How to survive online? Discipline and productivity in the online era

People can survive in extreme conditions, cover enormous distances or lift trucks, etc., but what Evolution did not prepare us for was total Online and life in a remote mode…

Table of Contents

• How it used to be
• How is it now?
• Main problems and challenges of online life
• Possible solutions to problems: How to increase productivity and self-discipline online

Many educational institutions and employers have moved to the Internet, and students/employees are forced to act in accordance with the requirements of the times. But with new opportunities come new problems - the whole day passes behind the monitor screens, your eyes are “on your forehead” and your head is “square”, and what have you managed to do? It often turns out that almost nothing! This is a common issue of distance learning and work.

So, the question of “how to survive in the online era” and how to maintain online productivity is more acute than ever. That's why we're sharing with you useful life hacks developed as a result of personal experience on how to spend time online effectively and efficiently.

How it used to be

You woke up, had to get ready, go out; classes in the classroom or work in the office/studio. You could take an unplanned walk with friends after class/work, go to a coffee shop...

How is it now?

Glossary of terms that have emerged in the online era (This section is a quote, so we leave it unchanged except for formatting)

Bheja Wu: The feeling that all the points people are making in this meeting were already made in yesterday's meeting.

A spontaneous mutation: When you give one of the best speeches of your life, full of insight and inspiration, providing clarity on various issues, for at least 15 minutes without realizing your microphone is still off.

Anxiety during preparation: Worrying about what you're wearing gives the impression that you're not taking the meeting seriously enough. You can minimize this anxiety by wearing a crisply pressed shirt and tie, but this can also lead to Abnormal Formality.

Abnormal Formality: The tendency to over-dress for Zoom meetings, triggering feelings of anger, inadequacy, and resentment that your dry cleaning services are so much better than everyone else's in this time of crisis.

The Doggler Effect: When your dog barks continuously for the duration of your call.

Mutually Assured Destruction of Meetings: When the connection is bad, you both have meetings at the same time and you both end up yelling at the same time while in the same room.

Pumped up ceramics: The ability of a Zoom or Google Meet participant in a high-level meeting to go to the bathroom during the meeting without revealing this fact to others.

Cereal murder: Chewing cornflakes carefully so that the noise doesn't disturb others. If your camera is on, your spoon should move quickly.

Source: The Hindu 

Main problems and challenges of online life

• Lack of physical activity and the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle. To think that ancient people were able to drive any animal to death thanks to their endurance, sweating, and specific metabolism. You can read a lot about the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle on the Internet, it's a hackneyed topic, so we won't dwell on it for long. It is important to remember that health during sedentary work requires additional attention.

• Too many calories and unhealthy online eating. In this regard, we are not far from the first people. We should think about what we eat. Who has cats or dogs? If you read the composition of their food, you will realize that our diet is often less balanced. Since ancient times, we have had a tendency to eat fatty and salty foods. It used to help us survive by storing fat in the body. But now it frequently leads to obesity and various diseases, especially with the low activity that distance learning and work have generated. The body either does not digest everything or stores it “for later” in fat on the sides or tummy.

• Scrolling coma: Social media addiction. Who has Instagram and TikTok? Probably everyone... And everyone definitely likes to get stuck in them. The feeds with “cool stuff” and “pictures” are specially made endless to keep us sitting longer. Occasionally, you need to go to Instagram to check your messages, and as a result, you read 3 posts, “like” a couple of photos, and then thoughts appear: “Why did I actually come here?” I leave, remember, come back in. Or I go to TikTok for 5 minutes. But we know the truth about the duration of these 5 minutes. These are typical signs of social media addiction.

• Reduction in the amount of face-to-face communication and the psychology of online interaction. Again, I'm not talking about its complete absence, but about a decrease compared to what it used to be. Short lines of messages are slowly replacing long spontaneous walks in parks with a friend whom you met by chance. The psychology of online communication has its peculiarities, and it does not always replace live interaction.

• Frivolity and procrastination online. When you are sitting in a classroom or office - in public, in general - you have to adhere to certain social norms, whether you want to or not. At home, it's easier to give in to the urge to put things off until later, which is a form of online procrastination.

• Individualism. It is now easy to ignore people. You don't have to, of course, but it's easier to do so. Tired of a teacher or an honor's student? You can simply not respond to messages or calls, while coming up with a good excuse.

Possible solutions to problems: How to increase productivity and self-discipline online

Each of us, consciously or unconsciously, struggles with the above problems. Here are some proven solutions. A little advice - try practicing them for at least a month to see the results for self-discipline.

Exercise or yoga in the morning for energy and health. It's great for getting your blood flowing, warming up your body, and allowing you to sit longer. You can find exercise videos to your favorite music or just simple exercises. During work, take short breaks to warm up (10–15 minutes). As practice shows, such small timeouts even increase productivity and relieve fatigue from mental activity. This is an important part of staying healthy while working sedentarily.

Walking for fresh thoughts and better sleep, It is better in the late afternoon. Refreshes the head, promotes good sleep. Relaxes you.

Calorie control and healthy eating. If I sit at the computer all day and there will be a lot of sedentary work again in the coming days, it is better to reduce the number of carbohydrates and increase the amount of fiber. Simply put - less cereal, more vegetables, fruits. It is also significant to drink more water. And after playing sports, you can slightly increase your portion.

Digital hygiene: Controlling time on social media, Try timing yourself before logging on to social media. Or even use special services and mobile apps. And soon you will see for yourself how long it takes to view entertainment content. A timer is the best friend of self-discipline and an effective tool to avoid distractions when working from home. Don't neglect it, relying entirely on your body clock.

Organize your workspace at home. Set aside a workspace for yourself. It should be used only for work, homework, and other important things. This creates a more serious mood and even changes the body's reflexes. How to organize a workplace at home is an essential issue for productivity. We have triggers for everything. We see a lemon and salivate. Likewise, we lie down on the bed: “Oh, I feel so lazy to do everything. Maybe I should take a nap for a couple of minutes?” - but we know the truth. It's the same with the workplace. If we are only working at a particular desk, then over time, when we sit down at that place, we get a sense of focus, seriousness, and the appropriate mood.

Working dress code for self-discipline. Wear formal/outdoor attire when studying and working. This has the same effect as the previous point. By the way, there is a study that if you put on your sportswear in the evening, it will be easier to pull yourself together and go for a run in the morning. It's the same with work clothes. It will help you concentrate while studying or working online.

Let's discipline ourselves! Online efficiency depends on you.