While parents probably complain about how hard their day was, students today have more homework than ever. Homework doesn't have to be a struggle. Learning how to plan an effective schedule, do it effectively, and know when to ask for help with tough jobs will help you study without stress. Don't put it off any longer. Go to step 1 to get more information.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Doing Homework
Step 1. Make sure you have everything you need before you start
Going for a ruler or protractor in the middle of your geometry homework will be distracting, and it may be difficult to come back after a half-hour search. If you have planned everything efficiently, you should know exactly what you will need to finish the job and you will be able to organize everything you need in your area of study.
When you enter your space and begin to work, try not to leave until it is time for the scheduled break. If you want to drink something, bring it before you start. Go to the bathroom and make sure you can work the length of time before the next break without interruption
Step 2. Eliminate as many distractions as possible
Put your phone away, stay away from the computer, and make your environment as quiet as possible. Giving your full attention to the task will actually make it easier to do it, because your mind will not be thinking about different tasks at the same time.
- It is very common for students to try to do several activities at the same time: watch TV or listen to the radio, keep chatting on Facebook while trying to do homework. It will be a lot more fun to do all of that after homework is done, and if you focus on just doing homework, it will take half the time.
- Check your phone or your social networks during the break, not before. Use them like a treat, not a baby pacifier.
Step 3. Focus on one task at a time
Finish each job completely and delete it from your list before moving on to the next one. It's usually best to finish one entirely so you can forget about it and do other things. Focusing on individual tasks will help you stay focused. Forget all the others and just focus on the one you have on hand.
If a job is challenging and takes a long time, there will be no problem if you move on to another. Just make sure you save enough time to go back and try again
Step 4. Take a break every hour
Allot a specific amount of time each hour to do something other than homework and stick to it. Make sure to allocate the amount of time after the hour starts and the amount you will drink.
- Try to calculate what works best for you. Some students might like to start their homework right after school to get it done as quickly as possible, but your best bet might be to relax an hour before you start doing it so you can relax after a long day at school.
- While it might seem like a better idea to work nonstop until everything is done, the quality of the work you do will likely start to wane if your mind doesn't rest. It's hard to think hard for more than 45 minutes at a time on a particular topic. Rest and come back refreshed.
Step 5. Dive in again after breaks
Don't let the breaks get longer and longer, because it might be difficult to get back to work after taking one, but try to keep the end in mind and work hard until you get there.
The first fifteen minutes after a break will be the most effective, because your mind will be clear and ready to work. Go ahead and dive back into your duties refreshed and ready
Step 6. Have incentives to finish
Give yourself a reward at the end of the task, for example, a new episode of your favorite show or a little time with video games. Try to make it something that you did not do during the breaks so that it is more attractive to continue working until you finish everything.
If you have trouble staying focused, ask a parent, sibling, or friend to help you be honest. Give him your phone while you're doing homework to avoid the temptation to check it, or give him the video game controller so you don't play chasing aliens for a few minutes when you're supposed to do your homework. Then when you're done, show him the finished product and you'll be back in the fun. Make cheating impossible
Step 7. Take the time it takes to do your homework
As tempting as it may sound to do your math homework running to win the Halo at the end of the tunnel, slow down and get it right. There is no point in doing it if you do it wrong just to finish it. Try to take your time to make sure you do it correctly.
You can take the time to have a controller (the person with your phone or video game controller) to check the quality of your task when you finish. If you know you won't get the prize unless you do it right, you won't have any reason to rush. Slow down and do it right
Step 8. Review your homework after you finish it
When you've finished the last problem or when you've written the last sentence, don't close the book or put your homework in your backpack right away. Take a break and come back with a fresh look and read everything again to see any glaring mistakes. Correcting any obvious spelling mistakes or addition errors will be great for earning the extra points you deserve. If you went to all the trouble to do it, you could also take a few more minutes to make sure you got it right.
Part 2 of 4: Planning Your Homework
Step 1. Write down your homework for the night on a list
You should dedicate a section of your notes especially for your homework so that it is easy to search and practice. Some students find using a daily planner or calendar to get organized very effective, but others prefer a simple notebook. Use what works best for your personal organizing style, and make a list of your tasks in the same place each night.
- It is very common to quickly write the math exercises one has to do at the top of the notes or jot down the page number of a reading on a page of the textbook, but try to copy this information back into a special list. task so you are sure to remember it.
- Write down as much detail as possible about each job. We recommend that you include the due date, the corresponding pages of the textbook, and any additional instructions from the teacher. Doing so will help you plan your homework night more efficiently.
