COVID-19 has thrown every­one for a loop, and old routines have gone out the window. Espe­cially since the begin­ning of online school, daily sched­ules and healthy habits haven’t been the top prior­ity for many. Here are some simple tips for creat­ing a daily sched­ule to stay produc­tive and moti­vated while learn­ing from home.

1. Set an Alarm: Waking up at the same time each morn­ing helps estab­lish a routine and regu­lates the body’s sleep sched­ule. Make sure that the alarm is set to go off at a time that will give you enough time to get ready for class and fully wake up. Set the tone for the day by easing into the morn­ing instead of having to hurry to make it to class on time.
2. Eat a Good Break­fast: Accord­ing to Better­Health, break­fast improves your energy levels and abil­ity to concen­trate. Keep­ing hunger at bay will also improve your mood and help to avoid irri­tabil­ity. Making a healthy break­fast doesn’t have to take long, and can bene­fit students’ atten­tion span and engage­ment in class.
3. Step Away From the Computer: Although it may seem like work­ing virtu­ally for long peri­ods of time is best to complete work, getting up from the desk and moving around as much as possi­ble during break time is impor­tant to recharge and prepare for the next class.
   “Step­ping away from the computer is really help­ful because the computer has all of my school work,” said senior Jillian Caughey. “After school, I try to shut my computer down for an hour and read or do some­thing I enjoy so that I’m less burnt out when I start homework.”

4. Exer­cise: Stay­ing active, while more diffi­cult due to COVID-19 and online learn­ing, is still as impor­tant as it has always been. Exer­cise has been proven to reduce stress levels and sleep qual­ity, two things that students often strug­gle with. While taking a walk or going for a run are great options, there are plenty of work­outs that can be done inside as well: Yoga, Pilates, work­out videos, etc.
5. Desig­nate Time for Home­work and Orga­ni­za­tion: Setting a time to work on home­work is crucial for stay­ing on top of assign­ments. It can be very easy to become over­whelmed by the flood of assign­ments being posted online, but reserv­ing a portion of your day to get work done will help keep your work­load under control.
   “I think we often think that orga­ni­za­tion is just a subset of other things that we do, but it also needs to be its own focus,” said math teacher, Leah McNa­mara. “It may not seem like a lot in the grand scheme of things, but having specific time devoted to doing noth­ing but orga­niz­ing really goes a long way.”