Doing school work from home has proved to be difficult for many students. It is hard for high schoolers to stay focused and productive while they are participating in at-home learning.

Many students struggle with depression, anxiety, and fear over what the future may hold. It’s not easy to stay concentrated and actively engaged with school work while dealing with these mental health problems. 

This doesn’t mean you are weak. It means that when you acknowledge that you need help, you will become stronger for doing so. For those of you struggling to focus on school work because of previously stated issues, don’t be shy, get help! 

Mental health is one reason some students aren’t staying caught up with work, but a large one as well, is just plain old distractions! Whether your phone is constantly buzzing with notifications, or video games are just calling your name, we all have distractions.

Don’t let these distractions stop you from getting a good grade. 

Set aside time during your day for school work ONLY. Set up a work space. Not a spot where you do other things, but a spot where you can get in the mindset of working. Put away your phone. Turn off your video games. Get a solid 75 to 90 minutes of work done and then…

Take a break!!

Whether you need to go take out some zombies, grab some food, or catch up on all things social media, breaks are IMPORTANT!!! After you feel as though you have been quite productive, take some time for yourself. Then 20 minutes later… start the process over again. 

Write out a weekly agenda so that you can be sure to complete each assignment on time.

At the beginning of the week, go through Schoology, and whatever other platforms your teachers are using to send out work. Look at your assignments and then budget out how long it will take you to complete each assignment. 

Set a time to be done with your school day. Work hard up until that time, but when that time hits, be DONE!! Pat yourself on the back, and do what you enjoy doing! 

Exercise, sleep, and eat at least a little something healthy.

To be healthy, enjoyable, and thriving, teenagers should get eight to ten hours of sleep each school night. That includes remote learning as well. I know, I know, it’s hard to shut off for the night. Trust me, though, you will have a better job paying attention. 

Eating healthy and exercising adds to that as well. Taking a brisk 20 minute walk each day can do a lot to brighten your step. So can having a serving of fruit and/or vegetables at each meal. 

No matter what the future holds, there will always be people who have your back. Need extra time on an assignment? Talk to the teacher. Need to vent? Find someone you trust and let it all out. 

Remember, We are Sweet Home Strong! And we will make it through this!

Morgan Popp

Morgan is a junior at Sweet Home High School. She mainly writes for the advice column. She plays basketball and softball and is also part of the yearbook club.