5 Tips to Stay Positive Around Your Studies

Trying to stay positive around online learning can be a challenging task when workloads become tedious. Having a positive outlook can make you more enthusiastic about your studies, and even more importantly; develop you into a highly motivated student. An individual who can stay on top of work, prioritise each part individually and understand the importance of relaxation is effective at maintaining strong mental health. 

Albeit, this is easier said than done. In life, events and workloads are always baring down on us and as such, it is vital to schedule your time accordingly. Speaking of time management, one of our latest blog posts takes a deep dive into how you can manage your time more efficiently and claim back more of your day.

Importantly, what does being positive mean? Is it smiling? Trying to be humorous? Or simply getting things done? We believe a positive individual is someone who has an optimistic attitude and is able to train their mind to fight off negativity. This can aid mental health conditions or types of mental illnesses because a positive mindset delivers positive results. According to the WHO having a positive mental attitude and health is defined as a state of well-being where individuals are able to realise their own potential, work productively, cope with normal stresses and contribute positively to the community.

Before we get into how you can try to develop a positive mindset or adjust your approach, watch this VIDEO and listen to each word carefully.

This video portrays how some tasks or subjects always come first; while enabling time for others. With this message in mind, individuals are able to complete tasks effectively with the right mindset and priorities.

1. Golf balls

As the video states, the golf balls are your family, friends and hobbies. These are the things that are most close to you in life and the areas that support you best. Family and friends are similar because they are more closely linked to the social side of your life. Friends and family contribute to positive well being because they provide you with an overwhelming feeling of self-purpose. Being supported when feeling neglected can make you feel positive because you know you have people close to you who care about you deeply. 

Moreover, hobbies can clear your mind and make you feel relaxed. Such attributes include reducing anxiety, feeling fitter and providing a social connection with teammates during sport. Simply having a small chat or getting involved in a team sport will make you feel a sense of purpose and companionship difficult to find elsewhere; which all contributes to an optimistic attitude be it on the pitch or during an online tutoring session.

2. Pebbles

Your pebbles are less personal attributes but are still very important qualities that support our lives. However, the most significant aspect is your home. This provides a number of positive thoughts. Firstly, it is your place of safety and security. Secondly, this is where many people have worked during the last couple of years due to covid-19 so an additional bond is created as you throw pens and paper balls into your bin from across the room as procrastination. 

As a result, it is important your workspace is kept clean and tidy to keep your mind focused and calm. Take a look at this blog here on how to maximise your efficiency when working from home. Furthermore, having a dedicated work area is vital to sustaining a consistent work pattern. Be it undergoing online GCSE revision or A-level revision, a work area with no background noise can help enhance your studying time and boost a positive attitude to online work. 

3. Sand

The video is vague regarding sand; as it describes it as "the small stuff." However, this can be a distraction. For example, we notice in the video how the sand overwhelms everything in the jar (not to mention it gets everywhere and is a mess to clean up). In the modern world, such examples often include social media because it can take over our lives. As a result, it is important to take a break from social media and to not let it get in the way of the golf balls or pebbles that provide us with positive and strong mindsets.

This can be achieved by setting time limits on your phone to ensure that once a limit is reached, you are unable to go onto it for a number of hours. Alternatively, it is best to leave your phone in another room when working. This is wise for a number of reasons. Firstly, it enables your online efficiency to focus on revision courses or exams. Secondly, social media can be detrimental to mental health as it throws false information at us consistently that makes us question our values. By being presented with false images of a dream life where you don't need to work hard can drag your motivation for studying through the dirt, so avoid it like the plague (or covid).

Importantly, the sand of our lives gets in the way and can often be unavoidable at times. However, removing this interference can enable us to become more efficient and in turn to develop a stronger mindset. 

4. Rest

The key point to note from the final tip is to ensure you take regular breaks. Though the video highlights this in a more outgoing way, this does not have to always be the case. For instance, it is important for students to get good sleep. Without good sleep, you can feel like you lack energy and this can result in you feeling demotivated. Avoid late nights and aim to maximise getting up early to get into a productive routine. An early morning routine can get you prepared early and thinking positive. 

Moreover, rest can ensure your brain does not become overloaded. Too much work over a certain period of time can potentially cause burnout, disengagement from work or high amounts of stress. It is vital for the human body to revive and take its calm moment in order to register information and remain calm. 



The video has shown us that putting the right subjects first and setting our priorities can allow for a positive mindset and a more productive lifestyle. When this is applied to teaching with Sherpa, one will notice they will become more efficient with online learning across a wide range of subjects. Once such students have developed these strong habits, core content from online learning will naturally come second nature to all of us. To book a session with our expert online tutors, click here.