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As we鈥檙e all discovering, learning at home presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Whether you鈥檙e just beginning or whether you鈥檝e been studying remotely for weeks now, we offer you this guide as a way to minimise stress and to maximise your efforts. As an IB student, you know that specific approaches to learning (ATLs) help you better develop your communication, thinking, social, self-management, and research skills. This guide will show you how ATLs can help you transition from school-based to at-home learning.

Step 1: Set up your work space

Effective self-management includes setting time aside to set yourself up for success. Now that you鈥檙e 鈥済oing to school鈥� from home, it鈥檚 very important to create a comfortable, productive work space. The ideal work space is one that is quiet and organised, with all of your materials at the ready (think pens, pencils, notebooks, textbooks, charger, laptop or device, paper, calculator, etc). You may have a specific desk in your bedroom from where you鈥檒l work, or you may be sharing a corner of another room. If you鈥檙e using a shared space, see if you can set up an area that feels semi-permanent: is there a desk, table, or floor-space you can 鈥榗laim鈥� for the time being? A space where you can keep your books, supplies, calendar or agenda, and other supplies? Doing so will minimise time spent every day gathering what you need. Staying organised can help prevent careless errors or missed assignments, and it鈥檒l also help you feel more mentally 鈥榦rdered.鈥�

Next, free yourself from distractions in your work space. Try not to have the television or the radio playing, as it鈥檚 often distracting, and free yourself from your mobile phone. If you鈥檙e in a noisy space shared with others, use headphones to drown out that noise, but don鈥檛 listen to music with words, as that also tends to distract you. Noise can negatively negatively affect your thinking skills. Many students like to work to music, but hear this: studies have shown that you鈥檙e actually WASTING the time you鈥檙e using to study 鈥� you will not remember what you鈥檝e studied if you鈥檝e been distracted by lyrics while you鈥檙e reading, writing, or practising maths problems.

If you are using your phone to work or for lyric-less music, turn off notifications. It is very easy to get distracted with constant notifications popping up.

Step 2: Get comfortable with video-conferencing software

Your teachers may be using some form of video-conferencing for live discussions and instruction. If this is the case, find out which platform they鈥檒l be using (such as Google Meets, Zoom, RingCentral, etc.) and familiarise yourself with how it works and how you can communicate effectively. If possible, conduct a practice session beforehand to ensure that your hardware (microphone, camera, etc.) is present and functioning, and to discover issues and problems before a 鈥榬eal鈥� class. Each program has different options and capabilities for, say, raising your hand to ask a question.

Here is some general etiquette for virtual video meetings that will foster positive social skills:

1. Make sure your microphone is muted as you enter the class and unless you鈥檙e speaking.
2. Stay in one place while you鈥檙e signed in and be aware that what you鈥檙e doing is visible to others.
3. Dress appropriately.
4. Sit somewhere with a background and surroundings that won鈥檛 be distracting to your fellow session members.
5. Be punctual so that your entrance doesn鈥檛 disrupt the meeting.

Step 3: Create an organisational system

If you don鈥檛 already use one, an agenda or daily planner is a crucial self-management tool during times where your schedule is new or changeable. Create a daily and weekly calendar, or simply write one out for yourself. Items to include:

• a morning 鈥榗hecklist鈥� of sites and emails you need to check before beginning work or to find out what is on the agenda for the day
• regularly scheduled virtual class meetings
• teachers鈥� virtual 鈥榦ffice hours鈥�
• assignment due dates
• scheduled time for breaks, meals, exercise, rest, etc.

Keeping a detailed schedule 鈥� and sharing it with those in your household 鈥� is especially important for those students with domestic duties such as childcare, cooking, cleaning, etc. Keeping everyone aware of schedules, commitments, and times for quiet will alleviate stress and reduce mistakes like missed assignments.

Step 4: Visualise a typical day & set a schedule

Each of you has different demands on your times, different home situations, learning styles, needs, etc. That being said, most of us do well when we keep to a routine. Studies (see聽听补苍诲听聽for examples) have shown that maintaining a fairly stable schedule (at least during the school/work-week) promotes mental well-being, productivity, and time management. Please take the time to do a bit of research by reading the studies linked above 鈥� they鈥檙e well worth it and great reminders that even during this time when some of us feel like we鈥檙e on vacation, we aren鈥檛 鈥� and that living in 鈥榟oliday mode鈥� longer than a week or so (watching lots of TV, staying up late, sleeping in too long, etc) is detrimental to our mental and physical health.

• Determine a daily schedule that works for you and your home/family situation.
• Get up and go to bed at the same times every day.
• Eat regular meals and eat as healthily as you can.
• If you鈥檙e able, go outside for fresh air and sunshine! Even taking a (socially-distant) walk around the block or your home can give you a mood boost, clear your head, give you a break, and refresh you.
• Exercise is important so give yourself physical activity time every day; this will also help your mental health.
• Fix times for signing in to email and online classrooms, and times for completing work. If you have extra time in that 鈥渟choolwork鈥� part of your schedule (since you won鈥檛 have classroom activities, discussions, projects, etc, nor will you need time to commute or change classes), use it to do something else brainy, like work on your Extended Essay, read a good book, create art, research careers, network for jobs, write practice university application essays, take practice exams, etc.
• Turn off school at other times; create and maintain reasonable boundaries to allow your mind to rest.
• And turn off electronics regularly ; it鈥檚 good to stay connected to friends and family from afar, but don鈥檛 forget to give yourself time to just be 鈥� time to think and sit quietly. You never know what brilliant idea you may come up with!

Step 5: Practise mindfulness

Mindfulness allows you to still your thoughts and focus on what鈥檚 important, whether it鈥檚 a particular task like breathing or paying attention to a reading passage. When you practise mindfulness, you aren鈥檛 zoning out; you鈥檙e zoning in, taking time to be in the moment so that you can think clearly and peacefully.

Practising mindfulness can be extremely beneficial during times of stress. For more information and helpful videos about this topic,聽聽and coping with anxiety during COVID-19. [Editor鈥檚 note: also see our article聽Five resources for practising mindfulness].

Step 5: Be flexible and reach out!

As you鈥檝e no doubt heard a million times since the COVID-19 pandemic affected your geographic area, we鈥檙e all in uncharted territory here, so things change and often change rapidly! Use this time to practice being adaptable and resilient 鈥� two traits every employer wants and which you鈥檒l thus use later in life!

Remember that you鈥檝e got many people ready and willing to help, with big issues and small problems; don鈥檛 be embarrassed to reach out and ask for help. Don鈥檛 suffer in silence; force yourself to connect with someone who can support you and get you the help you need. Communication is key. We鈥檙e all in this together!

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