Step 2. Make sure you understand each job
It will be important that you spend some time before diving into the task to understand the skills they expect you to develop in that job. When they leave you a list of math problems, review and read all the problems, looking for the ones that seem the most difficult. Take a look at a reading assignment to get an idea of how long it will take, how difficult it is to read, and if you have any questions to answer later.
You don't have to wait to get home to just see your homework. Review it as soon as they give it to you so you have time to ask the teacher a possible question before you leave school
Step 3. Create a comfortable study area
The best way to do your homework will be in a quiet space without distractions, where you can spend the time you need to do it comfortably. Whether at home or elsewhere, you will need a quiet space to do your homework well.
- At home: a desk in your bedroom is the most recommended, because you can close the door and eliminate any distraction. However, for other students it will be ideal for distraction, because they may have video games, a computer, a guitar and all kinds of distractions. It may be better to sit at the table in the kitchen or living room, where your mom can call you if you leave it for later. You will do it more quickly when you are away from the temptation to be distracted.
- In public: The library will be a great place to study and do homework. In all libraries, the rule is to be silent, and you will not have all the distractions that you have at home. The school library will generally remain open after school, which will be a good option to finish your homework before heading home. Your school may even have a special area to study after class.
- Try to vary. Studying in the same place too often could make work difficult. Some studies have shown that varying the environment would make the mind more active, as it would be processing new information. You will be able to vary your routine and remember what you have learned more effectively.
Step 4. Pick the most important jobs to do
At the end of the school day, when you are getting ready to start your homework, try to determine which jobs are the most important and put them in the proper order so that you have enough time to do all that you need to do. It will especially be important if you have many tasks or some that, although you will not have to deliver them the next day, you will need several days to finish. You will have to divide your time appropriately, and an important step should be to prioritize.
- Try to start with the hardest task. Do you really hate the idea of starting your algebra homework? Does reading for Literature class take you the most time? Start with the most challenging task so you have the most time to finish it, then move on to the easier ones so you can finish it more quickly.
- Try to start with the most urgent task. If you have 20 pages of a novel to read by Friday, it may be best to start with your math homework so that you make sure you have enough time to finish it. Your priority should be to do the homework that you have to turn in the next day.
- Try to start with the highest value task. Your math homework might well be difficult, but it's only worth a few points, so more important than spending too much time doing it will be preparing the Social Studies project that you have to turn in in two days. Spend the majority of your time on high-value jobs.
Step 5. Make a schedule
The hours of the day are limited. Set aside a specific amount of time to devote to doing each school assignment, based on how long you think each one will take and how long you have at night. Give yourself plenty of time to finish each job and do other duties in the evening.
- Set an alarm or timer to be honest. The less time you spend procrastinating and checking your text messages, the faster you'll finish. If you think you can finish everything in half an hour, set a timer and work efficiently to finish within that time limit. If you don't finish, give yourself a few more minutes. Look at it as an exercise.
- Keep track of the average time you normally spend on a particular task. If your math homework usually takes 45 minutes, set aside that period each night. If you miss an hour, take a break and work on another topic so you don't get tired.
- Schedule a 10-minute break for every 50 minutes of work time. It will be important to take breaks so that your mind can rest, or you will not work as effectively. You are not a robot!
Part 3 of 4: Finding Overtime
Step 1. Start doing your homework now
It will be much easier to come up with many reasons to do other things and not do your homework. But if you usually find it difficult to finish and find the time to finish it, it may be the fault of your habit of procrastinating. What is the easiest way to take advantage of the extra time to do homework? Do it now.
- Do you really need to watch an hour of television after school to relax? It might be easier to jump in on your homework and finish it while your skills are still fresh. Waiting a couple of hours means having to review your notes and try to get back to where you already were. Make it while it's cool.
- If you have three days to read a paper, don't wait until the last night to read it. Read it calmly and give yourself more time to finish. Just because you have a very long delivery date doesn't mean it wouldn't be easier to do it now. Stay ahead.
Step 2. Take advantage of time on the bus to do homework
You'd be surprised to see how much time you have hidden during the day that you could use more efficiently. A long bus trip will be a great opportunity to do some less intense tasks or at least to start reviewing them to plan how to do them when you get home.
- If you have a lot of things to read for homework, read them on the bus. Put on headphones and listen to white noises that will eliminate the screams of the other students so you can concentrate on the book.
- The bus could be distracting or it could be a great resource. Since all of your classmates are there, try to get them to work with you to get things done more quickly. Do math problems together and try to solve other things as well. If everyone does their homework and isn't just copying, it won't be cheating.
Step 3. Do your homework between class periods
Sometimes the periods between class and class could be quite long, up to 10 minutes. If you go to your next class quickly without lingering in the hallway talking to your friends, you can accumulate at most an hour during the school day to do your homework between classes. Imagine finishing all of your math homework the same day it was assigned and not having to take the book home.
