Study skills
Staying focused in online classes, a practical student guide
Practical ways to stay focused in online classes: setting up your space, beating phone distractions, active listening and a simple class routine.
For students. By the Qlive team. . 5 min read.
Online classes have real advantages. No travel, a teacher you might never have met otherwise, and often more attention than in a crowded classroom. But they come with a challenge: everything that distracts you is right there. Your phone, other tabs, the television in the next room, the bed behind you.
Staying focused online is not about willpower alone. It is mostly about setting things up so that focus is easier. This guide shows you how.
Set up your space
Choose a fixed spot
Use the same place for every class if you can: a desk or table, not your bed. Your brain starts to link that spot with learning.
Check the basics
- Light: face a window or a lamp so your face is visible. Avoid a bright window behind you.
- Sound: a quiet room, and headphones or earphones with a microphone if possible.
- Background: tidy and plain is fine. Nothing that distracts you or the teacher.
- Posture: a chair with back support, screen roughly at eye level.
Keep what you need within reach
Notebook, pens, pencil, ruler, calculator, textbook and a water bottle. Every time you get up to find something, you lose a few minutes of attention.
Get your device ready
A few minutes before class:
- Charge your device or keep it plugged in.
- Close every other app and tab. Not minimise, close.
- Turn on do not disturb or focus mode.
- Test your microphone and camera.
- Open the class link a couple of minutes early.
If you use a laptop, keep your phone in another room. If you join on a tablet or phone, that device should only be used for class during the session.
Deal with the phone
The phone is the single biggest distraction for most students. Even a phone lying silent on the desk pulls at your attention, because part of your brain is waiting for it to light up.
Options that work:
- Phone in another room
- Phone in a drawer, switched to silent
- Ask a parent to keep it during class
- Use an app blocker during class time
Tell your friends you are in class, so you do not feel you have to reply.
Listen actively
Passive listening, where the words go past while you nod, is what makes online classes feel long. Active listening means you are doing something with what you hear.
Take notes by hand
Writing notes keeps your hands and mind busy. Summarise in your own words. Our guide on taking good notes in class explains the Cornell method, which works well for online lessons.
Ask questions
In a live class, questions are welcome. Ask when you are confused, not at the end when you have forgotten. In one-to-one classes this is even easier, because the class is only about you.
Predict and answer
When your teacher asks a question, answer it in your head or aloud even if they are asking the class. When they start a worked example, try to guess the next step before they write it.
Use the tools
Many online classes use a shared whiteboard. If you can write on it, do. Solving a problem yourself while the teacher watches is much more engaging than watching them solve it.
Manage your energy
Eat something first
A light snack and some water before class help you concentrate. Avoid a heavy meal just before, which can make you sleepy.
Move between classes
If you have classes back to back, stand up, stretch and look away from the screen for a few minutes in between.
Notice when your focus drops
If you realise you have drifted, do not punish yourself. Sit up, take one slow breath, look at the last thing written on the screen and start again from there.
A before, during and after routine
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 10 minutes before | Snack and water, bathroom break, phone away |
| 5 minutes before | Desk ready, apps closed, do not disturb on, link open |
| Start of class | Write the date and topic, look at what you did last time |
| During class | Notes by hand, answer every question, ask when stuck |
| Last 2 minutes | Note any homework and anything still unclear |
| Within the same day | Read your notes, write two or three self-test questions, do the homework |
Talk to your teacher
Your teacher wants the class to work for you, so tell them what helps. If you lose focus when they talk for a long time, ask to try a problem yourself. If the pace is too fast, say so. If a time slot is not working because you are always tired after school, mention it at home so the timing can be looked at.
It also helps to agree simple signals. For example, you might raise a hand on camera or type “?” on the whiteboard when you are lost. Small habits like these keep you involved in the lesson instead of quietly falling behind.
Common focus traps
- “I’ll just check one message.” One message becomes ten minutes.
- Camera off and lying down. It is very hard to concentrate in bed.
- Multitasking. Doing homework for another subject during class means doing both badly.
- Relying on the recording. Planning to rewatch later usually means not paying attention now, and rewatching rarely happens.
Focus checklist
- I have a fixed study spot with good light and little noise.
- Everything I need is on the desk before class.
- My phone is out of reach and notifications are off.
- All other apps and tabs are closed.
- I take notes by hand and ask questions.
- I review my notes the same day.
Why one-to-one helps
In a large online class, it is easy to fade into the background. In a one-to-one class, the teacher notices straight away when you are lost and can adjust.
That is how Qlive classes work. You learn live with your own teacher on Qlive Space, Qlive’s AI-powered, activity-based learning platform, where you write, solve problems and work through activities and materials while talking with your teacher on Google Meet, and it has a focus mode to keep attention on the work. Classes are at a fixed weekly time, with reminders and the join link in the Qlive Learn app. If you would like to see where you stand in a subject, start with the free assessment.