Studying at home

Tips for studying at home

• Create a healthy working environment

  Create a study/workstation where you study only, take a break or relax in another place. Studying on the couch or in bed is therefore not recommended. Choose a quiet place where you can work undisturbed if you can. Make sure there is no direct light falling on your screen and that you do not look directly into the (sun) light.

  It is also important to position your laptop properly to maintain a good posture and avoid complaints. You can set up your computer workstation in 10 steps:

  • Put your feet firmly on the ground
  • Place your legs at a 90-degree angle
  • Keep a fistful of space between the front of the seat and the hollow of your knee
  • Make sure your lower back is well supported
  • Make sure the armrests support your forearms, while your shoulders are relaxed
  • The table height should be just below the armrests. Place the monitor at arm's length straight in front of you. Place the top edge at eye level. No laptop stand? Use a crate or a stack of books. Then also use a separate keyboard and mouse if you have one.
  • Place the mouse and keyboard (legs folded in) as close to your body as possible so you don't have to reach.
  • Use function keys for variety (e.g. Alt-Tab to switch between windows and Page Up and Page Down to scroll through a document).
  • If you need to write or read from paper, do so at a table that is 4-5 cm. higher

  See an example of a workplace layout here.

• Maintain your regular study rhythm

  Do you normally start studying at 9am? Do the same at home. This provides structure. Clearly end the study day. Make a schedule for the next day; if you don't finish it, schedule it again, this way you maintain a healthy workload.

• Clear goals and tasks

  On campus, you see what fellow students are doing, what they deliver and when they arrive and leave. At home, you don't have that. Make sure you set clear goals and tasks for yourself, distinguish between 'regular' and 'necessary', and demarcate your time. If necessary, contact your academic advisor if you need help with this.

• Good work-life balance

  Ensure a good balance between work and private tasks: when studying at home, the temptation lurks that you might, for example, do domestic chores in between or do something else with your housemates. The ability to concentrate quickly decreases due to distractions and interruptions. It appears to take about eight minutes each time before you return to the same level of concentration.

• Exercise and take breaks while studying

  Make sure you vary your working posture and move around regularly. Watch for signs of strain, such as stiffness, (muscle) pain, a numb feeling or tingling. Try to avoid those signs by taking regular breaks and changing your posture:

  • Get up and walk around as soon as you can
  • Call fellow students instead of sending an email
  • Have a drink or a piece of fruit every half hour
  • Use a headset for phone calls, which can also be the earphones of your mobile phone 
  • Move around every 30 minutes, for example by doing a 'scherdertje'.
  • Plan ample breaks between (video) calls 
  • Reading articles? Sit on the couch or take a walk
  • Try to spread different types of work over the day. Alternate intensive screen work with an activity that allows you to walk around for a while.
  • Plan your exercise: take a lunch walk, go for a run, walk, dance, do yoga or follow a workout at the VU sports centre.

• Consult with your housemates

  Do you share your study space with another person? Then talk to each other, make arrangements together so that you can collaborate well in the same space. Give each other space to separate or be alone for a while. Or, on the contrary, take a break together. See if you can divide the space you have so you each have your own area.

• Working online or attending lectures

  Remember that the same rules apply in online lectures or video consultations as in offline lecture halls. So, arrive on time, be prepared and don't get distracted by your phone or laptop.

  Work safely!

  Be alert and use IT facilities consciously. Especially with a lot of people working and studying from home, cyber criminals are trying to access your files or our network in creative ways. The IT department has tightened its password policy, but at the same time, it appeals to be aware of devices and systems you use at home, and be alert to suspicious e-mails.

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