Studying or Snoozing? The Benefit of Doing Work Away From Your Bed
Designated study spaces aren’t just for finding some peace and quiet while you work. In an age of remote work and online courses, finding appropriate spaces to study and complete assignments is increasingly difficult for students looking to battle the distractions of everyday life. Many students are often inclined to work in their dorm rooms or in their rooms at home, sometimes even while lying in bed. The temptation to cuddle up while you study is high, especially when you’re on your third coffee of the day to stay awake and focused. However, there could be some serious drawbacks to bringing your schoolwork into your personal space.
Boundaries for Your Bed
Study spaces exist for a reason – to allow students a space where they’re able to be focused and motivated to complete their work. Sometimes these spaces are allocated by a school, and other times they are quiet locations that a student finds somewhere on campus where they find that they work productively. Regardless, the change in location that a study space provides creates an important boundary for students. For example, this boundary could be:
When I enter this space, I am focused and productive.
This is quite different from the mindset that many students have when they climb into bed or enter their room, which is often.
When I enter this space, I am safe and relaxed.
For many students, especially those living in dorms, their room and their bed become safe spaces where they’re able to relax and unwind from the pressures of academics. When students do schoolwork in bed, or sometimes even within their rooms at all, this could blur the energy boundary that exists by merging the two mentalities mentioned above.
Why is this important?
When these location boundaries become entangled, students may suffer from emotional stress. Some students may experience a lack of focus and find it hard to be productive in a space full of comfort and distractions, and others may find that they have a hard time ‘switching off’ and detaching from ‘productivity mode’ after they are done working. Many students could develop difficulties sleeping because their bed has become their study space instead of their relaxation space. Ultimately, using your bed or your personal space for schoolwork could have negative effects on your mental health and, ironically, it could actually make your life more difficult.
The Bottom Line
Like we said before, schools have study spaces for a reason: your school is on your side. Your institution wants you to succeed, and they have these areas to set you up for success. Some students have no issues doing work in their dorms, and that’s completely okay; however, many students benefit greatly from having these school/life boundaries. There will inevitably be days when you don’t feel like leaving your bed and changing locations to do your schoolwork, but try your best to implement location boundaries when you’re studying – your future self will thank you later.
