A week or so ago I fell sick and of course I still had a mountain of work to do, so during that time I found a few things that helped me when studying while I was sick. Without further ado here are a few tips on how to study when sick…
When you’re sick, your body needs fluids! Sometimes water can taste really gross when you have a sore throat so grab some tea; either herbal tea or good old English breakfast or try some hot water with lemon and honey; it does wonders for the throat! Make sure you have a big old cup next to you that you can grab for often.
Dress comfy for your study sess! If that means your daggy sweatpants and oversized jumper or even pyjamas, do whatever is going to keep you warm and comfortable. But not too comfortable where you will fall asleep haha.
If you need to use computers while you’re sick make sure to have some lubricating eye drops on hand! You don’t want to get sore, tired eyes or even a headache when your body is already run down.
Gather what ever supplies you will need when your studying. Here’s a list of some things might be helpful (of course just get whatever works best for your sickness!) :
What you are studying! (Flash cards, notes, computer)
Stationary (highlighters, pen, white out, ruler, sticky notes)
Do small tasks that require less brain power, so you don’t over exert your brain. Think easier tasks like flipping through flashcards, writing flash cards, organising notes, re-writing notes, planning your week, compiling lecture notes with textbook notes, making quizzes for yourself, an easy work sheet or going through last week’s class content.
Set timers for when to take breaks and medication. You could even try using the Pomodoro technique to keep you motivated and productive.
Along with doing smaller easier tasks, have only a small to do list or maybe 2 – 4 items that will only take you 1 – 3 hours to complete in total, depending on how well you are feeling. By doing this you will feel more motivated to complete the small to do list as you know the tasks are simple. Additionally, by adding in breaks or using Pomodoro you are taking extra precautions against working to hard which will slow down recovery.
The best thing I found to help me stay focused is to listen to ASMR ambient sounds. I found some great channels that make ASMR ambient sounds based on different rooms from movies, tv shows and books. Here are my two favourite channels ASMR Rooms & Story Ambiance. Some of my favourite videos (all harry potter themed, so I can feel like Hermione haha) are Hogwarts Library, Studying in the Great hall, Gryffindor Common Room, Potions Classroom and Sitting in a Hogwarts Class.
Make a to do list for tomorrow
After you have finished everything from today, make a to do list for tomorrow. This is an opportunity to brain dump anything in terms of school that you are worried about completing and gives you direction for the next day.
Have something to look forward too after your session
Have something planned after your study session that will be relaxing and enjoyable. Something like watching a movie, reading a book, calling a friend, watching a YouTube video; basically, anything you enjoy and look forward to doing. This can act to motivate you to get work down yet also be a much-needed winding down reward for you brain and body.
You worked hard, made a dent in your to do list and feel productive so take a nap! Your body needs to rest so give it what it needs and take a nap. This will help your body recover quicker and will help your mind to relax from working for a long time.
If you only complete one item before getting too tired, or if you couldn’t even complete one to-do, then that’s fine! Have some self-compassion and realise that you’re sick and won’t be able to be as productive as normal. Once when I was sick, a task that took me normally 45 minutes to do took me 2 hours because my brain was so foggy, and it was hard to concentrate. You’re not alone in being unproductive, we all go through it went sick and run down.
Nothing is worse than over working yourself when you are sick, it will only make you stay sick for longer! Do not push your self to be a productive super human when your body can’t handle it, its only going to make you less productive in the long run
I hope some of these tips help you for when you need to study whilst sick, have a head ache or are just run down. Take care of yourself and remember not every day can be productive : )
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