Do Your Homework on Time if You're a Procrastinator
Do you usually wait until the last minute to start your homework and then end up spending late nights drinking coffee and wishing you'd started earlier? Don't worry. This guide will help you to do your homework on time if you're a procrastinator. You'll transform yourself into an academic star who still has time to watch TV and catch up with friends on Facebook.
Contents
Steps
Get Organized
- Choose the study environment that's right for you.
- Choose a quiet area that is free of distractions (e.g. computers, phone, music, etc). You may also want to avoid busy areas as background noise can snap you out of focus.
- Make sure that you have your supplies. Get out your books, your notebooks, your writing utensils and anything else that you need for this assignment.
- Avoid doing homework on your bed. Do homework at a desk or at a table so that you aren't tempted to sleep.
- Choose a well-lit area. Dim light tends to make focusing on your assignments more difficult. Also, a well lit area makes you see your work better.
- Prioritize your assignments by dividing your homework into categories.
- High Priority: This category includes homework that you have to turn in tomorrow. It may also include homework in subjects that you find more difficult. Do the work in this category first while you are more mentally focused.
- Medium Priority: This category includes homework that is due later, including larger research projects. Divide these assignments into sections and do 1 or 2 sections every day until the due date.
- Low Priority: These assignments include subjects that are very easy for you. Save them for last so that you can concentrate even when you are tired.
- Skip extra credit assignments unless you're desperate for a better grade. Even you need a break sometimes. These can also be extremely helpful if you've been sick, failed a test, or didn't do a major homework assignment.
Establish a Routine
- Determine which studying style works for you.
- You may prefer to work in short time blocks. If staring at a book for 2 straight hours without a break makes you miserable, then don't do it. Work for 1 hour when you get home. Then, take a break, eat dinner and work for another hour after dinner.
- Take a planner or agenda and write your assignments in there. Then, write times for when they need to be started by. For example, you could put "Math Worksheet 5:00". Take any extra time you have in between the times and when you finish the assignment for yourself.
- You may want to start studying and work until you are finished. Make sure that you at least stand up and walk around about every 45 minutes to refresh your mind and body.
- You may learn best when you work with others. However, be honest with yourself. If other people distract you instead of helping you, then you need to work alone. Also, a lot of assignments require you to work individually.
- Ditch unproductive habits.
- Avoid putting off large or difficult assignments until the last minute. You might not be able to finish them.
- Never do your homework between 2 class periods. Rushing through an assignment usually results in a bad grade.
- Avoid doing homework during a class. You might end up missing something important.
- Save "late homework" passes (if you get them) for true emergencies.
- Never copy another person's work. You are capable of doing better. Besides, your teacher will catch on eventually.
- Block the internet. Research shows that taking control and blocking the internet when you do your homework means you get it done more quickly, leaving lots of time for fun.
- Don't pull an all-nighter to finish an assignment. You'll make more mistakes when you're sleep-deprived.
- Make time for fun.
- Do 50 minutes of homework and then look at Facebook for 10 minutes. Just set a timer for yourself so that you don't procrastinate.
- Reward yourself for a job well done. When you've finished studying, call or text a friend or go over to a friend's house. You can also do something that you love to do such as listening to music.
Tips
- Good health can improve your study habits and can help you retain what you learn. Exercise, eat well, get plenty of sleep and skip the alcohol and caffeine.
- Music can be very helpful, but only listen to instrumental or songs in foreign languages. The lyrics can be distracting. Try using a site like Pandora.
- Do not play or text on your phone or iPad until AFTER you did ALL your work!
- Take breaks with healthy snacks.
- Be careful when listening to music! When you don't like a song, you will have to look at you phone and change the song, which will cause to be back off track!!!
- Ask your parents to keep your smartphone if you have one so that you don't get distracted. They will happily agree!
- Make a schedule and try to follow it. Look for motivation if you get off track. Have a clear goal in mind.
- Try to set an alarm or a task reminder in your phone.
- If you need your phone/computer in order to do the assignment take notes first and later copy off of your notes onto the assignment.
- Listening to music while doing your homework can make it feel much less boring. Play a few songs you like, but since these can be distracting, try also playing a genre like smooth jazz or instrumental.
- Instead of staying up late, wake up early in the morning to get ready and then do your work with the extra time. Your mind will be fresh and active.
Warnings
- Even the best students know that they can't work all of the time. Allow some relaxation time for yourself, particularly on the weekends. Good study habits make you work smarter, not harder.
Things You'll Need
- Distraction-free study area
- Books (Including any textbooks you need)
- Notebooks
- Pencils, Pens, and other writing utensils
- Calculator for Mathematics work
- Good light source (e.g. lamps, room lights)
- Timer (keep away from electronic ones so you don't end up procrastinating more)
- Small healthy snacks to eat while working
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- Finish Your Homework
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- Start an Assignment
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