Wanting to complete your homework every night is a good first step to success in school. Sometimes, though, you may be tired or distracted by other activities and need to create a concrete plan to complete homework. Developing a plan ahead of time ensures that you will know what to do when faced with homework assignments.
Create a Positive Environment
Creating an environment for homework completion should include considerations of both the physical space required for your comfort and an honest of the level of noise and interaction with others that you can tolerate and still be productive. To begin, find a place that has a comfortable seat, plenty of space for your materials and all the necessary materials you will need to complete homework assignments. If you must do your homework in a location without a desk, such as a kitchen table or your bedroom, think about what you will need to create a working environment. If a computer or other electronic devices distract you from working, keep them out of your study area.
Rather than allowing yourself to become overwhelmed by all of the homework you need to complete, break assignments down into manageable chunks. When doing this, it is important to consider due dates for long-term assignments and the amount of time you will need to study for any upcoming tests. For example, if you need to write an essay, break the assignment into research, drafting and editing portions. If you are completing daily assignments, make a list of what needs to be completed for each class. Develop a list of the assignments you will complete first and the order in which you will work on them.
Create a Schedule
Once you have set goals for the assignments you need to complete on any given day, develop a time allotment for each portion of the assignment. For example, if you are working on an essay, tell yourself that you will spend 30 minutes on research before giving yourself a five-minute break. If you need to do additional research, set aside another block of homework time. Then, give yourself a block of time to write a draft of your essay before taking another break. In the case of daily assignments, estimate how long it will take you to complete each assignment and create a time slot for each. If an assignment is especially lengthy, break it into manageable portions and give yourself breaks at the end of each section.
Create a Reward System
Develop a list of activities that you can use as rewards for completing each goal or each time period of your homework time. Some of these activities may be allowing yourself to give in to activities that typically distract you. Examples of rewards may be as simple as a five-minute break, time to talk on the phone with a friend, time using a favorite technology device or a favorite snack. The key is to make sure that rewards that consume time are carefully planned, particularly if you have more homework to complete.