Q&A for How to Find Motivation to Do Homework

If you don't think you can do a close reading of the assignment in the time you have, try skimming it first. Looking at introductions, conclusions, and chapter and section headings can help you get an idea of the main points of the text. If there are any parts you don't fully understand, you can go back and read those sections in more detail.

Energy drinks can give you a brief boost, but they'll ultimately deplete your energy or make you feel jittery and unfocused. Try drinking water or eating energizing foods like fresh fruit or nuts. If you can, put your head down for a 15 to 20-minute nap.

If your teacher gives you an assignment much later than they were supposed to, they should take into account that you will need extra time to complete it. If they still expect you to finish the homework by the original deadline, politely point out that you got the assignment late and ask for more time.

Try putting your phone away somewhere where you can't easily pick it up and look at it while you work. You can also download apps like Offtime or BreakFree that limit what you can do on the phone during times when you're supposed to be working.

If you're being distracted by time-wasting websites on the computer, try downloading a browser extension that limits what you can do while you're working. Try taking a break every hour or so to keep from getting burnt out.

You can’t do your homework well if you’re totally exhausted and sleep deprived. Try to prioritize getting at least 8-10 hours of sleep a night if you’re a teen or 7-9 if you’re an adult. If you don’t have enough time to get all the sleep you need and complete your homework, spend a day or 2 tracking your activities and figure out if you can adjust to make your use of time more efficient. You could also talk to your teacher about adjusting your workload.

Distractions can slow you down a lot, so put your phone away and work in a space that’s quiet and peaceful if possible. Give yourself a set amount of time to work on each section of your assignment, and set a timer to help you stay on track. With practice, you should get faster! You can also experiment around to see how much time it usually takes you to complete a particular type of work, and adjust your schedule based on that.

Home can be a very distracting place, and it can be hard to get into “work mode” there if you’re used to relaxing and unwinding at home. Try setting aside a specific area just for work in a quiet, comfortable part of your home. Avoid working in spots where you usually sleep or chill out, like your bed or couch. If home is too distracting, you might try doing your homework at the library or in a coffee shop.

You probably don't want to do your homework, but you feel like reading this article this is more productive than just sitting around playing a video game or whatever. At least you look like you want to try do it, right? If you really need to do your homework, then turn off your computer to help get rid of distractions! Print out any worksheets that are already on the computer to keep you from having to turn it back on.

Don't do homework in bed. Listen to upbeat music on low volume, and take a 5-minute break every half-hour or so to get up and stretch, move around, and have some water.

First, you should put away all distractions. If you need to work quickly, it is best to find a quiet spot to work on your homework. Maintain the mindset that you can still finish in time. Just stay in that spot and finish the assignment. Don't take breaks unless absolutely necessary.

If it's due tomorrow, then assign a fraction of the problems (for example, 10) to a fraction of the time, such as 15 to 20 minutes. Then take a break between every 15 to 20 minutes; that way, you aren't getting overwhelmed by all the homework. If it goes faster than this suggestion, then great!

Go to a quiet room, organize your books and lock your phone/tablet and any electronics. Sit down and get stuck in. Have a break every half an hour to an hour, and eat nutritious snacks to stay active in mind and body. See further: How to Avoid Distractions While Studying .

It depends. For example, go to your parent or teacher and ask something along the lines of "Hey (person), do you think you could help me with (assignment)? I'm having a lot of trouble with (part of assignment)." You could also come up with something yourself, but don't wait until it's too late! Remember to ask while you still can.

Think of the consequences of not doing your homework, or just force yourself to do it! Once you get started on it, it'll be easier. You can also think of all the fun stuff you can do after you get your homework done to keep you motivated.

If you do not remember the assignment instructions, text, call, email, or use social media to contact a friend (you can also email the teacher if their email is on the school's website). In the future, consider having a designated folder, notebook, or binder for important forms and homework assignments. Leaving your homework at school is no excuse to not do it.

Don't stress over hard goals, and if you can, find a motivational goal that will get you working. You might also like to deal with your impatience, which is a separate issue from goal setting and needs working on.

This is likely because you want to do fun things instead of boring things. If you think about fun things while you are doing your homework, it helps to motivate you.

Talk to them. Tell them you need to start your homework, and that this is the only time you can do it in. If they keep doing it, talk to your parents or teacher. Lastly, you can always work in a quiet part of the library; the rules are usually strictly enforced, and if they bother you, they may be asked to leave.

Talk to your guidance counselor or someone else who can help you out. If you're really exhausted you can take a nap. You may wake up feeling refreshed. Make sure to stay healthy and eat right and listen to music if you think it helps.

You can reward yourself with a jog, reading a chapter of a book, watching an episode of your favorite TV show, a long bath, or a piece of candy or a treat.

If your homework is not online and you don't need internet access for research, simply turn off your WiFi or otherwise disconnect your computer from the internet. If it is online, then you can try treating web surfing as a reward for getting your work done.

Try your hardest. Do your best on the problems you don't understand, and get to school early to talk to your teachers about them. Then, finish them up in class.

Just start your assignment and you will slowly get more focused.

Yes. This is much better than getting stressed and upset about school, and it will help you build lots of healthy study habits.

You may have to adjust some of your optional plans (like sports) to make time for your non-optional plans (like homework). You could also try getting your homework done during school or in between classes so that you have less work to do at home.

Maybe you can just use your phone and search up an easy way to understand it. If that fails, skip that problem and speak to your teacher the next day about it.

There are plenty of good website extensions and websites that can "block" other websites that may distract you while you can still maintain all the websites and resources you need to do your homework. Try them out!

Fruits, nuts and cheese are great snacks to eat before doing homework. The sugar and/or protein will give you a boost of energy and prepare you for the task ahead.

Taking care of your mental and physical health should be your number one priority. Work on overcoming your anxiety. Make sure you get enough sleep each night (9-11 hours if you're a child, 8-10 if a teenager), get some exercise every day, and eat healthy . Consider taking a magnesium supplement if you can't get enough magnesium from your diet. If there is a specific problem in your life that's stressing you out, work on solving that problem. Consider seeing a counselor or therapist to help you work things out. See How to Deal With Anxiety for more advice.