Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Prepare for homework
• Part 2 of 3: Do your homework
• Part 3 of 3: Staying motivated
• Tips
• Warnings

Are you unable to continue with your homework? If you have trouble concentrating, you can learn how to plan properly so that you can complete your assignments. Learn how to prepare to do your homework, how to keep your focus, and the most efficient way to do your homework.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Prepare for homework

1. Find a quiet place to sit. Focusing is difficult if you are 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 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.
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 don't have to go looking for your compass in the meantime. It's essential that everything is tidy, so clean up your homework space well before you start.
   • Bring a glass of water or a healthy snack so you can keep working and not get up when you get hungry or thirsty. Stay in your seat.
3. Don't be distracted. Turn off your computer and don't go on Facebook or Twitter or anything else that might distract you. Make sure you don't have anything nearby except things you immediately need for your homework.
   • If you have to make an effort not to check your phone or computer, put them in another room or give them to your mom 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 when doing homework. It may not work for everyone but you can try it out and see if it helps.
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 you need to do. Then you can tick off the things you have already done and it remains clear.
   • Write down the name of the course and make a small overview of what you have to do for your assignment. Also write down the due date and the time you think you need to complete the assignment.
   • Write the most difficult things at the top of your list so that you get them out of the way first. You can also write the assignments that you think will take the longest at the top so that you get the longest work out of the way first. Both ways help.
5. Make a schedule. 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 schedule your math from 5 to 6, and so on. This ensures that you stay on schedule and are not distracted. The deadline ensures that you work harder and that you do not wait to work until the last possible minute.
   • Make sure you know when it has to be returned. Then you can plan your time well. It can be quite difficult if you are only going to complete four different assignments the night before they are due.
   • Also try to stay organized. Don't have your math notes in your English homework.

Part 2 of 3: Do your homework

1. Give your brain some time to adjust. It can be difficult to get started if you start doing homework all at once. Give your brain a moment to switch from watching TV to reading and studying. For example, take a look through your schoolbook before you start. Then you have some time to get used to.
   • Quickly rewriting your notes can also help a lot. You probably can't quite remember the notes you made last week. It's an easy way to learn, and you'll be fine with homework mode.
2. Do the hardest first. Lots of people say it's easiest if you do the hardest assignments first so you 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. When you get used to doing the homework, it all becomes easier.
   • You may find it easier to do the longest assignments first. They may also be the hardest, but of course you don't have to.
3. Try to read aloud while you're at it. If you find it difficult to stay focused for a while, it can help if you read your assignments out loud. This will keep you from getting distracted.
   • If you think talking out loud is strange, you can also whisper. Talking out loud while solving a problem also helps. Hearing what you are thinking can make you more creative.
4. Complete your assignment before working on anything else. Do not switch assignments. Complete your assignment and then move on to the next. Recent studies indicate that multitasking temporarily lowers your IQ and brain capacities and thus makes your homework even more difficult.
   • Mark things off. Tick ​​off your assignment as soon as you are done with it. You can even divide your assignment into different parts and check them off when you have finished them. Seeing what you have done and how much you have already done can be good for your motivation and give you better persistence.
   • If you cannot find a solution, put it away for a while. Just staring at something only makes you frustrated and takes a lot of time. Starting something new gives a better feeling and if you later go back to the assignment that you did not agree on, you can start with fresh courage.
5. Know when to stop. Do you have a lot of homework to do and is it going to be a long night? Never try to go on for more than an hour or two after your normal bedtime. Do as much as you can and 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 is bad for your focus and it won't help the next day either. As soon as you start working after you go to sleep normally, it makes planning and estimating your work more difficult.

Part 3 of 3: Staying motivated

1. Take a few short breaks instead of very long ones. A few short breaks in between your assignments work 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, take a walk or stretch, instead of sitting and going on Facebook. It is important that you do not sit at your desk for hours on end.
   • If you don't take occasional breaks, it can seem like your work goes on indefinitely. This will make you less productive and your concentration will drop because you will sooner feel the need to access your computer or waste time in other ways.
2. Be careful with caffeine. Some students get a big boost of energy from caffeine and can then concentrate better. Other people, instead of being more focused, just become very hyper and that doesn't help either. Don't drink more coffee or other caffeinated drinks than you normally would. If you drink more, concentrating will only become more difficult.
   • Simply staying hydrated is usually better than coffee. Water or juice is more helpful and keeps your brain functioning properly.
3. Try to do your homework with other people. Sitting alone in a room with nothing but your books can make focusing more difficult. Sometimes it helps if you are somewhere where other people are or if you work with a group of people. They can help you and keep you focused. If you say you are writing a paper and they see you on the internet, they can talk to you about it and get you to continue with your work.
   • Doing homework together is not copying as long as you don't just exchange answers. It's just smart and it saves time.
4. Treat yourself when you are done. It is important that you reward yourself for the work you have done. If you can do something nice or eat something tasty after work, it will help you stay motivated and you will work harder.
   • Try this: cut squares from pieces of colored paper and write on them all the assignments you need to do. Put these in a pile. Make another stack and write rewards on those leaves. Write something like getting 5 minutes on your phone, playing a game for 10 minutes or watching an episode of a series or anything else you'd like to do.
   • When you have completed 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 enjoy. Don't get too crazy with your rewards. 1 episode is enough. Don't go and watch an entire season right away.

Tips

• Put on comfortable clothes. If you are wearing comfortable clothes, you can sit comfortably and you will not be distracted by your clothes itching or pinching.
• Miraculously, 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 only makes you want to do it even less.
• If you're in a bad mood and don't feel like doing homework, try imagining all the fun things you can do when you're done.
• Don't sit around an annoying brother or sister.
• Concentrate on your work and not your friends. If someone calls you, tell them to call them back later.
• Don't waste your time looking for ways to focus better. Just do it.
• Make sure you are in a tidy room so that you don't tidy up as an excuse instead of doing your work.
• Do not sit anywhere where there is a TV, cooking, or where it does not smell fresh.
• Before you sit down to do your homework, you may want to move a little. Running or jumping up and down for a bit makes your blood flow faster so that 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 have finished your math or physics, you can watch television for 15 minutes. Reward yourself.
• Some people say that music helps them concentrate, while others say it is distracting. This differs per person.
• Don't delay your homework or do anything else. This does not help, so go straight to work and finish your assignments!
• Turn off the sound on your phone so that you are not distracted by messages from people.
• If you're in a group chat, turn off the messages from that. Then you will not be constantly distracted.
• Before you start, remove all distractions from your room. Get rid of your phone, computer, books, etc. and focus only on your homework.

Warnings

• Don't delay your homework. That only creates stress and makes you feel less inclined to do your homework. The consequences are not good and you will only get angry with yourself if you did not do your homework when you had time for it. Plus you only create more work for yourself. You now have to do not only the homework that you have been putting off, but also all the new homework that you have been given.
• Force yourself to focus. If you don't concentrate and do your homework, you could get worse marks on your next test!