​Summer has arrived and we all want to embrace the nice weather and get outdoors. Studying online doesn’t mean you need to lock yourself inside and miss out on the nice days. Here are our top strategies for how to embrace the weather without letting your studies slip.

1. Study early in the morning

This could mean setting your alarm an hour earlier and studying before you start your day or simply prioritising your morning time to focus on your course work. Getting your work done in the morning means you’ll have the rest of the day free to enjoy without having a guilty feeling hanging over you all day. 

2. Go somewhere cool

When the temperature is higher it’s harder for our brains to focus. So if you’re struggling to study in the hot weather, don’t blame yourself. Try to get your body temperature down by studying in an air-conditioned room. If you don’t have air-conditioning at home, try studying somewhere that does. Office builders are notorious for being cool on hot days, so if you work in an office can you study before work, after work or during your lunch break? Alternatively visit the public library or contact our Engagement Team for information on how to visit one of the Chisholm Institute campus libraries. 

3. Do both

If the weather isn’t too hot, mix up studying outside and inside. Try sitting outside and doing some of your coursework for 10-15 minutes, then head inside to finish the rest. Readings, webinars and podcasts are all activities that can be done in the outdoors. 

4. Multitask

Think of ways you can incorporate studying into your everyday activities. Can you listen to podcasts in the car on the way to work, do your readings during your lunchbreak, watch a webinar while waiting in your parked car or while on public transport?

5. Give yourself balance

Spring is all about getting outdoors and being active. If you’ve locked yourself away in a room to study, you’ll feel down and won’t be productive. Set yourself goals of bite sized chunks of study to do each day and reward yourself when you accomplish these tasks by enjoying the rest of the day with family and friends. ​