For many of you, the biggest appeal of online courses is that they can be done from home. There is no need to get dressed, travel miles, hunt for a parking space in a crowded lot, or race through blistering heat, pouring rain, or falling snow to get to your classes. If you have children, you don’t have to hire a babysitter. If you have a job, you don’t have to build a course schedule around your work schedule or vice versa. All you have to do is settle down in front of your computer when it is convenient for you to log in.

Find a time for logging in to your classes

If you are new to college and/or online courses, the trouble with a “convenient” time is that there often is none. Your days are already packed with activities. Where will your classes fit in?

Jot down a list of your daily tasks in the order in which you do them and look for places for your classes to fit in. Are you a morning person who can get up an hour earlier every day and immediately turn on the computer and get to work? Do you have time after others leave the house in the morning? How about when the children are down for a nap or after the dishes are done? Maybe you are a night person and will work after everyone else has gone to bed. Whatever time you choose for your login, make it a daily habit.

Make logging in part of your daily routine

Logging in daily will help you stay focused on your educational goals and overcome procrastination. During your time online, you might check for announcements, review assignment due dates and requirements, read instructor notes, post to discussions, and complete study guides and quizzes. Once you have completed these tasks, you may have additional homework to complete offline.

Overcome procrastination with a study schedule

Most of us have a tendency to put things off, and doing homework is no exception. It can be a problem for students in traditional classrooms as well as for online students. In many cases, you will have an entire week to prepare and submit assignments. It is easy to see today’s activities as more important and to believe you can just work a little longer tomorrow. This often results in no work being done until the due date, a mad scramble to complete assignments, and poor grades.

Enlist the support and understanding of friends and family

A major reason for procrastination is not wanting to disappoint friends and family. I used to advise my students to tell these important people in their lives that they were committed to their studies and would see everyone again in sixteen weeks. Let your friends know you won’t be available for shopping, lunches, movies, weekend parties, or other activities that might coincide with your study schedule. Let your loved ones know the number of hours it will take for you to successfully complete your courses and ask for their help with household chores and providing quiet time while you do your homework. Give those who love you an opportunity to lend a hand and help you succeed.

Take the time now to plan your way to a successful semester.

Copyright © 2015 Hazel Hart