Study hall in high school may or may not have been productive for you as a student, but you’re probably familiar with the concept. Everyone is supposed to show up with their work, perhaps nod hello to a friend while taking a seat, and then start working. By the end of the hour, everyone should have something to show for it.
Solopreneurs and other adults often find working at home lonely and unproductive. They are the only ones home (or the only adult at home) during the day. On too many days, time slides by without their having anything good to show for it. Distractions are everywhere. The business owners or freelancers don’t have a boss or coworkers, and they have no one to keep them accountable on a daily basis.
There has to be a solution—without going back to a job—right? Enter study hall.
Stop feeling alone when you work at home
Imagine a virtual room where other people (from a few to several) join you. You can all stop feeling alone, because other people are there with you.
The people who show up aren’t all in the same business that you’re in, but that doesn’t matter at all. There could be a variety of professions and industries represented on any given day. That’s okay. Perhaps there are some writers, some editors, some accountants, a consultant, and a coach or two. What everyone has in common is a need for some accountability and a little company.
How study hall works
Very similar to a high school study hall, everyone shows up with their work. Unlike high school, however, these study halls are held virtually in a Zoom room instead of one geographic location. People from all over the country and even other continents have joined my study halls.
Also very unlike high school, in these study halls, when they arrive, each person says hello and what they’ll be working on during that hour. Then they mute themselves, settle in, and get busy on their work. Someone might unmute and share something interesting or amusing from their work, but 95% of the time is spent working. At the end, or when a person signs off, the person reports something simple, such as, “I finished writing that blog post. Thanks for being there, everyone.” People smile and wave or unmute and cheer. The support is tangible and helpful.
Get more work done
Just knowing that others are there and can see you on video helps to keep you on task. We all know the blank stare of zoning out or the giggles from crazy cat videos, and someone will probably say something to help you get back on track. Knowing that at the end of the hour you will need to say whether you accomplished the thing you said you were going to do also helps you stay on task. Seeing and/or hearing your “classmates” cheer for you when you finish something—or even make progress on it—feels great. It also makes you want to accomplish more. This helps your business in measurable ways. People who participate in study halls produce more and earn more.
Sign up for study hall
It’s human nature to ignore and neglect things that are free to us. We don’t appreciate them even if we know they are valuable. We care more about things that cost us. For that reason, there is going to be a charge for membership in this “class,” but there is no reason that charge has to be substantial. So it won’t be. It will be just $10 a month when billing begins. So why not check it out now, while it is still free?
There’s a study hall almost every day, and sometimes two or three in a day. There are at least 30 sessions each month, which comes out to about 33¢ per available hour-long session.
Not everyone can make it to any given session, and some people need more than one hour to get their work done. Study halls are also hosted at different times for members’ convenience and variety. People who sign up are welcome to join any of the sessions they’d like.
This is for people who
- have internet access during their work times
- can get distracted or feel lonely working alone
- want to be productive
- would like to know that someone else is “there”
- want to earn more money
- are willing to pay $10/mo for a tool that’s worth much more
If you’d like to visit (at no charge), just click the link to Study Hall. Days and times are posted on Facebook, so if we’re not FB friends yet, send me a friend request.
If you’d like to go ahead and join, click this button.