Don't depend on this time to finish the assignment before you have to turn it in. Rushing to finish the last five minutes of problems before turning them in will look awful to the teacher, plus you won't have time to review them after they are done. Hurrying will be the ideal recipe for making mistakes
Step 4. Do your homework during long waits
If you have an hour to spare before training, you could choose to waste time or finish your homework. Don't use the excuse that the day doesn't have enough hours if you spend some of it wasting hours waiting for something.
Do your homework while you're waiting to be picked up, while you have free time at your brother's soccer game, or while you're waiting for a friend to come. Take advantage of any extra time you have during the day
Part 4 of 4: Get Homework Help
Step 1. Talk to your teacher about difficult assignments
The best and most important first resource for help will come from the teacher who assigned it. If you have a hard time getting a job done the night before it is due and it ends up taking a long time, don't keep hitting yourself on the wall. There is nothing wrong with stopping when you don't know how to solve something after trying too hard, rather ask your teacher for help.
- Asking to help with your homework will not be a sign that you are bad at that subject or that you are not smart. Every teacher on the planet will respect a student who takes his homework so seriously that he has to ask for help.
- Asking for help will not be the same as complaining about homework difficulty or making excuses. Spending ten minutes doing half the math problems, leaving almost everything blank because they were difficult problems, and then telling the teacher that you need help will not do you any favors on the due date. If it's difficult, meet with your teacher ahead of time and make time to ask for help.
Step 2. Visit the tutoring center or help services at the school
Many schools have one-on-one tutoring services or after-school help services for those students who need more help with their homework. It could be very helpful to have someone review your work, sit with you while you finish it, and keep you working diligently.
- If your school does not have a school support group, there are many private organizations that are free and paid. Sylvan Learning Center and other companies offer after hours classes that you can book for study help or homework, while community centers like the YMCA or even many public libraries provide hours for school help.
- Asking for help doesn't mean you're bad with your homework. Those who visit tutoring centers for extra help are all kinds of students, who just go to make sure they have enough time and motivation to finish their homework. Being a student is difficult! Asking for help shouldn't be a cause for embarrassment.
Step 3. Work together with other students
Find some colleagues that you respect and do your homework with them. Help each other by doing homework at the same time so everything is done cleanly and you share your resources.
Make sure your study group sessions do not exceed the copy limit. Dividing a task so that your friend does half and everyone copies the answer is considered cheating, as opposed to talking about a problem and finding the solution together. As long as everyone does their homework separately, you won't have a problem
Step 4. Talk to your parents
If you have trouble doing your homework, your parents, siblings, or older family members will be a good resource. All of them have already finished school and have been through what you've been through, even if it was a long time ago. Having someone who can listen to your math complaints could be a very helpful outlet, even if it may not put you on the right approach.
- Some parents don't necessarily know how to help with their children's homework and could end up doing a lot of it. Try to be honest. Asking for help does not mean that your parents have to do your homework.
- Also, some older family members are used to some old-fashioned methods of doing certain tasks that could imply that what you learned in class is a mistake. For you, the correct approach should always be your teacher's approach, and if necessary, talk to him or her about alternative methods of doing an assignment.
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Advice
- If you missed class that day then you should call a friend to ask for notes and homework for that day.
- Make sure your small study space is well lit, quiet, and comfortable. So you can do your homework correctly more easily.
- DON'T stress about homework, but don't put it off either. Stress will make it more difficult to do it, so remember to breathe deeply and relax.
- Go to bed early, get a good night's sleep, and eat healthy. This way you will be much more concentrated and not so tired. Most teens need between 9 and 10 hours of sleep, so don't try to stay up until 3 a.m. or think four hours of sleep will be enough.
- Take good notes in class and be active. You will learn more and your notes will really help you later.
- Highlighting the keywords will also be a good strategy so that you can better understand the question.
- Get up early on the weekends. You will be with your highest concentration in the morning and if you start working at 6 or 7 in the morning, you will finish at noon and thus you will have the rest of the day to yourself.
- If you are on a repetitive question task, maybe you can get away with skipping a few in order to spend a little more time on the more difficult questions. If you think you may need extra practice, answer the repetitive questions. Sometimes it can be the easy ones that catch you on the test.
- Lock the door so your siblings don't bother you. It will also decrease the sounds.
Warnings
- Don't leave homework at school on purpose and then say you forgot to take it home. It will never work! The teacher will only tell you that you should have remembered or did it during lunch or before class. Forgetting homework will only show that you are irresponsible, which is no excuse for not doing it.
- Don't say "I did it but I left it at home" if you haven't even started doing it. If then you have problems, you will no longer be able to ask for help.