Stockholm university

Distance study

Are you finding it tricky to make distance study work? Here are some tips from the Academic Writing Service!

Working from home can be a real challenge. Here are some tips on how to use your time effectively:

  1. Try to create a fixed routine. Planning and organizing your time is always important, but now it is more important than ever. Try to make your days as regular as possible. Get up at the same time you would usually. Dress and get yourself ready as if you were going to the university. Take regular breaks, and, most importantly, take a real lunch break. Finish your study at the same time every day and try to make a clear distinction between your working time and personal time.
  2. Create a space in your home just for work. If you are not able to create a completely separate workspace, try to at least find a corner of a room that can function as your temporary study. It could be the end of your kitchen table, for example. When you have established your workspace, try to keep the rest of your home free from work-related objects. When the day is over, put away your computer, books and notes so that they are completely out of sight. You could keep your work materials in a bag or put them on a chair that you slide under the table. When working from home it is more important than ever to separate your working hours from your spare time.
  3. Take regular breaks. It is easier to sit for long periods with bad posture when you are working from home. Make sure you take a break every hour and move around in your breaks.
  4. Attend your online lectures and seminars, just as you would for regular campus-based study. Attending lectures and seminars makes it much easier to stay up-to-date with your course content. You also have the opportunity to check that you are on the right track, ask questions and socialize. This might be especially important if you have had to leave Sweden and are now studying from your home country. 
  5. Make it easier for yourself to concentrate. We are all going through a difficult time and you may find that it is more difficult than usual to concentrate. When you study, switch off anything that can distract you. Keep the phone on silent or switch it off. On your computer, close programs you do not need. Test out the pomodoro technique, a technique that involves working intensely for short periods of time and spacing out working sessions with short breaks.
  6. Stay connected. We are lucky enough to be living in a time when it is possible to keep in touch with others online. Take advantage of it. Chat with classmates. Arrange for coffee breaks on Zoom. Call a friend. Social distancing should not mean social isolation.
  7. Set guidelines for working at home. If you live with other people who are working or studying at home, it can be good to establish rules for working together. Who should work where? Can you both work at the same time or do you need to take turns so that you do not disturb each other? Do you need other rules to ensure that you can all work in peace?
  8. Be kind to yourself, and don't forget to exercise. A 45-minute walk is enough, preferably in the middle of the day. Midday walks help you to stay fit and get some time outdoors. Given the uncertain times we are living through, it is perfectly natural to feel anxious and worried. However, worrying is an energy thief, so try not to spend what little energy you have on things that are unnecessary. Concentrate on the here and now and the tasks you have at hand. If you find that it significantly increases your anxiety, try to avoid watching the news. Instead, try to distract yourself. Read a book. Watch a movie. Speak to a friend.

The Academic Writing Service is open as per usual and all of our consultations are now available online via Zoom. To book a consultation, visit our consultations page:


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