This post is part of a series focusing on Time Management for Teens, Students, and High Schoolers. Get the complete online course here or order the book here!
Key Features Of A Good High School Workspace
In this lecture I want to cover a time-management topic that is frequently neglected in the lives of many high schoolers and that is to create a dependable WORKSPACE to be productive in.
Ideally, this space is quiet, clean, and well-organized. It contains the minimum-possible amount of DISTRACTIONS.
Also it’s a COMFORTABLE space that offers possibilities for both serious and casual levels of focus so that you can use it for anything from light personal reading to the most intense work on your college apps.
This space should be somewhere consistent that you have CONTROL over, so that you aren’t at the mercy of other people, groups, or powers that could stand in the way of you having a peaceful place to work whenever you need it.
You need CONTROL over this space so that you can prevent noise, intrusions from other people, and all sorts of other interruptions and distractions.
Why Does Your High School Workspace Matter?
Why does your workspace matter to high school time management?
Well, a clean and well-organized workspace typically means that you’ll get your homework done easier and faster.
With less time lost on distractions, you can commit more energy and focus towards your work and studies and get them done more quickly and more successfully.
And, the simpler and cleaner you KEEP your workspace in high school, the less time you’ll need to spend cleaning and organizing it.
Keep A Serious Workspace AND A Casual Workspace
When coming up with my workplace, I like to actually have a two-in-one sort of situation.
What I like is if I have TWO comfortable spots to work in my room - one is “serious,” like sitting in a chair at a desk, but still comfortable, and the other is “casual,” like sitting on the floor, bed, or a bean-bag chair.
The point is to be able to change it up on a moment’s notice so you can flipflop between serious and casual styles of work to suit your mood.
Keep Your High School Workspace Minimalistic
You also want your entire workspace to have the MINIMUM possible amount of stuff so that it’s easier to keep clean and organized, which in turn means less time spent looking for things you need.
What’s the minimum amount of stuff to be effective?
Well, it will depend on each situation and assignment, but you’ll probably need your books or textbooks, your notebooks and writing utensil to take notes, and some form of time-keeping and calendar.
If you study well to music, you can also listen to music on headphones, especially concentration-aiding atmospheric music without a lot of words or lyrics to hold your attention and distract you.
Other than what I’ve just listed, all the electronics, computers, instant messaging, and social media are probably NOT helping you increase your productivity, so do your best to get it OUT of the room!
Technology Is A Distraction - Minimize or Get Rid Of It!
For most teenagers, you simply can’t even IMAGINE how much harder it is to sit down and focus these days, compared to how much easier it used to be even just a few years ago.
Most of this new distraction is due to technology, and I think you already know the major culprits:
Internet, cell phones, social media, laptops and computers and video games everywhere, high-definition, on-demand TV, music and movies, instant streaming entertainment…
I’m like, actually SCARED that all this technology is doing more harm than good sometimes.
I mean, I know how much time it saves, and how cool it is to have all this high-tech stuff around, and how amazing our entertainment is these days, but sometimes I’m just worried that I just can’t FOCUS anymore!
Personally, I have to make a huge effort not to let technology steal all my time.
That means I have to deliberately choose to control myself during “work time”… even when I have movies, friends, and video games literally at my fingertips.
Technology Can Interfere With Your Homework
No matter how cool all our computers, internet videos, and smartphones seem, the truth is they are also a huge distraction in high school.
This may be one of the biggest challenges of time management in the twenty-first century!
So, in your workspace, be sure to MINIMIZE technology: Only allow in what you need to actually WORK and FINISH your assignments.
You might need a good calculator… do you really need your CELL PHONE, though?
You may have to use the internet for research… but do you really HAVE to check social media at that moment?
It’s really hard to pull your attention back from Facebook, Instagram or other social media once you’re already on it.
Make the mature decision to forbid aimless internet surfing in your workspace or homework time.
Find a Backup Workspace Outside Your House
Here’s one more cool trick you should also have up your sleeve:
Make sure to have a backup place outside of the house - but CLOSE to you, ideally within walking, bicycling, or a very short driving distance.
I like this place to have a busy or “coffeeshop” style of energy with some tasty snacks and drinks so I’m excited to go there.
You can use this place to change up your personal study routine occasionally, and it can also be a fun place to meet friends and teachers for meetings and study groups.
Although these busy atmospheres definitely introduce an element of chaos and distraction, they will also jostle up your mind into a higher-energy state.
This comes naturally when you’re surrounded by other productive and talkative people doing work and holding meetings.
Beware of the distractions - but as an occasional changeup to your study routine, a busy coffeeshop near your house is a great thing to find.
Summary Of A Good High School Workspace
So, those are my thoughts on creating an effective study space for yourself.
To sum this whole post up:
- The quality of your high school workspace significantly affects your time management skills.
- Create a dependable, pre-planned place to work that is always quiet.
- A clean, well-prepared workspace will help you finish work faster.
- Control your workspace and minimize distractions in advance.
- Recognize the dangers of technology and social media.
- Have a second “outside the house” place to study as well.
Are these ideas helpful to you? Do you have a good place to do homework already, or is your high school workspace too loud, chaotic, or distracting?
Leave a note in the comments and tell me about it!
Now it’s time to take a break from reading and go set up your own workspace!
When you’ve straightened up and organized your space, and minimized the interference of outside noise and distracting technology, go on to the next time-management post. I’ll see you there!
Make this year your most productive year ever! Get the complete Time Management for Teens Online Course or order the book on Amazon today.