What is Environment Management?
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Environment Management is the management of one’s working environment in order to increase productivity and efficiency. By managing your surroundings, you can utilize your time far better by limiting distractions and optimizing your comfort in a space.
Limitations of Studying At Home
For most people, studying or working gets done at their home. It has its benefits like 24/7 accessibility and no time is wasted traveling like it would be if you went to a library. However, working at home may not be the ideal environment for students to thrive in. Typically, our homes are filled with distractions like roommates, television, and possibly poor internet connection. It may make it difficult to make the most of your time and stay productive.
Benefits of Finding the Right Environment
By analyzing what environments you work best in, you can create a working space that allows you to be the most productive version of yourself. It’s important to look into different factors of working space such as Internet connection, available space, comfort, and household patterns of use.
Internet connection is definitely a crucial component for e-Learners. If the connectivity at your home is poor or buffers, consider switching to a more reliable location like a cafe or library.
In terms of available space, it’s imperative to give yourself enough space to work. Working on your bed might be comfy, but it may not provide the space you need to write or place to set your materials.
Comfort is another important factor in environment management. However, too much comfort can decrease your motivation. Try to find a place where you are comfortable with your surroundings. For example, if your bedroom is too warm, it may be better to switch to a cooler room. Or, if the seat you are sitting in doesn’t offer good support for your back, you should find a chair that amply gives you the comfort you need to complete your work.
Lastly, analyzing household patterns of use can help you judge if an environment is right for you. Working at the kitchen table may offer good space to lay out your materials, but this may cause conflict with roommates who also need to use this space. It’s important to use spaces like the kitchen during designated times that work with others’ schedules. This way you work in the best interest of yourself and others.
Globokar, J. L. (2010). 3 Getting Organized. In Introduction to Online Learning: A Guide for Students. (pp. 29-44). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc