The pandemic has brought many changes in our lives. It did not only affect the healthcare system, but it also changed the way our systems work. More universities have shifted to blended learning, which is the combination of online and physical schooling. However, others decided to do pure homeschooling.
While the new setup might be a necessity right now, it still provides a lot of stress, primarily to those who are not used to facing their computers for an extended time. Some also have not coped up with this scenario and are now getting anxious about it.
With all of these things happening, more and more people of different age groups are becoming drained, affecting their mental health. To help you combat the common challenges of homeschooling, here are some strategies that you can apply.
Outline Your Schedule For The Day
How to combat home schooling challenges?
Given that you’re doing both schoolwork and chilling in your house, there’s a tendency to mix these two eventually. These overlaps happen when you do the following: 1.) Play instead of work, or 2.) Work instead of play. It’s pretty tricky to draw the line between these two in this kind of setup.
Therefore, the best way to go about this is to find that balance between common homeschooling challenges and the homeschool environment. Outline your schedule for the day by planning the exact time slot you’ll be doing house chores, academic work, and relaxing. This way, you’ll know what to expect for the rest of the day and have peace of mind.
Part of practical tips for instance, you may begin your day by cooking breakfast and cleaning up. Then, follow this up with a 2-hour slot to do all your pending assignments. Once you’re done with this, have a 30-minute break by doing things you love, such as going for a walk or exercising.
After rejuvenating, follow this again with a 2 to 3-hour block of watching education videos or meeting with your teacher. Then, free up your day for some chores and social activities after online lessons.
Create Your Own Space
Yes, it’s understandable that you will bump into your homeschooling parents or younger siblings every day, given that you’re living in the same space. But, there are times that the interaction might be stressful for you.
If you’re working on your assignments while your brother is watching football, it’s most likely that you won’t be able to concentrate. You may lose focus, and it will slow down your work. Therefore, adding more stress to your homeschooling life along with your extracurricular activities.
With this in mind, it’s ideal to have your own space. Look for an area where it’s quieter and without any distraction. Let this be your corner where you can think peacefully and do your tasks quietly. You may also set rules within your household wherein they’re not allowed to linger in your area on your homeschooling times. This way, you can concentrate better on your tasks.
List Calming Activities
Admit or not, you’ll experience roadblocks once in a while. You might be stressed with the long hours in front of your computer for classes, or you might feel tired of all the homework your teachers are giving you. These realities are normal and common. You have to find ways to keep yourself calm and combat all of these homeschooling problems.
Every person has different activities that calm them. Some might be leaning towards exercising to keep them relaxed. Others might prefer writing, reading, or even painting. Whatever it is, it does not matter as long as it boosts positivity within your mental health.
In your case, make sure that you’re aware of your go-to activities just in case you feel so stressed out. List it down on a piece of paper. It can serve as a reference at times of hardships and homeschool challenges. You may even post this on the refrigerator so that your homeschooling family members are aware of it. This way, they’ll know what to do when they see you in challenging situations.
Enjoy Fresh Air
Do you know that staying most of the time indoors also takes a toll on your mental health? The small space suffocates you. You may also feel restricted after staying in the same room for an extended period.
Therefore, do not forget to enjoy the fresh air outside. You may spend 20-minute breaks here if you’re too swamped with work. However, it would be better to take a long walk in the afternoon to reset your mind and body. It will also be a time that you’ll feel a slice of normality.
All the tight deadlines and fast-paced discussions will trap you in a busy world. But when you’re outside, you’ll forget all of these and go back to your peaceful world.
Write In A Journal
One practical advice that you can get from an expert is that do not isolate yourself if you’re feeling bad. Mental health experts advise that you release all of these emotions since bottling it up will only result in anxiety and depression. If you’re too keen on sharing with your family and friends, there are other ways to go about this, like writing in a journal.
For one, you get to release your bottled emotions. At the same time, this is also an avenue for you to promote self-awareness within yourself. You understand what’s happening to you more and know why you feel the way you do. Always remember that there are no rules when doing this. Just do what makes you comfortable, and you’ll be fine.
Homeschooling is tough. Various things are happening around you, which are bad for your mental health. Make sure to address it, so it won’t affect how you function every day. Just take one step at a time, and everything will follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
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