Scofield Study Bible KJV1917

How to stay motivated and find time for online studying?

If there’s one thing many doing online courses struggle with is motivation and distraction. It seems like there’s always a reason not to study.. be it a busy schedule in your private life, busy job, church matters.. how can you stay motivated? Especially if it’s a program that will take multiple years to finish?

Here are some tips from personal experience!

  1. Make a plan. Set a time every day to study or reserve a fixed day.. Use a calendar or phone reminder.
  2. Make sure people arond you know you are studying. Especially if you have a family there are many distractions. When I started a long-term study (BA in Information Management) a few years ago, I informed my family of my goals and let them know on which evenings and days I was going to study. So they knew they could not disturb me (“unless the house is on fire”).
  3. Set small goals. Finish one lesson or one topic each time. Don’t try to rush it. Baby steps is key here! Or, as we say in the Netherlands: “Rome wasn’t build in one day!”.
  4. Prepare yourself. Especially when studying God’s Word. seek the Lord in prayer before you start and ask for His blessing as you read or listen to the lessons.
  5. Take breaks. Study for 25–30 minutes, then rest for 5 minutes. Also known as the “Pomodoro Technique” (it really works!)
  6. Find a quiet place. Choose a place with no noise or people. Make sure there are no distractions. Put your phone in another room! Turn off radio or TV!
  7. Think about why you study – for a job, a dream, your future, to gain more knowledge for yourself or to share with others?

Last but not least: stick to the plan. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t succeed for a while. You can always start over! No one, especially if you study online, will hold anything against you.

IFEBS Staff
Author: IFEBS Staff

Chairman Yarah Ministries, Webmaster IFEBS.