Read This if You Need Tips on Doing Your Homework

Last Update: September 17, 2018. Added some research information and personal experience 👌

Hey and welcome back to our show, dear readers! How’s the homework load lately? Let’s get to the main topic quickly. Today’s guide is about…

Homework help tips!

Am I the only one here who struggles with homework?

Ah yes… I’m one of those people. It’s overwhelming when your shoulders are burdened with multiple homework from different subjects. I remember finishing my homework quickly so that I can play computer games or watch TV.

I will give you some helpful tips on how to handle your homework. After all, it’s an integral part of your student life.

The following is our agenda:

1. Homework routine
2. Focusing on homework
3. Homework help tips for students
4. Homework help tips for high school students and parents

Are you ready?

Ready or not, let’s go!

Homework Routine Chart

This homework routine chart will be on a weekly basis. The weekly chart will remind you of the assignments given—and their respective deadlines—on that week.

From my experience, the closest to a “chart” I have ever made is writing my assignments in my notebook.

I will illustrate what I mean. Please take note that this is only for your reference. You are free to add your own twists to your weekly chart.

Here is a sample homework routine chart.

How to Focus On Homework?

It’s hard to focus on homework when you are looking forward to your free time. It’s even hard to concentrate when you are distracted… let’s say, with social media or watching random YouTube videos.

I remember multitasking social media and home tasks during my student days. Of course, it took me a long time to finish my assignments. Actually, studies show that we instinctively understand that multitasking leads to time losses.

However, instincts seldom work as intended, so I will share some tips to help you focus on your homework.

1Write them down!

• You will know which one to prioritize.
• I encourage you to create a weekly routine chart.

2Find your place!

• Where do you want to do your homework? At the library? At home? It’s up to you. It’s both places for me.
• If it’s at home, find a place where you can work peacefully. It can be your own room.

3Hot or cold?

• From my experience, I work best when the environment is cold or cool. That’s why I prefer doing my homework in the library sometimes!
• You have to ask yourself if you work better at hot or cooler temperatures.

4Night or day?

• This is reserved for assignments that have later deadlines. Again, ask yourself if you are a day or a night person.
• For example, I prefer to work around 9 am to late afternoon or early in the evening.

5Rest and eat!

• You probably came home from school exhausted. You deserve a quick rest.
• In my case, I rest and eat dinner before I start doing my homework. After all, food gives me the energy to work.

6Limit distractions!

• You can choose to log out of your social media accounts. Turn off the Wi-Fi and mobile data function of your phone.
• I put my laptop on sleep mode so that I won’t be tempted to needlessly browse the internet. I will only deactivate it when it’s

7Playlist!

• This is optional. This is only for people who don’t consider music as a distraction.
• I usually listen to music while doing home assignments, as long as I don’t have social media or unnecessary internet browsing to distract me.

Homework Help Tips for Students

I would like to share my general homework strategies for high school and college students. The following are the types of assignments I commonly encounter during my student days:

1Essays

• I usually create an outline for long papers to organize my essay’s structure. For short papers, I create a mental outline in my mind. Then, I progress from there.
• If you are not comfortable creating a mental outline for short papers, then write it down.
• For proofreading, printing your paper is optional. I print my paper because I will be able to see my mistakes better.
• Please rest for a few hours before you proofread. Don’t force yourself to proofread if you are exhausted.
• I change the font and format of my paper to prevent myself from scanning my paper. I got this excellent tip from Grammarly.

2Written and oral reports (group and solo)

• Make sure everyone contributes to the report. It’s the same with the written report. Teamwork, people!
• Set aside a block of time for practice if the group desires. You can write your “script” on an index card. Use it as a guide. Please avoid reading from your “script”. This is also applicable for individual reporting
• Don’t make your report text heavy. Include only keywords or phrases.
• Be creative!

3Reading assignments

• Highlight and take down notes! Notes will help you when reviewing for your exams… you’re welcome!
• Consult a dictionary if there are words you do not know.
• After you read, you may consult the internet for a summary or other supplementary materials.

4Memorizing flags and capitals (Bonus!)

• It was a requirement during my college days. There’s a fun way of learning them—look at these apps developed by Andrey Solovyev.
• The apps are educational games. I usually play when I need to relax or to pass the time.

Homework Help Tips for High School Students

Start developing good habits as early as now! The tips I will share serve as a façade when I reached college.

1Develop the habit of writing down your homework

• Remember the homework routine chart? You will have a lower chance of forgetting your assignments.

2Schedule a time to do assignments with later deadlines!

• Do them in advance. At least you will have more time to edit or add more content to your assignments.

3Avoid procrastination/ cramming! (assignments with later deadlines)

• The teacher gave you ample time for doing your tasks. Use your time wisely! See point #2.
• Don’t cram unless you can produce quality work, or as a means of last resort.

4Rest!

• Don’t overwork yourself, okay? Your health is important too.

Of course, you may take short breaks in between assignments. A 10-15 minute break would be good. I suggest you use an alarm to remind yourself that the short break is over.

Homework Help Tips for Parents

It’s not bad to ask for homework help from your parents. However, please make sure that your parents let you do your assignments on your own. They will only serve as a “guide” or a “checker”.

How to Motivate Your Child to Do Homework?

1Find a conductive environment!

• Find a place in your house where you can work with minimal distractions. It can be a dining room or your child’s bedroom.

2Prepare your child’s school supplies!

• Make sure everything is within reach.

3Rewards!

• Who does not like rewards? You may reward your child, provided he/she does the homework first.
• A heartfelt comment would be preferred instead of material things such as toys. It would help them appreciate non-material rewards at an early age.

4Routines, boundaries, and expectations!

• Tell your child that you will take his/her gadgets to ensure that he/she can concentrate on the homework.
• Note: Your child will only be allowed to use his/her gadgets for research purposes.
• You may substitute the word “homework” with “study time” or “practice”.
• Plan a homework routine with your child. Listen to your child’s opinion. Negotiate and try to arrive at a common ground.

How to Help Your Child With Homework Without Doing It for Them?

1Teach them the basics

• That way, they would gain an understanding of how they will do their assignments.
• Let them apply what they have learned.

2Act as a guide

• Once they are finished, you can check your child’s tasks and show his/her mistakes.
• There’s another way — you may guide them as they do their homework, but don’t tell them the correct answer.

Yay! You have reached the end of my guide. Homework is there to boost your skills, and to test if you have learned something in class.

It’s time for me to take my leave; my work here is done. I’ll let you explore the chamber of knowledge by yourself. See you next time, and cheers!