Karina Rodriguez | THE RIDER
Amid COVID-19, students can feel apprehensive because their home lives are now interfering with their school, and even work life. It is important that right now, as we are mostly at home, that we find ways to ensure that we have a space that makes us comfortable as we work during these unprecedented times.
As a student and reporter, I ensure to keep my desk clear of clutter and to make my bed every morning. Doing so, allows me to feel as if I have my life a little put together, and the view of my bed makes it look less uninviting for a midday nap.
In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, Stephanie McMains and Sabine Kastner found that having too many objects around you can take attention away from the task at hand.
“Multiple stimuli present in the visual field at the same time compete for neural representation by mutually suppressing their evoked activity throughout the visual cortex, providing a neural correlate for the limited processing capacity of the visual system,” stated McMains and Kastner.
Overall, while you should not dwell on cleaning every single part of your workplace until spotless, it is important to make sure you limit any distractions that may inhibit your studying habits. By doing so, you ensure being able to get more work done in a shorter time frame.
