Online learning is a great way to get ahead in your career. It allows you to take courses on your own schedule and at your own pace, which can help you learn more efficiently. However, if you want to make sure that you’re getting the most out of online classes, there are some things that you need to do. This article will cover some best practices for taking online courses so that they work for—and not against—you.
Stay Organized
Online learning can be extremely convenient for you, but if you’re not careful about keeping yourself organized, it can also become overwhelming. There are several different tools that you can use to stay on top of your work and stay focused. These include:
- A planner/calendar to keep track of your online classes and assignments (more on this later).
- A task manager app such as Trello or Wunderlist to keep track of the tasks that need to get done (e.g., when an assignment is due).
- A to-do list app like Any.Do or Todoist so that you always have a reminder of what needs to be done next.
Take Breaks
While persistence is important, you also need to take breaks. Breaks will help you focus on the task at hand and not get overwhelmed by how long your goals seem.
If you’re working for a set amount of time, take a break when it’s been about half an hour. Even if there are more things left to do and you want to keep working, taking a short break will help refresh your brain so that it won’t feel as difficult when work resumes.
Use tools like a PDF editor
Once you’ve done some research, you’re ready to start digging into learning. There are hundreds of online courses available, and they’re all free. But there’s one thing that can make or break your success: the tools you use. Make sure you have these at your disposal:
- A PDF editor (such as PDFSimpli) for reading material edit PDF online
- A task manager (like Todoist) for keeping track of assignments and deadlines
- Browser extensions like StayFocused or LeechBlock to limit distractions during study time
Seek Help If Necessary
If you find yourself struggling with a particular course, there are many options for getting help. Your first step should always be to contact your instructor or TA. If they don’t have time to meet with you in person, they may be able to help remotely.
You can also use the resources available within the learning management system (LMS) that accompanies most online courses. This is especially useful if the course has been offered before and previous students have posted questions or answers on forums or wikis within the LMS.
Create A Schedule
You might think that it’s a bit too much work to create an actual schedule, but you will be surprised at how much more productive and efficient you will feel once you’ve done it. Having a plan for how your time is going to be spent helps you stay on track but also helps avoid wasting precious time by doing something else when your brain has other things planned for it.
To get started with creating this schedule, pick one area where you want to focus: learning, career growth, or personal development. Each of these areas has different needs, and if there’s one thing we know about humans is that we’re complex beings with many needs. So, pick the area that feels most important right now and start there.