Remote Classes: How To Do It Effectively (and Earn in the Process!)

The last two years have forced students worldwide to at least try to embrace remote classes – and surely enough, this hasn’t been the easiest process for most. We’re used to going home to relax, and it’s quite a challenge to get hyped to work with your comfy pajama pants, your snacks at close proximity, and your pet coming to collect their dose of snuggles seemingly every twenty minutes!

If you’re not completely new to Honeygain, you might already know we’ve got a pretty international team working on a remote basis – which means we’ve had to master working from home. While it’s true that remote learning and working are a bit different, most of the tips to make it easier do apply to both – and in this article, we’re going to share our experiences with you!

The first mistake you can make from the get-go is sitting by your computer with a bathrobe and a face that hasn’t seen a splash of water yet. Remote or not, you should get ready properly – and yes, this means hopping into the shower, dressing up, and eating your breakfast. Use all that time you're saving by not having to commute! Following the ritual of getting ready to work will make it a lot easier for you to switch into a more focused and serious mode – and you’ll look way better on those Zoom calls, too.

Of course you’re not going to enjoy spending time on a bare desk with your laptop casually thrown onto it. It’s much easier to get into the right mood for online learning when you have a personal space designated to it exclusively! Your home office wall decor might include a calendar or a corkboard where you can mark your tasks and deadlines, and your desk can have plants or other items that make the space work better for online learning without distracting the focus. And don't forget the ergonomics!

Getting ready to hit those books is especially hard on autumn and winter mornings when your body’s craving some natural light so much it doesn’t really want to wake up without it. Cheat it by filling the room with artificial light! These days, you can get not only daylight lamps that make you forget your home office lighting is not natural but also alarm clocks that mimic actual sunrises. Don’t let those gloomy mornings steal your energy – remote classes use up enough of it already!

We understand: sometimes, you just don’t feel like you’re looking your best. Maybe you didn’t get enough sleep, or perhaps it’s cold, and you’re wrapped in three wool sweaters, looking like the local Michelin man. However, it’s important to remember it’s not a fashion show – it’s remote learning. You’re here to learn, and communication is a big part of that. No one likes talking to an icon instead of a face! Using video helps you feel more involved and collaborate more effectively.

When we’re busy with remote learning or work, it’s easy to just fill up on snacks or get whatever’s the fastest to make. Big mistake! A versatile and nutrient-rich diet is crucial for stellar mental performance. Try prepping your meals in the evening when you’re done with remote classes for the day or stock up on healthy products that are quick and easy to make. For easier clean-up, embrace one-pot / one-pan dishes and make multiple portions in advance!

It might seem counter-intuitive to use paper notebooks and pens when you’re remote learning: the teacher will surely forward you the slides, and if they don’t, you can just screenshot the most important parts, right? Wrong! Not only does writing things down help you memorize them, but it’s also way more convenient for you to be able to find all your online learning notes in one notebook instead of individual screenshots randomly scattered around your laptop.

Health specialists recommend spending at least 5 minutes every hour away from the screen. But let’s be real: how often do we actually follow this advice? Remote classes typically have a strict schedule, which means you can’t just take breaks whenever you feel like it, and it’s not unusual for a lecture to last more than an hour. However, make sure you take a break from the screen once you can: actually step away from your desk, move your body, get a glass of water or tea – anything you can think of to reset your mind and give your eyes a little rest.

While it’s impossible to shut down all the distractions that lurk online and wait for the perfect time to steal your attention away from remote classes, you can at least limit the amount of time you’re spending on them. Turn off all social media notifications – and if that’s not enough, consider signing off them or using a browser add-on that works as a website blocker (e.g., StayFocusd or Limit). Once you see how useful it actually is for your focus, you’ll start using it outside of the remote classes, too!

If you’re a student, you probably live with your family or roommates – which never helps one’s focus. Even if they don’t want to distract you, they might accidentally do so anyway due to simply being unaware of the hours your remote classes take place or how much of the room actually fits into your camera’s frame. Make sure you have a clear conversation with them explaining your needs so they can adapt as well as they can!

Everyone knows remote learning requires a stable internet connection and a desktop or mobile device – but did you know that the combination of these two things can also help you earn effortlessly? And that’s not all – you can generate passive income and participate in the remote classes at the same time: all you need to do is run the Honeygain app in the background of your device!

Honeygain is free to download and compatible with all major operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android). Each user can have up to 10 active devices earning money simultaneously – and the best news is, with its peak usage under 3 MB/s, Honeygain won’t affect your connection speed and remote learning experience at all!