Staring at a computer screen for hours on end can be more grueling than a 2 hour, lecture hall class after lunch. The strain that it puts on your eyes, coupled with the fact that the hours that you attend your online class is at night, is a perfect recipe for taking a nap. But don’t worry, as we’ve compiled these 10 helpful keys to keeping your eyes open, and your brain focused on learning.
- Create a separate classroom for yourself. Check out our tips on <5 ways to make your home feel like a dorm room>. This way you can step out of your comfort zone, and force you to become more attentive. The less familiar you are with your surroundings, the less you’ll feel that you can fall back and sleep.
- Set time aside to get into the right state of mind. Before getting online, spend 15 to 20 minutes relaxing from the day’s hectic schedule. Feeling rushed while just starting class will expend all of your energy early, and force you to crash halfway through class.
- Eat appropriately. Eat content portions of food. Over eating is an easy way to put your body into a food coma state. So eat enough so that you know you don’t have to worry about your stomach as you attend class.
- Take daily vitamins. An easy way to restore your body’s balance is to take a daily multivitamin, or take several essential vitamins that your body needs. This helps your body at least have a supply of vitamins to regenerate on. Whatever you don’t need, your body just passes, so eating a vitamin is essential to staying awake.
- Take frequent breaks. Take small, 10 second breaks every 15 minutes or so just to take your eyes off of the screen. A computer screen isn’t the best thing for your eyes, so you have to protect them when you can. Going to school online has many benefits, but it is based online, so be smart when it comes to taking care of your body.
- Take advantage of participation. Depending on the course, possibilities can arise where you can be involved. Take advantage of these, as these can give you an extra rush of energy that you can use to power through the lecture.
- Stand up. You’re sitting in a chair as you’re learning online, so your body is going to conform to the chair and get comfortable. Get up periodically to get your blood flowing, provide new oxygen to your brain, and help you get refreshed.
- Bring snacks. Before you confine yourself to your own personal classroom, prepare some snacks from the fridge you can munch on when you feel that sudden urge to sleep coming. This can not only help you do something else than just sitting there staring at your computer, but provide your body with nutrients that it can use to recharge and re-energize.
- Try to use natural light as much as possible. As online classes are most often times at night, there are instances when the days are long. Using natural rather than artificial lighting is relaxing on the eyes, and can help your eyes focus better. Also, the bit of sun you might get can help recharge your body.
- Be interested. You’re taking a class online, in the comforts of your own home, but you chose which classes to take. So be interested and put forth your best effort to learn. Not only will you gain with knowledge, but also you will benefit from hopefully applying what you learned in your life.
