Set aside a "Classroom" space

When completing your work in an online course, it really helps to have a specific place in which to work on your assignments without distraction. Ideally, this should be a place where you don’t normally engage in recreational activities so you aren’t distracted by cues in the environment to do things other than your homework. Set up this space so that you can work well in it.

If you need a quiet place to study, make sure that you remove any distractions or ask the people around you to be quiet during the time period you are studying. If you study best when listening to music, make sure that your environment includes headphones and a radio or mp3 player. Stock the area with everything you need for your studies. Make sure you have paper and pen or pencil for notes, and a computer with an internet connection for accessing the course. During study time, only navigate to sites you need for your course. Do not keep Facebook, games, or other potential distractions running in the background unless they are specifically needed for your class! Have your textbook on hand.

If you find that you keep being distracted while you are in your study area, take some time to identify what is distracting you. Reflecting on your study time can help you pinpoint things that can be improved. You may find you need to change something in your area or, if the distractor is inherent to your location, you may need to find a different one that doesn’t have the same distractors. Remember that stress levels can increase your distractibility. If your usual study place stops working when you are under a lot of stress, you may find that going to the library to study right before tests or papers are due can help you break free of distractions to focus on your work.