The TV’s on in the background, Grandma is vacuuming the hallway, little sister is crying for her bottle, the dog is barking to be let out – these are just some examples of the constant noises common in the home of a typical CalPac Student. The majority of online public high school and middle school students in California complete their online coursework at home, homes that are often filled with a myriad of noises that can be quite distracting to a student trying to figure out a complex math problem or edit the final draft of an essay.

As an online instructor at CalPac, I also work from home and experience many of the same distractions. I have learned, however, how to work through those distractions and still be highly productive.

Block Out Any Excess Noise

Put on your headphones and listen to your favorite music or even some ambient sounds.  Many online students work better when they have familiar music on in the background.  Not only does it help block out noise, but music also gets those brain cells working! There are plenty of free study playlists available on platforms like Youtube and Spotify – find one that you like and throw it on! This will help you block out any distractions.

Break Up Your Days

After you have gotten a chunk of work done, don’t hesitate to take short breaks and go immerse yourself in the noise!  Watch a minute of TV, play with your little brother or sister, pet the dog, help Grandma vacuum.  Studies have shown that doing 25 minutes of uninterrupted work followed by a 5 minute break can be incredibly helpful in helping your brain process what you are learning. When you take short breaks you are able to think a little deeper about the material you are learning while also allowing yourself some time to refresh so that you are able to return to your computer with fresh focus.

Make Your Space

Move your work space to a location in the house where you will be able to best concentrate on successfully completing your online coursework. Try and distance yourself from any areas in your space that will make focusing difficult and make sure you have access to anything you should need throughout your work like a pen and paper and a charger and outlet for your devices.  Don’t feel like you have to be stuck to one spot – try a few different spaces and see what works best for you – it makes a huge difference to have options!

“Do Not Disturb”

Make an effort to turn off all of the distractions you can control.  It is okay to put your phone on silent every now and then, cease all texting/social media, and turn the TV off.  I promise your life won’t spiral out of control during that time and you will be able to concentrate better on your online school work. Try leaving your cell phone in another room, or setting certain apps to “Do Not Disturb” so you are not getting pinged during your focused time.

Set Your Schedule

Doing school work from home means having to consider the others in your household. Ask the people in your home to keep the noise down.  This works best if you have a schedule set up.  If you know, for example that you plan to work on your most difficult online class or attend an important live session at a certain time, then that is the perfect opportunity to request silence from the people in your home.  On the flip side, if you know there are times of the day when your home is the most noise and distraction free, make sure you set aside that time to work on your online classes!

Go Forth & Focus!

I utilize these tips daily to focus on my job as an online public school instructor for CalPac. They help me be successful at my job, and I know they can help you be successful as an online student. Try them out, tweak them to fit you, and create a space that works best for you. All of us are different, so there is no harm in trying a few different focus strategies until you find one that fits!  

Good luck! 

Mrs. Devon Guerra
Assessment and ESOL Coordinator

Contact Us Today @ (855) 225-7227.
Email – [email protected]

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