It can be a depressing thought. As long as you are in school, there will be homework – it just never ends. You have texts to read and questions to answer; you have math problems and lab reports; you have essays and research papers, and of course, there are those mid-terms and finals. There will always be something to work on. Every. Single. Day.
It's easy to look at this gloomy picture and lose all inspiration to do homework, even when you know that not doing it means bad grades. It's also easy to find anything else to do other than homework – video games, social media, hanging out with friends, and, of course, sleeping. In fact, there is a lot of research that says sleep is often used as an escape from things we want to avoid.
We hear it all the time from students who use our website to post comments and for the discussions among our users:
What you lack, my friend, is motivation, and that is a dangerous thing!
You may not know how to feel motivated to do homework right now, but we do have some tips and strategies that may help. Take a look at these and see if some or all may help you to become motivated.
You can look at your school life in terms of years, semesters, weeks, or even days. If you think about the years ahead and all of the homework you will have to do before you ever get that diploma or degree, you will immediately become discouraged. And with discouragement can come a lack of motivation, or, worse, burnout. No wonder that, if you keep worrying about what hasn’t yet happened, you might come to the point of wondering, “why can't I just do my homework?”
Instead, think only in the short-term. What do you have to get done today? What do you have to get done this week? Focus only on those things.
This is not to say that you don't have long-term assignments. Of course, you do. But, if you divide those up into what to do each week, then that is all you have to do right now. This will require some scheduling and some time management.
If you set up a weekly schedule, then you'll be better able to focus on just those things. And you must commit to following that schedule. You'll find that you will have much more free time than you would have if you spend all kinds of time thinking about what must be done instead of just doing it. This is another good way how to force yourself to attack homework.
This technique was created by people who were trying to get better focus in the workplace. But it might just work for you too. This is a type of scheduling while you are actually doing your homework. Set up short periods of time to spend focused on your homework – probably about 25 minutes. Then, give yourself a five-minute break. Get up, get a snack, do some jumping jacks, or whatever. Just shut your brain down for five minutes. For students who ask, “What can I do to remind me to do my homework,” this technique can work. Set an alarm on your device that tells you when to quit and when to get back to it.
Students work best under different types of circumstances, depending on how they are “wired.” You may need total quiet and isolation; you may need the room to be warmer or cooler; you may need background music of some kind; you may need to work in a study group with others. While you might be thinking, “I don’t like doing homework,” in reality, is “I don’t like studying like this.” Do some experimenting and find out how you work best, and set that up for your homework time.
Some people are night owls; some are full of energy in the morning. You probably know when you have the most energy. Try to schedule your homework time during those hours, if possible.
Are there people you can go to and say, “Tell me to do my homework?” It doesn't hurt to have somebody put some pressure on you to get going on those assignments. It can be a close friend, or, often, parents. Parents usually are the ones to ask, “how do I motivate my teenager to do their home assignments.” Yet, if you are in college, your parents won't be around, so you might be wondering how to make yourself do homework.
You may always be thinking, “I don't like doing homework.” Well, who really does? But, you can set up a self-reward system. For example, you have several math problems to do tonight, along with a history chapter to read, and some other assignments. What kind of reward can you give yourself when you finish those math problems? Whether it's chowing down on a favorite snack or 30 minutes of a video game, reward yourself. And don't cheat. Keep that reward in mind, and it will motivate you to stay focused and get that assignment done quickly.
No, you can't. Siri might be able to give you an answer to a math problem, but she will not tell you how she got that answer. You need to know how to do a problem, not just plug in an answer. If you are really struggling, then get online and find a homework source that will do your homework but will also show you the step-by-step process. There are plenty out there.
Being tired may be a symptom of some other things. You may be dehydrated; you may have a poor diet; you may be a bit depressed over your homework. When you find yourself in this situation, do something that will raise your energy level for a short time. Get physical, drink water, eat a healthy energy bar. Get your energy level up, do that homework, and reward yourself with sleep later on.
No one loves homework. But you do need to know what to do when you don't feel like doing homework. These tips should help you. You should now have some strategies for how to start doing homework and how to stay focused on homework when you need to.
Of course, there are lots of online essay writing services ready to help you, and you may need to use them at times. Check out our reviews of those sources and find one or more that will help you when you are in crisis. We review all sorts of academic help services, and you can use one of our top-rated agencies.
Posted by Chris M., November 23, 2020
Most college students use online academic services at least once during their studies. With this best homework help websites review, you'll know wh...
Do you want to learn how to write a dissertation proposal? Just follow the 6 simple steps from our ultimate guide.
Thank you for
sharing your comment!
Your opinion means a lot!