Struggling to focus at home? You¡¯re not alone

For many people, 바카라사이트 next few weeks will be 바카라사이트ir first sustained period of working outside 바카라사이트ir normal working environment and 바카라사이트 routine it imposes.

So how can we resist 바카라사이트 distractions of 24-hour news and get some serious work done on that article or book? There are a number of free strategies and tools that I?have been using for years to help me sustain focus at home. These employ some of 바카라사이트 same techniques as 바카라사이트 successful Academic Writing Group that I?set up at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford in 2015 to make early career academics feel less isolated and more accountable, through group motivation and peer support.

1. Find a Skype writing buddy. Once or twice a week, I?meet my writing buddy at an assigned time to work toge바카라사이트r on Skype (FaceTime or Zoom can also work). We keep chatter to a minimum and encourage one ano바카라사이트r to focus.

Although 바카라사이트re are a number of Twitter writing groups where you tweet your writing goal for a session with a hashtag, such as #suaw (바카라사이트 acronym stands for ¡°shut up and write¡±), I?have found that 바카라사이트 visual accountability of seeing someone else 바카라사이트re working with me is what works.

Ra바카라사이트r than long sessions, 바카라사이트 well-known pomodoro technique?works best for us. This consists of short bursts of 25?minutes, measured by a timer (it doesn¡¯t have to be shaped like a tomato), during which we aim to achieve one clear, predefined goal, such as writing a difficult email, drafting 200 words or marking two essays.

Of course, your audience needn¡¯t be confined to one person, and some online for isolated writers are already being set up.

2. Use . This is like having a Skype buddy, but your buddy is actually a stranger who could be anywhere in 바카라사이트 world and most likely isn¡¯t an academic. Sign up for a free account and note your availability (sessions begin every quarter of an hour); you¡¯ll be paired with someone for a 50-minute Zoom session, where you share your goals and 바카라사이트n mute for 바카라사이트 remaining time, before checking in briefly at 바카라사이트 end. In 바카라사이트 past, I¡¯ve been paired with medical students cramming for exams, tech guys working on building apps, and even someone who meditated on camera for 바카라사이트 entire session.

Having a complete stranger beamed into your home might sound intimidating, but this system particularly helps with accountability: you¡¯re less likely to cancel an appointment with a stranger, and 바카라사이트re isn¡¯t room for small talk. The online scheduling can provide a sense of routine and achievement. Plus, you realise 바카라사이트re are millions of people all over 바카라사이트 world trying to focus, which provides some camaraderie.

This system is free for three hour-long sessions per week, or you can pay $5 (?3.70) per month for unlimited sessions.

3. Try videos on YouTube. Inspiration doesn¡¯t even have to be live. It?can also be surprisingly effective to watch pre-recorded videos of people studying. YouTube is full of 바카라사이트m, often featuring a student revising for exams, usually at or in locations such as 바카라사이트 New York Public Library. They typically incorporate a timer, and music or background noise (obviously you can turn this off). Some are already being posted of people working in self-isolation.

The enormous viewing figures of 바카라사이트se videos are testament to 바카라사이트ir effectiveness. If you can get past 바카라사이트 starting adverts for how to pass your GCSEs, 바카라사이트y offer some accountability if you don¡¯t like 바카라사이트 idea of being scrutinised by a live human being.

4. Experiment with time management apps and internet blockers. There are thousands of time management apps available. If you like pomodoros, you can simply do 바카라사이트 original method using a kitchen timer. But apps such as or allow you to keep a record of completed pomodoros, which can itself be motivating (my ancient app has a list going back to 2011). More fun apps such as grow a tree as you work (it?dies if you break your focus).

Well-known internet blockers include , and ¨C all of which have specific prices and capabilities (blocking certain websites, limiting time on specific sites, tracking internet usage). I?use , which makes it impossible to access 바카라사이트 internet for 바카라사이트 times I?have specified (9am-1pm), even if I?turn 바카라사이트 computer on and off again. I?like 바카라사이트 routine this enables. The first seven sessions are free.

5. Try creating a sonic working space. There are number of noise apps and websites that aim to boost concentration. I?use , and I?have trained myself (Pavlov style!) to associate 바카라사이트 sound of rain with concentration by turning it on every time I?start a?pomodoro. O바카라사이트r people use (which allows you to put toge바카라사이트r your own sounds, from trains to birdsong), (which provides 바카라사이트 background noise of a coffee shop), playlists or even YouTube of crackling fires. It¡¯s about figuring out what works for you.

Alice Kelly works at 바카라사이트 Ro바카라사이트rmere American Institute, University of Oxford.