As the global pandemic raged, teens around the world were forced to adjust to online learning. Instead of sitting in the classroom with their friends, students were stuck inside staring at their computer for hours on end. If you were anything like me, the idea of being stuck in that situation for months was a crushing thought. The feelings of isolation and social deprivation might have had a large effect on motivation, and your grades could have suffered as a result. I quickly discovered the only way to solve this sort of issue was through a couple of lifestyle changes that have helped me maintain my drive throughout the pandemic.

By now, most students have discovered what keeps them going during online learning. However, there are still plenty of teens struggling to adjust, even after all this time. I began my learning process by figuring out where my motivation lies. This allows students to figure out what they need to work toward, thus allowing them to find their focus. In my case, I realized that I needed to focus on organization, knowing that due dates and schedules would help me keep my grades on track. This sort of organizational strategy helped me remain goal-oriented.

Goal orientation can end up being a huge part of your efforts to stay motivated. When attempting to set goals for yourself, figure out what is achievable, but also challenge yourself enough to encourage self-improvement. Find out what is reasonable for you to accomplish with enough effort that you will feel rewarded for reaching it, but not too much effort that you feel drained of all your drive by the end. This goal is, of course, incomplete without a plan of action for how you can reach it. So once you have settled on it, be sure to have an idea of how you will get there.

Throughout my time in online learning, I’ve also learned a lot about the way I do my assignments, allowing me to work to optimize my process. Online learning presents an interesting opportunity to learn about one’s own style of working. Taking this opportunity and studying your working habits can lead you to find ways of making the most of your time and energy. For instance, I took the time to discover what parts of my work required my undivided attention, and therefore, when doing this type of work, I am sure to keep my phone out of sight and off so that I could work through the assignment quickly and easily.

Although the pandemic is certainly uncharted territory, it presents a unique prospect of being able to learn about yourself, your motivation, and what you can do to keep that motivation in a controlled environment. As the world slowly progresses toward normalcy once again, it is important that we carry with us the lessons we learned from our time stuck in quarantine. So take this chance to learn by trying new things and gaining a critical understanding of how you can do your best work, then bring those findings back to your normal life, and you will be better for it.