How to Set Up Your Home Office for Studying Your MBA

Hundreds of thousands of workers and students across the globe are being forced to stay at home for the foreseeable future because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This transition can be particularly difficult if you, like many others, are used to studying in your local library or café, usually surrounded by your peers. Or perhaps you feel you may struggle with staying indoors for longer periods of time, or your home might not be particularly study-friendly.

Whatever your worries might be, set them aside for now, as we’re here to help. From equipment to décor and everything in between, there are many different ways you can make the transition as smooth as possible.

Here are TopMBA’s tips on how to best organize your home study space.

Pick a room with good lighting

According to a Harvard Business Review report, lighting can really make or break a studying or working environment.

Natural sunlight isn’t only energizing, it’s also a creativity and productivity booster.

Set your study space up in a bright room, preferably near a window. If you don’t have a particularly bright space in the house, you can create one by making simple adjustments. Utilizing mirrors is a fantastic way to create the illusion of a bigger space through by enabling light to bounce around a room. You should also think about getting rid of those heavy curtains – you’ll thank us later.

And finally, pops of color here and there can make your study environment look even more lively. There are plenty of things to choose from – a plant, a poster and a table centerpiece are just a few examples. Get creative!

Make sure you’re comfortable

Having good equipment at your disposal can make studying from home easy and comfortable.

Studying from your bed or couch might seem appealing at first, but it’ll likely give you back pain in the long run. If you haven’t already, why not take a look into purchasing a desk for your workspace. It doesn’t have to be luxurious, just make sure it’s functional and proportional to your height. You might also want to consider purchasing an office chair for maximum comfort.

If you’re trying to save money, have a look for second-hand equipment on Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle, Craigslist or Gumtree. You might be able to get it for free!

Keep your learning space clean and stocked up

It might come as a shock, but cleanliness plays a huge role in your ability to learn. Numerous studies conducted over the past few years prove that the tidier and cleaner a study space is, the more those using the area are able to focus and complete their work.

You might opt for big cleaning sessions a few times a week, or you might prefer to get up early every morning and spend the first 15 minutes of the day ensuring that your space is nice and tidy – as long as you do tidy up your work space, any method will work.

Another tip: make sure the room is stocked up with everything you may need throughout the day like books and stationery. Having to interrupt a study session to get a piece of paper is a real focus-killer, so do your best to avoid it.

Check your internet speed

While your current home internet plan might be great for watching Netflix, it doesn’t mean it will accommodate your MBA-learning needs. Attending online classes, interacting on video calls, using specific software and downloading lengthy academic material can put serious pressure on your Wi-Fi.

Nobody likes learning with a poor internet connection, so you might want to check with your internet provider whether your plan is study-from-home proof. You might need to upgrade or change provider entirely if the upgrade quotes are too high.

It might seem like a hassle but trust us, it’ll be worth it.

Read more about Covid-19

Coronavirus Student Hub

Everything Students Need to Know About the Novel Coronavirus

Confused About Coronavirus? Imperial College Launches Free Covid-19 Course

Wharton Offers Course on Consequences of Coronavirus Crisis

Discovering where to study

Is Postgraduate Education Still Worth It During a Global Recession?

Cambridge University: Online Only Lectures Until Summer 2021

Imperial College Business School Holds Virtual MSc Information Session

What to Consider When Comparing Universities Online

How to Choose a Business School Without Leaving the House

Comparing Virtual Tours of Top Business Schools

Why Higher Education is Still Necessary in Times of Change

How Can I Still Study Abroad?

Why Technology Can Save University Enrolment in Trying Times

QS digital events

QS Digital Events Calendar

How to Prepare For a QS Digital Event

How to Impress MBA Recruiters at Home

How to Navigate Your University Search During Covid-19

Why Aspiring Grad Students Should Attend HE Events

Coronavirus Advice for In-Person QS Events

Admissions advice

University Admissions: Coronavirus Hub

Business School Admissions: Coronavirus Hub

How Will the New Clearing Process Affect Students?

‘We’re Working to Ensure Candidate Applications Aren’t Disrupted’: Instagram Live with Imperial College Business School

Universities Changing Tuition Fees in Response to Coronavirus

How Covid-19 Is Affecting Wharton MBA Applications

Online Resources to Use in Your MBA Application

UK Government to Cap University Admissions: Will You Be Affected?

How To Defer Your University Offer In the UK

How To Defer Your University Offer In the US

How to Defer Your University Offer in Canada

How To Defer Your University Offer In Australia

Wharton Holds First Virtual Campus Tour For Students Stuck at Home

Entrance tests & exams

Six Tips to Ace the At-Home GRE and GMAT

INSEAD Accepting Applications Without the GMAT Due to Coronavirus

Can't Take TOEFL? Duolingo Might Offer Alternative

How to Take the GRE and GMAT at Home

China's National University Entrance Exam Will Go Ahead in July

Studying online

80% of UK Students Struggling Financially Due to COVID-19

Business As Usual: ESCP Replaces In-Person Project With Online Version

Why Coronavirus Will Cause an Ed-Tech Boom

Should UK Students Get A Refund For The Academic Year?

Majority of International Students Happy to Study Online

Benefits of Online Degrees, According to Students

How to Successfully Work From Home

How to Organize Your Routine When Working From Home

How to Set Up Your Home Office When Studying Your MBA

How to Stay Focused When Studying Your MBA at Home

How to Stay Engaged While Studying Online

75 Percent of Students Expect Lower Tuition Fees For Studying Online

9 Top Universities Offering Free Online Courses

Why Hybrid Teaching Might Be the Future of Online Courses

UK Students Will Pay Full Tuition Fees If Classes Remain Online, Say Government

10 Online Courses to Boost Your Business Curriculum

Life in lockdown

Quiz: Which Quarantine Cliché Are You?

Meet the Charity Helping International Students Left Homeless By COVID-19

Re-opening Businesses in COVID-19: Pros and Cons

What It’s Like Being in B-school During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Life Under Quarantine: How Coronavirus is Affecting University Students

Coronavirus: Life is Changing on Campus in the United States

25 Productive Things To Do While Social Distancing

Five Inventive Things B-School Students Can Do While Social Distancing

How to Keep Employee Morale High While Working From Home

How UK Students Can Help Out During the Coronavirus Crisis

9 Books All B-School Candidates Should Read While Social Distancing

How to Avoid Back Pain When Working From Home, According to a Chiropractor

Business School Professors Recommend Activities to Pass the Time in the Pandemic

Staying healthy

Five Ways to Look After Your Mental Health in Lockdown

How Can Students Stay Healthy At Home?

Should You Try to ‘Improve Yourself’ in Quarantine?

Fun and Unusual Ways Students are Staying Active in Quarantine

How You Can Stay Happy and Healthy While Studying at Home

Careers advice

The 'New Normal': Why Digital Skills Matter More Than Ever

The EdTech Sector Grows as Other Industries Take a Hit from the Coronavirus Crisis

Bounce Back Loans: Everything You Need to Know for Your Small Business

Staying Hopeful: MBA Grads on Job Hunting During a Recession

What Does Coronavirus Mean For The Hospitality Industry?

How to Adapt Your Small Business During a Pandemic

How to Get Hired Without Leaving the House

How 2020 Graduates Can Find Jobs Amid Coronavirus

Everything Students Need to Know About Virtual Internships

Staying Afloat: UK Small Business Owners on Adapting to a Pandemic

How My B-School Experience Is Helping Me Run a Hospital During Covid-19

Summer Internships Are Going Online

Safeguarding Talent During Coronavirus: Will Internships Go Digital?