How to balance homework and deadlines.
April 8, 2020
While homework alone can be hefty, the additional load of sports, clubs, practices, volunteer service and more can limit the span in which students dedicate their time to schoolwork. Although it can be difficult to consistently plan an effective study schedule among an evolving calendar, here are some tips which may help you avoid early mornings or late nights.
Take advantage of in-class time: Nothing feels better than coming home with zero homework due the upcoming day. If you ever have free time in class, try to utilize that time to finish assignments that you would normally do at home. Not only would this save you some minutes after school, but doing homework in class also gives you an opportunity to clear any doubts or questions with your teacher. Taking advantage of in-class time can also change your mindset for the rest of the day. Unlike the student who may save in-class assignments for later, you will now have less after-school hours of homework than they do. Take this as a sense of accomplishment, and utilize your time after school to focus on a more difficult subject or relax according to your preference.
Go all in: Whether it be at your house, in the passenger seat of the car or in the library, don’t hesitate to open up the textbooks right after school. According to Edutopia, students are likely to procrastinate from “indecisiveness, avoidance and thrill-seeking,” which may serve as a future motivation for students to get their homework done on a deadline. Technology has also been a main source of distraction keeping students from attending to their workload. In order to avoid these endeavors, set a personal goal which will motivate you to complete your homework at a more reasonable pace. For example, if you have extracurricular activities, use that as a personal incentive to help you jump into your homework earlier after school. However, it is important to consider that homework shouldn’t be completed for the sake of timeliness as effort and deep thought are required as well. Try your best to maximize after school hours to complete homework with reasonable effort so that you may grasp onto the content of the material more effectively.
Take consistent breaks and reward yourself: Have a difficult test the next day? Feel that you will be spending HOURS of studying? If you have ever been in this situation, you may feel that long hours dedicated to homework can be tiresome and can strip you from fun. However, don’t let this get to your head. Each time you make progress throughout studying, take a short walk, organize something or stretch. Try avoiding naps or surfing the web because these activities can become time-consuming distractions. Use these little breaks to help you destress and find gratitude in the midst of studying. Let this serve as a refresher to help you delve into your homework with a renewed and happy mindset.
Take a reasonable course load: Maintaining a healthy workload is crucial for students to perform at their best. According to Art and Science of Well-being teacher, Rebecca Wentland, sometimes dialing down your schedule may be the answer to increased productivity.
“An important part of well being and reducing stress is choosing activities and classes that interest you and don’t overburden your schedule,” Wentland said. “High schoolers are fortunate to have so many choices, but it is important that they are realistic about how much they can do. I also believe that limiting phone time can allow students to be more productive, thereby limiting stress. Lastly, students need to sleep! This helps your mood as well as your productivity. Sometimes I hear students get into a bragging contest about how little sleep they got and it drives me crazy; no one should glorify that.”
Bottom Line: If you have a study schedule which is currently working fine for you, stick to it. However, it’s important to address your own needs and academic progress while both maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Whether it be taking advantage of in-class time or keeping high self-esteem, make sure to invest in a positive mindset and reward yourself for your hard work.
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