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10 Student Accommodation Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Work-Life Balance during the Lockdown

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With the third national lockdown gaining momentum, students in Sheffield are once again stuck in their student houses, looking for ways to juggle studies, work, and personal life. Even though, the prime minister expressed hope that the remote learning regime will end by February half-term, the pandemic is too unpredictable to make plans.

While some students are eligible for face-to-face teaching, the majority needs to get used to doing it at home. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is imperative to being productive while leading a fulfilling lifestyle.

Let's take a closer look at the way you can balance studies, work, and personal life during this lockdown and beyond.

1. Work on Your Routine

Studying from home requires a special approach. The routine you used to stick to when going to class doesn't work anymore. Since commute is obsolete, you now have a bunch of extra time. Some students use it to catch up on their studies. Others dedicate it to work.

Whatever is your case, you need to work out a strict schedule. It can help you get through the first week or two. After that, the new routine will come naturally.

As a bonus, a new schedule can help you feel in control of the situation and reduce the anxiety associated with a continuous lockdown.

2. Take Breaks Consistently

When it comes to studying and working from home, students struggle to find the right balance between labour and rest.

Some of them take advantage of the extra time to study more, forgetting to take breaks (after all, there doesn't seem to be much to do at home, right?). Others can't seem to bring themselves together to start studying (the appeal of the nearby couch is so hard to ignore).

While setting up your new routine, make sure to add scheduled breaks. Otherwise, it's easy to feel burned out and succumb to the lockdown depression.

3. Communicate Your Needs

While professors may have a sufficient understanding of students' needs during the lockdown, employers often don't. Make sure to be straightforward about your workload with the employer.

Your boss may not understand how hard of a time you are having juggling studies and work in a flat with a loud roommate. Let them know why you aren't available for video conferencing 24/7 or need a deadline extension.

More often than not, employers try to be understanding about hardships students bear due to the lockdown rules. However, unless you let them know about your needs, don't expect any concessions.

4. Know Your Peak Production Time

Some students are highly productive in the mornings while others achieve much more in the evenings. Which one are you? Monitor your activities for several days to understand when you perform the best.

Once you know your peak production times, adjust your work and study schedule accordingly. If you are a morning lark, pack as much work as possible between 7 am and 1 pm. Leave lighter tasks and longer breaks for late afternoon. If you are a night owl, shift your workload from mornings to evenings. You'll be surprised at how your productivity improves.

5. Pay Close Attention to Your Physical Health

During the pandemic, the majority of people is looking out for COVID-19 symptoms. However, the rest of the medical conditions haven't gone anywhere.

Staying healthy is integral to maintaining your work-life balance during the lockdown. That's why it's imperative to keep stress out of the picture.

Exercising, eating a healthy diet, and finding opportunities for laughter are imperative to getting through the lockdown and staying in top shape.

6. Make Social Interactions a Part of Your Routine

When working and studying from home, it's easy to forget about social life. Without parties, lunch dates, and club nights, it may seem like social life is over. Thankfully, virtual social interactions can be almost as good as the real thing.

Adding them to your routine is the key to relaxing and replenishing your mind and body resources.

7. Go Outside to Exercise

According to lockdown rules, you can go outside to exercise. Take advantage of this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone: get fresh air and stay in top physical shape.

Staying at home for weeks isn't just bad for your physical and mental health, it decreases your productivity. Plan at least one outdoor trip per day.

8. Set the "End of Work" Time

It may be tempting to continue working or studying well into the night. After all, there isn't much else to do around the house. However, such an approach is likely to end in burnout.

Set the "end of work" time depending on your peak productivity periods. Stop working and start resting when the time comes. When did you stop working or studying before the lockdown? Consider sticking to the same schedule.

9. Create a Workplace

Mixing personal life and work or studies starts with a poorly designed workplace. You need to have personal space designated specifically for working and studying. Even if it's just a computer desk in the corner of the room, this space can help you get into the working mood.

If you don't have a separate room for your work, isolate your workspace by using cabinets, rugs (simply putting your desk on a rug can create a barrier), chairs, or whatever other elements you can get your hands on. The physical separation of the workspace can help you separate your work and personal life psychologically.

10. Make Weekend Plans

When you are spending the majority of your time at home, weekends don't seem different from weekdays. Many students continue studying and working through the weekend. That's a big mistake.

Weekends are sacred. If you didn't work and study on weekends before the lockdown, you shouldn't start now. Plan relaxing activities, virtual social interactions, physical exercises, and anything else except for work.

The Takeaway

Maintaining a healthy life-work balance is essential to getting through the lockdown in top mental and physical shape. Students who have to juggle work, studies, and personal life need to pay close attention to schedules and routines in order not to experience burnout.

If you have any questions about working and studying from home, feel free to contact us at any time.

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