Learn Better At Home: the Student Guide to Effective Self-Study
Learn Better At Home: the Student Guide to Effective Self-Study
Hello world! I’m Peter, a PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) student at the University of Oxford and co-author of Learn Better At Home: the Student Guide to Effective Self-Study, a new charity ebook to help you study more effectively at home. You can get it for free here [https://learnbetterathome.com] or on the Kindle store here [https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08D7N1RSG/].
Why did we write this book?
We're all stuck at home, and this can make learning more challenging. That's why we wanted to help students out during this tough time. So we made a survey, got some responses, and then did it all again to learn a bit more. We discovered that students found it very difficult to learn effectively at home. It’s difficult to motivate yourself, set good goals, and then sit down and get started - let alone study efficiently once you’re sat with your textbook. And we couldn't find a comprehensive, in-depth, student-written book to address all these challenges.
Who are we?
So we got together a group of four Oxford students. For various reasons, we’ve all self-studied - a lot. We’ve self-studied at the secondary school and university levels, sometimes to pass exams and sometimes to learn something new. And we realised we could share our experiences in an ebook.
What’s inside?
We're sharing key tools, tips, and methods for success in learning at home. Whether you want to succeed in your exams or teach yourself a new subject, this book is here to help.
We believe this is the world's first student-written ebook on self-study as a whole. This book is about more than habits, motivation, and exams. It covers those things, but aims to go further and touch on all the main things you'll want to know. We start by talking about how to understand motivation and use goals, then jump into how to get started. After that, we explain the five-step process for effective self-study, and go in-depth on how to apply it to three different subjects.
How do I get it?
We're running a 'Name Your Price' fundraiser, with all proceeds going to GiveDirectly. GiveDirectly has been ranked by independent charity evaluator GiveWell as a top charity for social impact, and at the time of writing has a particular focus on supporting some of those suffering most as a result of COVID-19. We would really appreciate any support you can provide. But, if you can't afford to pay for our book right now, you can read it for free.
You can also get Learn Better At Home on Kindle [https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08D7N1RSG/].
Some tips on getting back to work if you’re struggling (extract from Learn Better At Home)
Here are our top tips for getting back to work. We recommend reviewing these tips when you’re wondering how to get going again.
Do something, as soon as possible.
Get back on track as soon as you can. A very important part of working towards a goal is establishing a habit. If a setback knocks you out of this routine, try and get back to it quickly! The more ‘bad days’ you’ve had in a row, the more likely it is that tomorrow will be a bad day.
Accept your limitations.
Although it’s important to get back to work quickly, it’s key to know your limitations. But, particularly with large setbacks, it’s worth pacing yourself! Getting back on track with a goal can be tricky. So learn to listen to yourself. Pushing your boundaries can be great, but it’s also important to practise self-care and accept when it’s all a little too much.
Take one step at a time.
Combining these two points, try and make a small amount of progress every day. Progress might just involve doing something which is going to make tomorrow a little easier, like getting up earlier or making a short list of specific things you want to achieve. Every day, try to identify something which you could do to contribute to your goals. Even if your short term goal is just to get back on track with your longer term ones, that’s great. Keep it up.