Can't get on with your homework? If you have trouble concentrating, you can learn how to plan well so that you can complete your assignments. Learn how to prepare to do your homework, how to stay focused, and the most efficient way to do your homework.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparing for homework
Step 1. Find a quiet place to sit
Focusing is difficult if you're sitting in the living room while your brother is gaming at full volume. Try to find a place where it is quiet and where you can focus on what you need to do.
- Your own room is often a good place, but somewhere else is also possible. Try to use the same place every day, such as the kitchen table or a desk in the living room.
- If you can't find a quiet place at home or you don't have your own room, you can also stay at school and do your homework there. You can also try the library.
Step 2. Have everything you need for your homework ready
Make sure you have everything ready before you start. If you already have everything you need ready, you can concentrate better on what you are doing and you do not have to look for your compass in the meantime. It is essential that everything is tidy, so tidy up your homework area before you start.
Bring a glass of water or a healthy snack so you can keep working and not have to get up when you get hungry or thirsty. Stay in your seat
Step 3. Make sure you have no distractions
Turn off your computer and don't go on Facebook or Twitter or anything that might distract you. Make sure you don't have anything around except things you need right away for your homework.
- If you have to make an effort not to look at your phone or computer, put them in another room or give them to your mother or roommate. Only go get them when you have a break.
- There are recent studies showing that listening to soft instrumental music can help you focus while doing homework. It may not work for everyone, but you can try it out and see if it helps.
Step 4. Make a checklist for your homework
Before you start, make a list of everything you need to do. Even if you already have everything in your agenda, it is still useful to have a list of everything that you have to do. Then you can check off the things you have already done and it remains clear.
- Write down the name of the course and make a small overview of exactly what you need to do for your assignment. Also write down the due date and the time you think you will need to complete the assignment.
- Write the hardest things at the top of your list so you can get them out of the way first. You can also write the assignments you think will take the longest at the top so that you get the longest work out of the way first. Both ways help.
Step 5. Make a plan
Without proper planning, it can sometimes be difficult to stay on track. Try to set aside a certain amount of time for everything you need to do. For example, schedule your physics homework from 4 to 5, then your math from 5 to 6, and so on. This ensures that you stay on schedule and do not get distracted. The deadline ensures that you work harder and that you do not wait until the last possible minute to work.
- Make sure you know everything when it has to be handed in. Then you can plan your time well. It can be quite difficult if you only complete four different assignments the night before they are due.
- Also try to stay organized. Don't keep your math notes between your English homework.
Part 2 of 3: Doing your homework
Step 1. Give your brain some time to get used to it
It can be difficult to get going if you start doing homework at once. Give your brain a moment to move from watching TV to reading and studying. For example, take a moment to look through your textbook before you start. Then you have time to get used to it.
Quickly rewriting your notes can also be very helpful. You probably don't quite remember the notes you took last week. It's an easy way to learn and you'll be fine in homework mode
Step 2. Do the hardest thing first
A lot of people say it's easiest to do the hardest assignments first so you can get them out of the way. If you hate math but you like English, do your math homework first and then your English as a reward. Once you get used to doing the homework, it all gets easier.
You may find it easier to do the longest assignments first. They may also be the hardest, but they don't have to be
Step #3. Try reading aloud while you're at it
If you find it difficult to stay focused for long periods of time, reading your assignments aloud can help. This will keep you from getting distracted.
If you think talking out loud is weird, you can also whisper. Talking out loud while you're solving a problem also helps. Hearing what you are thinking can make you more creative
Step 4. Finish your assignment before you start working on something else
Do not switch orders. Finish your assignment and then move on to the next one. Recent studies indicate that multitasking temporarily lowers your IQ and brain capabilities, making your homework even more difficult.
- Cross things off. Check off your assignment as soon as you're done with it. You can even divide your assignment into different parts and check them off when you've finished them. Seeing what you have completed and how much you have already done can be good for your motivation and gives you better perseverance.
- If you can't figure something out, put it away for a while. Just staring at something just makes you frustrated and takes a lot of time. Starting something new gives you a better feeling and if you later go back to the assignment you didn't finish, you can go back to it with fresh courage.
