Finding Your Drive and Inspiration
Reward yourself when you meet a homework goal. Rewards can be a powerful motivator! Whenever you accomplish a goal—even a little one—take a moment to reward yourself. Your rewards don’t have to be anything elaborate or fancy. It could be something as simple as watching a funny 5-minute video after completing a short reading assignment. Give yourself bigger rewards for bigger accomplishments. For example, you might go out for pizza with a friend after handing in an important paper.
Treat yourself before you start working, too. You don’t have to save all the rewards for when you’re done working. Sometimes it can help to give your mood a lift before you get down to a task. Take a few minutes to enjoy a favorite snack or check your social media. Just make sure you limit yourself to a specific amount of time (like 10 minutes, for example) so that you don’t end up getting totally distracted and wasting a few hours.Did you know? Researchers in Japan recently discovered that looking at pictures or videos of baby animals before you start working can make you much more productive. So, go ahead and watch a couple of cute kitten videos on YouTube the next time you need to work on a boring assignment. It might help!
Work with a motivated study buddy. Working with a friend can make homework more enjoyable. You and your buddy can also help keep each other on track. Make sure you choose a friend who is serious about getting their work done so that you don’t end up goofing off and distracting each other. Doing homework with a friend doesn’t necessarily mean collaborating on the same assignments. You can just spend time together while you each do your own work. Only get your parent to help you if you need help. Check with your teacher first before working together with a friend on an assignment. They may want you to do the work by yourself.
Determine when and where you work best. Some people work best when they first get up in the morning, whereas others feel more energized in the late afternoon or evening. You might also find that some study environments work better for you than others. Experiment to figure out what works best for you. For example, if you’re a morning person, try doing your homework right after you eat breakfast. If you tend to get distracted while working at your desk at home, experiment with doing your homework in the library or a coffee shop instead. Some people also find it helpful to change their routine from time to time. If you find yourself getting bored, try working at a different time from usual or finding a new study space.
Set some SMART homework goals. Setting specific goals can help you stay motivated and make your work feel more manageable. To get the most from your goals, make them Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). Write down your goals and be sure to celebrate whenever you achieve one, no matter how small! Setting vague goals can lead to frustration. Instead of saying, “I’m going to get all my homework done this week,” try something more specific—e.g., “I’m going to work on my English essay for 1 hour every day this week.”
Remind yourself of why you’re in school in the first place. Even if you’re not that excited about the classes you’re taking right now, looking at the big picture and setting some personal goals for yourself can help. Think about the ways that doing well in school will help you in the long run. For example, maybe you want to get good grades so you can get into your dream college, or possibly you’re working towards an exciting career. Doing a good job in your classes can also be its own reward—knowing that you worked hard and did your best is a great self-esteem booster!
Keeping Yourself Focused and Alert
Take care of your physical needs before working. It’s hard to concentrate on homework if you’re tired, hungry, or uncomfortable. Try to get plenty of sleep if you know you’ll have to do a bunch of homework the next day, and don’t try to work on an empty stomach or with a full bladder! If you feel physically tense, do some yoga or light stretches before you begin to work. Doing breathing exercises can also help you feel more comfortable and alert. If you’re not already in comfy clothes, get changed before you start working. This may mean joggers, sweatpants, pjs, shorts, underwear, or even being completely naked. It's your choice.
Find a quiet and comfortable work space. Your environment can make a big difference in how well you focus on your work. Before you begin doing your homework, find a spot that is quiet, well-lit, and gives you plenty of space to spread out. You’ll want a place where you can sit comfortably, but don’t get too comfortable. If you do homework in bed or on a cozy couch, you may be tempted to fall asleep! If you have to work at home, ask anyone who lives with you to give you a little quiet time while you do your homework.
Put away your phone and other distractions. If you’re constantly looking at your Facebook feed or checking your Instagram notifications, you won’t get much work done. Put your phone in a place where you can’t get at it easily, like inside your bag or in a desk drawer. Turn off notifications if they distract you. If you can’t resist messing around on your phone or visiting time-wasting websites on your computer, consider installing an app or a browser extension that blocks tempting apps and sites. Don’t try to work with a TV or radio on. If you listen to music while you do your homework, choose something that’s quiet and not too exciting, like some gentle classical music.
Energize yourself with water and healthy snacks. While you study, keep a bottle of water and some snacks on hand. Staying hydrated and eating healthy foods can help you wake up, focus, and stay alert. Choose foods that can help boost your brain power, such as: Whole grains Healthy proteins, like fish, beans, or nuts Blueberries Leafy greens
Take frequent breaks while you work. You’ll get burnt out and lose focus quickly if you try to work too long without a break. Try working for an hour to an hour and a half and then taking a 15-minute break. This will give your tired brain a chance to rest and recharge.Did you know? Walking can improve your thinking skills. If you’re feeling stuck on a problem, going for a quick walk or even hopping on a treadmill can help! During your breaks, you can go for a walk, have a snack, do a little meditation, or even put your head down for a quick power nap. You can also use your breaks to reward yourself with a fun video or a quick game on your phone.
Switch between different tasks to help you stay sharp. If you’ve reached the point where you can’t stand to look at your assignment any more, take a break and then try switching to another task for a while. This way you can give your brain a break (and get some variety) while still being productive. For example, if you’ve been working on an essay for an hour or two, take a break and then switch to doing some math problems. Don’t try to do more than one task at once, though. Trying to multitask will disrupt your focus and cause you to make more mistakes.
Organizing Your Time Effectively
Create a daily work and study schedule. When you’re in school, it can be hard to stay on top of all your obligations. Setting a consistent schedule for yourself can help you stay on track and make all that work feel more manageable. Set aside specific times each day to do your studying and homework, and stick to the schedule as closely as possible.Tip: You can avoid unpleasant surprises by writing important dates and deadlines into your schedule. For example, make note of when you have tests or quizzes coming up or when different assignments are due. Setting a schedule also makes it easier to avoid procrastinating. Make sure to schedule in time for breaks and relaxation, too!
Prioritize your assignments and do the most urgent or difficult ones first. It may be tempting to put off big, difficult assignments for last and do the easy ones first. However, letting the more important tasks wait will ultimately lead to panic, frustration, and missed deadlines. Look at all your assignments and decide which ones are most important or urgent and which ones you can put on the back burner for now. Make an ordered list of all your tasks. Try to prioritize ones that are due soon, count towards a major part of your grade, or seem like they will be the most complicated to complete. Put assignments that aren’t due for a while or that you know you can finish quickly and easily at the bottom.
Break your assignments down into manageable pieces. Large or complicated assignments can feel overwhelming if you try to approach them all at once. Instead, break them down into smaller chunks and approach them one piece at a time. This will help big tasks feel much more manageable—plus, you can reward yourself for each chunk of the assignment that you complete! For example, if you’re writing a big paper, you might break it up into pieces like doing the research, composing a bibliography, writing an outline, drafting the introduction, and so on.
Try a productivity app to help you stay organized. If you a hard time staying on task and organizing your time, productivity apps can be a big help. Try downloading an app like Todoist, Hours, or Any.do to help you keep track of deadlines, create to-do lists, and monitor how much time you’re spending on each assignment. Productivity apps are helpful for some people, but they’re not for everyone. Make sure you don’t spend so much time worrying about the app that it starts to cut into your homework time!
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