keep
at your desk: Books, Papers, Miscellaneous items, and Sentimental objects. Put these
into separate piles, and consider if you really need each of these things out on your desk.
Store everything else away, out of sight.
Which miscellaneous do-dads do you need on your desk for studying? Probably: Pencils,
Pens, Highlighters. Sticky notes. Flash cards. Get yourself a little container to keep these
organized - it doesn’t HAVE to be anything fancy, but you can treat yourself and get
a fun, decorative container if you’d like. Now you have a definite place for all of these
things at your fingertips, so you don’t have to get up and hunt around for them.
We’re not saying you should never get up from your desk. In fact, you should PLAN to
get up from your desk very regularly. Sitting immobile at your desk for hours is not good
for your health, and it’s simply impossible to stay focused on your studies for hours
at a time. That’s why one of our most important study tips is to use the Pomodoro Technique.
Basically you set a timer for 20-25 minutes, and you stay completely focused during that
time. Don’t let anything distract you. When the timer goes off, get up, stretch, and walk
around. We made a whole video about the benefits of using the Pomodoro Technique (seriously,
it’s magic). Find the links in the description below.
Another option to consider, which MIGHT be healthier, is a standing desk. Or a treadmill
desk! Honestly, we find the traditional desk just fine, with the caveat that you do have
to get up and move around regularly.
You know what you DON’T need at your desk? Your phone. Seriously, almost everyone we
know has a real problem with picking up their phone every few minutes. Put it across the
room when you study. And turn off notifications. Just because a bell rings, that doesn’t
mean you have to hop to it and answer it right away. Your phone works for YOU, not the other
way around. Put it back in its place and focus on your studies. If you really want to, you
can spend your Pomodoro breaks on your phone. But it would probably be better if you went
for a walk and rested your eyes.
Now I know that things aren’t always so easy to control. Maybe it’s not up to you
how to arrange the furniture in your house. Maybe you can’t study at home at all, and
you have to squeeze in your studies in the hours between your classes. Just try to apply
these ideas where you can. Even if you’re studying in the library instead of your own
place, think about the best place to sit and how to minimize distractions by only taking
out the tools you really need. Use a library carrel that blocks out visual distractions.
Bring earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones. Taking control of your study space - it’s
all part of being a GREAT student.
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