Step 5. Know when to stop
Got a lot of homework to do and it's going to be a long night? Try never to go on for more than an hour or two after your normal bedtime. Do as much as you can, otherwise finish it the next morning. If you don't get it done, try to plan better next time.
If you go on too long and get too tired, it's bad for your focus and won't help the next day either. As soon as you start working after you normally go to sleep, it also makes planning and estimating your work more difficult
Part 3 of 3: Staying motivated
Step 1. Take a few short breaks instead of a really long one
A few short breaks in between your assignments works better than a very long one. For example, you can take a 5 minute break after every 30 to 60 minutes of work.
- During your break, go for a walk or stretch out, instead of sitting down and going on Facebook. It is important that you do not sit at your desk for hours on end.
- If you don't take a break every now and then, your work may seem endless. This will make you less productive and lower your concentration because you will sooner feel the need to go to your computer or waste time in other ways.
Step 2. Be careful with caffeine
Some students get a big boost of energy from caffeine and can concentrate better afterwards. Other people instead of being more concentrated just get very hyper and that doesn't help either. Don't drink more coffee or other caffeinated drinks than you normally would. The more you drink, the more difficult it is to concentrate.
Just staying well hydrated usually helps better than coffee. Water or juice helps better and ensures that your brain continues to function properly
Step 3. Try to do your homework with other people
Sitting alone in a room with only your books can make focusing more difficult. It sometimes helps if you are somewhere where there are other people or if you work with a group of people. They can help you and keep you focused. If you say you're writing a paper and they see you on the internet, they can talk to you about it and get you to get on with your work.
Doing homework together is not cheating as long as you don't just exchange answers. It's just smart and it saves time
Step 4. Treat yourself when you're done
It is important that you reward yourself for the work you have done. If you can do something fun or eat something tasty after work, it really helps to stay motivated and will make you work harder.
- Try this: Cut out squares from pieces of colored paper and write all the assignments you need to do on them. Put these in a pile. Make another pile and write rewards on those sheets. Write something like being allowed to spend 5 minutes on your phone, play a game or watch an episode of a series or anything else you like to do for 10 minutes.
- When you complete an assignment, you can take one of the papers with a reward on it. This way you get your work done faster and you can still enjoy the things you love. But don't go crazy with your rewards. 1 episode is enough. Don't watch an entire season right away.
Tips
- Put on comfortable clothes. If you wear comfortable clothes you can sit comfortably and you will not be distracted by your clothes itching or pinching.
- Amazingly, you have more free time if you do your work right away instead of putting it off.
- Whatever you do, don't delay your work. That just makes you want to do it even less.
- If you're in a bad mood and don't feel like doing homework, try to imagine all the fun things you can do when you're done.
- Do not sit near an annoying sibling.
- Focus on your work and not your friends. If someone calls you, tell them you'll call them back later.
- Don't waste your time looking for ways to focus better. Just do it.
- Make sure you're in a tidy room so that you don't use cleaning as an excuse instead of doing your work.
- Do not sit where there is a TV, cooking or where it does not smell fresh.
- Before you do your homework, you may want to move a little. Running a bit or jumping up and down makes your blood flow faster so you can concentrate better.
- There are studies that show that having a view of nature can improve concentration and productivity. Try to sit somewhere with a view of your garden. Make sure there is nothing to distract you. A few nature photos on the wall or a flower in a vase can also help.
- Make a good schedule for your homework. For example, agree with yourself that when you finish your maths or physics, you can watch television for 15 minutes. Reward yourself.
- Some people say music helps them concentrate while others find it distracting. This differs per person.
- Don't put off your homework and don't do anything else. This doesn't help so get to work right away and finish your assignments!
- Turn off the sound of your phone so that you are not distracted by messages from people.
- If you're in a group chat, turn it off. Then you are not constantly distracted.
- Before you begin, clear all distractions from your room. Get rid of your phone, computer, books, etc. and focus only on your homework.
Warnings
- Don't put off your homework. That only creates stress and makes you even less inclined to do your homework. The consequences aren't good and you'll only get mad at yourself if you didn't do your homework when you had the time to do it. Plus you just create more work for yourself. You now have to do not only the homework that you postponed, but also all the new homework that you have been given.
- Force yourself to focus. If you don't focus and do your homework, you could get worse marks on your next test!