During the last several years, the world has changed, hit by an awful epidemic that showed us all how volatile things can be. Not only did it take its toll on our physical and mental health, but it also triggered the changes we are still getting accustomed to as a society. As a result, more and more companies and educational institutions seem to embrace technologies that let employees and students work and study remotely.

Students are especially lucky here since there are so many platforms and software now available to make studying much more interactive and interesting. More and more experts in education find various reasons to use technologies to improve studying (and there are a lot of them. You can check the top 5 here: www.systemtek.co.uk/2024/01/5-reasons-students-need-technology-in-the-classroom/).

Luckily, building your own personal home office can make the process of remote studying easy and much more comfortable than you've ever imagined.

Analyze your needs and preferences

No one knows what you need better than you. That's why, when having a chance to build a space for yourself to study, you can create a perfect place where your academic successes will thrive with all of your needs taken into account.

For example, if you need some essential oils for concentration, go for it. And if wearing something less casual than your pajamas helps you get into a studying mood, then put on your suit and button up.

Make your environment as study-friendly for you as you can. If you have trouble keeping up with schedules, why not buy a whiteboard or a handy planner so your timetable is always in front of your eyes? Besides, marking all the bullet points on the list as "completed" is such an incredible feeling!

Find a quiet place

Being constantly distracted by your pets or family members can really spoil your studying mood. That's why it's important to find a secluded area where you can be alone, far away from the turmoil going on. In case it's impossible for you to do it at home, you should seek places like cozy cafes or public libraries where you can focus on studying without being disturbed and use Wi-Fi at the same time.

Create a space to study

Pick a chill spot with minimum distractions, whether it's a cozy nook in your room, a quiet corner, or even a library hangout. Make sure your space is lit up just right, whether it's with natural sunlight or some cute fairy lights to keep your eyes comfy.

Find a comfortable chair and desk to keep your posture right, and make sure there's plenty of room for all your study essentials to spread out and get to work.

Keep your study space tidy

Whatever place you choose, it shouldn't be cluttered. Too much garbage and unnecessary things lying around in sight will only serve as distractions. Make a short list of things you can't go without during your classes (your inhaler, a bottle of water, notebook, etc.), and try to organize these items in a way that will make them easy to reach but won't create too much visual noise. Get creative with organizers and shelves to keep your study space looking fresh and clutter-free.

Keep your tabs and apps organized

Just like your desk, your digital environment should be well-prepared for productive studying, so it's better to keep your browser trash-free, as well as your desktop. Keep all those Steam and GOG icons away from your desktop, leaving only the tools and files you need for studying.

Do some thorough sorting and create separate folders for each subject. The same goes for your browser. Bookmark all the websites you need to access fast whenever you need them and stir away from entertainment platforms that can send you into a rabbit hole of interesting nonsense, making it hard to focus on your teacher's words.

This way, you can also avoid getting yourself into awkward situations. You surely don't want your teacher to catch you googling something like "write my coursework for me" or having some Buzzfeed quiz among your tabs in case you have to share your screen in the class.

Don’t get too comfy

Although studying while in bed sounds quite tempting, it's usually a bad idea. Our brain recognizes our bed as our sleeping place, and if you continuously work or study while lying in bed, at some point, you will find it difficult to fall asleep there because your usual sleeping place will no longer be marked as a place where you can relax. Your study space should be comfortable but not "I can fall asleep here and just chill" comfortable.

Life changes fast, and new technologies appear almost every day, so it's important to keep up. But fortunately for us, nature has made humans adaptable and resourceful. Hence, adjusting to new environments and ways of living is not always easy, but it's a task we can handle. Good luck!