In recent years, many students have been able to access higher education thanks to a real possibility in this technological era: distance learning . With distance learning, there is no need to adapt your routine to attend college or even spend money on travel, for example. Flexibility and autonomy are among the main advantages of this modality.

But distance learning has its challenges. These same benefits require a good dose of commitment and responsibility on your part. After all, all it takes is a simple oversight to let the subjects pile up and not take full advantage of the classes, do you agree? Just imagine the damage to your learning (and your grades at the end of the semester)!

If you follow our tips, you will learn how to study remotely with good performance and productivity today. Is that what you want? Then continue reading carefully!

1. Before you start, do some physical exercise

So far, you may be thinking: what does one thing have to do with the other? The answer lies in the concentration and enthusiasm you gain from physical activities, which can be very well used for your studies. So, what better strategy than combining the enhancement of your routine with quality of life?

When we talk about physical exercise, it doesn’t have to be anything too elaborate or strenuous –– like weight training or running 10 km. To start, the best thing to do is to take it easy, with a light walk and activities to improve your breathing. Then, you can look for some sports or individual training to move your body more.

To ensure the benefits of the activities, a good tip is to adopt a healthy diet . Do you know why? When you sit down to check the subjects in the virtual learning environment, you won’t feel tired and have an extreme desire to drop everything and go to sleep. 

2. Tackle difficult subjects in the morning

First of all, to complement the energy you will gain from physical activities and a balanced diet, get a good night’s sleep. By getting into the habit of sleeping at least 7 hours a day, you will be able to wake up feeling more energetic and ready to study. The morning is the ideal time for this.

But if you have commitments during these times, such as work, the idea is to understand what your most productive period is in the time you have available. Separate the subjects or content that you find most difficult to dedicate yourself to during these times. This will stimulate your mind to better understand and retain this knowledge.

Many students think that studying at dawn is a good idea, especially on the eve of an exam. But remember that quality is more important than quantity. This means that it is better to dedicate 40 minutes with a lot of focus than 2 hours with a distracted mind.

3. Listen to your studies in your spare time

You know that moment when you need to go out to solve something on the street? Or you’re waiting at the doctor’s office to be seen, for example? Instead of browsing social media, you can create a study routine for that moment. Audio content is a great option and avoids a heavy backpack full of books.

The first step is to record this content. You can start by reading the available materials about them and selecting some of the most important excerpts or topics, marking them on a piece of paper or in a notepad on your computer. Then, turn on the recorder (you can even use the one on your cell phone) and start explaining what you understood.

To complement this, check if there are podcasts about your area of ​​interest – many streaming platforms are investing in this format. There may be a professional talking about the topic you are studying, with opinions on trends and challenges in the market. Imagine how interesting this learning would be!

4. Create a reward method

Do you feel like your biggest problem is being discouraged when it comes to studying? It often seems like the ultimate goal, which is a successful career, is so far away that we don’t see any results from our efforts. So, work with goals. Think about what it takes to achieve what you want: understanding each subject, taking a complementary course, getting good grades on tests, and so on.

For each goal you achieve, set yourself a reward. For example, if you pass all your classes for the semester, take a whole weekend or long holiday off on a trip or even at home. Take some time off from studying to relax your mind and catch your breath.

But it can also be something simpler, so you can better visualize the small victories. Each week with a complete study routine, allow yourself to watch a series on Sunday or visit a local park.

5. Combine activities during your study routine

Have you ever noticed that when you spend hours just reading articles and handouts about a subject, it seems harder to retain the information? There are times when the words seem to get jumbled up. To get around this problem, it is important to diversify your study activities. How do you do that? It’s simple!

Between readings, pick up some exercises to solve. Put what you read in the books to the test and practice until you actually learn the content. If you can’t find any questions on the subject on the internet, try other techniques. Some of the main ones are:

• summaries and notes;
• flash cards;
• Pomodoro method;
• mind map;
• self-explanation.

Put this idea into practice from the beginning of the semester to improve your performance. Another option that can help is to use study apps , which are useful for time management, productivity, concentration and, most importantly, organization. When you have notes and extra materials in the same place, there is no room for procrastination.

Distance learning doesn’t have to be another headache for your routine. So, always keep in mind the benefits of distance learning and how it makes a difference to your productivity. To get the most out of it, invest in organization and technology so that, in a short time, you will see positive results in your performance.