Top Tips for Homework Success

Homework can sometimes be overwhelming for kids – with hours and hours spent each day at school, the last thing that a kid wants to do when they get home is sit down and do more work. Introducing positive habits to your children is important to put them on a path to be more productive and peaceful. To have a more pleasant homework session try these tips:

Organize – Make sure to organize your homework list. Estimate how long it will take to complete each homework assignment, and do the hardest work first. That way it will get easier as you go along. If motivation is low, pick up the easier tasks or a portion of a task to energize yourself. It is a good idea to do computer work first then do work in order of your classes. 

Gather Supplies & Find a Quiet Work Space – Try working at desk or table, but try to stay out of your bedroom or anywhere there is a T.V. or radio on to keep you distracted. Your work space should always be tidy and organized, so that you don’t lose your work or get unorganized. You can even make it easier by studying flashcards, even virtual ones like on cram.com.  Make sure you have good lightening, and have all your supplies such as pencils, calculators, etc so you can complete your homework.

Plan Out How Long to Take to Get the Homework Done – Don’t waste time – you can’t get it back! Schedule time for yourself to get everything done – you can’t rewind the clock! Don’t procrastinate and make you regret it later.

Remove Any Sources of Distraction – Remove all sources of distraction especially your cell phone, and your computer (unless you need your computer for your homework), turn off the T.V., the radio, and let your family know that you are studying so they don’t distract you.

If you are someone who gets distracted, follow these steps:

• Decide exactly what part of task you are focusing on, one at a time.
• Get a timer, set it for a short time, e.g. 5 or 10 minutes, and when it goes off, just check yourself to see that you are still focused on the goal.
• Don’t waste your time and energy getting too annoyed with yourself if you get distracted – just re-focus your attention, once you get engaged with what you are doing you will be fine.
• If you realize your attention is wandering over and over, work out why you are getting stuck with your work – you could write it down as a question.