How to create a useful study spot at home
Graphic of a desk (Photo: Audrey Rauh, The Puma Prensa)
By Audrey Rauh, staff writer
You're tired from an excruciatingly long day and all you want to do is fall asleep, but you're wide awake thinking about if you got number six on the math worksheet right, why? It might be because you’re doing all your homework in bed. Working from your bed can cause your brain to link your bed with work, leading to negative effects on your sleep cycle. An easy solution to this is to create a comfortable and functional study spot that encourages you to work at a desk not in a bed.
If you typically do your homework from the comfort of your bed, then you might have heard many times from a parent or relative that it disrupts your sleep cycle. Although this might just seem like something everyone says and no one means, the simple fact is that it is true. Completing schoolwork in bed can make it harder to fall asleep at night. The Cleveland Clinic states that, “If you start working from bed on a regular basis, your brain can start to associate your bed with work,” this makes it harder for your brain to relax and for you to go to sleep. A study from the CDC states that 7 out of 10 high school students are not getting enough sleep. With the majority of students already not getting eight hours of sleep a night, whether it’s because of school or sports, it is important to make sure you are not getting in your own way. A simple solution to this problem is creating a study spot that will motivate you to stop working from bed. Creating a useful and personalized study spot is well worth the effort as it will almost certainly pay off in the long run.
In order for your study space to work, it needs to be functional; the first thing you need to decide when creating your study spot is where it will be. Your study space should be a closed off area where you can’t be easily distracted by family members or loud noise. You should try to find a space where you can fit a desk or table, so you can have a hard surface to write on. Ideally, your study space would be by a window with natural light that can boost your serotonin levels. However, this is not a necessity, and if you live by a busy road or in a loud area, then a window can be more harmful than helpful. Some good places to have a study spot are in a corner of your room, in a part of your garage, or even in a large closet. Study spots don’t have to be huge, they just have to be in an area with little noise or distractions.
Once you have chosen a space and cleared it out if necessary, you can start building your own study spot. Start with the necessities, a desk and chair. Your desk does not have to be huge but should be big enough to fit some papers or your computer on it and ideally should have some drawers or storage space for books and binders. However, if your desk doesn’t have any space for storage then you should look into getting a small bookcase for storage. In a chair, you should look for comfort and support so you can sit in your chair without any pain or irritation while doing homework. You can repurpose an old table or desk and chair if you have any, but if you don’t, investing in a desk and chair is well worth it. Other must-have items include a lamp or light of some kind in order to see your homework and textbooks even after it gets dark, some pencils and pens to write with, and a charger for your computer so it doesn't die while you’re still working.
Making your study spot more comfortable and personalized can help encourage you to use it more, instead of that bed. These are not essentials but go a long way in making a space that feels like you.
Some things that are nice to have are blankets for the colder months and a pillow, especially if your chair isn’t the most comfortable. Both of these items you can grab from your bed, living room, or closet. Creating a good ambiance in your study spot is also important; a few knickknacks, a candle, some plants (real or fake), and some fairy lights can help make a space that feels more welcoming. Putting headphones or earbuds in your study space is nice for when you want to listen to relaxing music, have to watch a video for school, or need to drown out some distracting noise. Finally, having a stash of snacks and some water can be a nice addition to your study space for when you get dehydrated or hungry. With these items you now have a comfy study spot that is sure to keep you out of your bed when doing work.