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!
- Make a plan. Set a time every day to study or reserve a fixed day.. Use a calendar or phone reminder.
- 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”).
- 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!”.
- 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.
- Take breaks. Study for 25–30 minutes, then rest for 5 minutes. Also known as the “Pomodoro Technique” (it really works!)
- 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!
- 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.