The transition to online classes has been difficult for many. It’s not easy to stay focused during quarantine…so how do we maintain our “A game?” If you’d like to know the secrets in developing successful habit, then stick around!
If you’re like me and many other students, then you’ve probably experienced zoom fatigue. Staring at zoom or your computer for extended periods of time is not sustainable for maximizing your retention rate in learning. We’re not robots..but rather humans that need to have a proper work-life balance!
So where do we start? We begin by establishing successful habits through daily practice. When you practice a certain skill with consistency, you will gradually get better at it over time. This can be good or bad. Students, and even adults, look at their phones whenever they hear a notification. This not only distracts them from their work, but it also sets a feedback loop that forms a negative habit.
How do we establish successful habits? The best way to do so is by getting your morning routine going. Here’s the MAIN TAKEAWAY of this blog: Waking up early is one of the best things you can do for yourself. I’ve heard from some of my friends that by switching to this habit (they were originally night owls), their whole life literally changed. The habit of sleeping early and waking up early helped them to be more productive and energized. It gave them the ability to instill discipline within themselves—something that we all know is rare for college students. Not only is establishing this habit beneficial for your health, but it’s also needed to set your ideal day. Think about it… by waking up early, you have more time to focus on your work and to get it done early. Let’s say you get up at 8 am.If you focus on your work for 4 hours, then you get everything done even before noon. The rest of the day is yours! It matters about how you set your day up. You can be a night owl and wake up in the afternoon, but half of your day is already gone. Most of the time, in my experience, waking up late puts me in a mental state in which I’m tired and groggy. So as hard as it sounds, take the first step and wake up early
Now, you might be asking…how in the world do we maintain the motivation to wake up early? That’s a great question. You need to give yourself a reason on why you should do it. And remind yourself of that reason EVERY SINGLE DAY. It’s common to think that waking up early is a form of torture. A habit that no one wants to establish because it’s tiring. However, in order for your to maintain that habit, you need to CHANGE YOUR MINDSET. Think about all the benefits that waking up early gives you in the long term. I can confidently tell you that the benefits outweigh any of the drawbacks (if any).
Because of sleeping early, you’re able to get your tasks done earlier with more efficiency (your retention rate enhances in learning new material). Once you’re done with your tasks, you can do anything you want after! This includes doing the things that you love to do. No matter if it’s going on a hike or eating ice cream, you now have options because you have the extra time. This is especially important to avoid burnout in your online classes. It gives you the time to destress and take care of yourself! Your body is like the engine of a car..sleeping early maintains that engine and you can fire it up more efficiently throughout the day.
If you enjoyed this blog post, then please check out my 1st post here as I give you a glimpse of my Cal YouTuber life. If you want to know how I became a YouTuber or how you can become a YouTuber, then this is the blog for you. Please connect with me if you have any questions or additional resources that you would like!
YouTube video of Vincent's 1st day at UC Berkeley (Golden Bear Orientation) (link is external)
Youtube video of Vincent's Life at the College Dorms(link is external)
Youtube video of Vincent at Calapalooza: UC Berkeley Club Day