How to focus on online classes?

Staying Focused: Easier said than done!

It’s springtime: the sun is out, birds are hopping from branch to branch in the tree outside my window, chirping away. Dreamily I follow their little dance when my daydream gets abruptly interrupted: “Any questions?” – echoes my teacher’s voice through the speakers of my headset.
If you are like me, you know what it’s like, struggling to focus on online classes. Not to worry, though, I’ve got an easy solution for you: crafting paper flowers!

How does crafting paper flowers help you stay focused?

Basically, the effect is the same as you would get from playing with a fidget spinner. The aim is to find a task that is just right:

• simple enough so it won’t draw your attention away but also
• challenging enough to stop your mind from wandering

The task may be different for different people. In my case, crafting paper flowers strikes the right balance: my hands are busy and my mind stays focused.

Once the online lecture is over, by doing your task and staying focused, you will have absorbed the knowledge presented. Unlike with a fidget spinner, you will also have created something pretty to decorate your home with or to give away as a present.

Staying focused made easy: use a starter kit

Now that I have answered how paper flowers help you focus on online classes, let me show you how to get started making them yourself. It is super easy and relatively inexpensive. Personally, I recommend you pick up a crepe flower starter kit such as the one by Creotime (available from Suomalainen Kirjakauppa). For under €20 you’ll get everything you need, complete with glue, templates and shaping tool. The company has also made a number of instruction videos such as the one below to help guide you through your first steps.

If you are unsure about the kit and rather get started on your own, this is what you need:

• Scissors
• Paper glue (not too runny) or hot glue gun
• Crepe paper in desired colours (for leaves and petals)
• Thin metal rods or wooden skewers (for the flower stem)
• Templates for the petal and leaf shapes (you can draw your own)

There are plenty of video instructions available online but I have also created the below cheat sheets for you to help with your first steps.

Find your focus!

If paper flowers or crafting just aren’t for you, don’t give up hope! Think what simple task you could do to help you stay focused. I have also found folding laundry and pacing quite useful. Perhaps just the simple act of standing rather than sitting is enough to help you stay focused. Keep searching until you find a task that hits the right spot for you between

• simple enough so it won’t draw your attention away but also
• challenging enough to stop your mind from wandering

If you have found what helps you focus during online lectures please share it with me in the comments!

And if you enjoyed reading this article you might also want to check out our entry on the best learning style for your MTBI personality type.