There are not many students in the world were actually excited about doing their homework. As it so happens, homework is one of the most dreaded activities that students have to perform year in and year out. So what exactly does homework achieve? This question does not have a straight forward answer as the perspective of students and opinion of teachers vary greatly. While features thing that giving homework is an effective way to keep the students in practice with the lessons, students often argue that homework is nothing but a waste of time as they rarely get to learn anything out of it.
Conflict of opinions
For most parts, students complain that they are encumbered with boredom while doing their homework and their potential to learn and grasp concepts is drastically reduced due to boredom. If there is one thing that we have understood over the years, is that mundane activities are degrading to the brain and rarely fetch the desired results.
While there may be staunch believers that homework is absolutely essential for students, there are many researchers around the world who whole heartedly believe that excess of homework is counter-productive. While I cannot choose any side as to who is right and who is wrong, I can certainly provide some methods, in which I know that homework can be made less painful for the students.
Best ways to make homework less painful
1. Make a list:
The first thing you want to do as a student is keep a list of the things that are needed to be done as soon as possible. If your school or college is giving you plenty of homework, then it is only natural that they will allot appropriate amount of time for every single subject. Prioritize accordingly and choose the toughest one to complete first. Once you got the tough homework done and out of the way, you’ll find that the easier portions will get done in no time.
2. Remove distractions:
Take a pledge to stay out of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media as long as you are doing your homework. This will not only eliminate the urge to check out notifications again and again, but also motivate you to concentrate on the work at hand. Remember, a small sacrifice is needed if you want to get your home were done on time. Also, make sure that your room is located at a place where there is less amount of noise and free from sound coming out of radio and TV.
3. Pick a time:
This is the first thing you need to do as the time you choose to do your homework, is very essential to get it done effectively. As some of us a night persons and some are morning persons, it is probably very clear to you at what time of the day you are most productive. If you do not have any lessons to mother or any exams upcoming, choose the most productive time to get your homework done. You will be amazed to see what you discover about yourself and the optimal time required doing a particular set of homework.
4. Take help:
Now this is one aspect that many would deny, but have surely done it themselves. What am I talking about? Asking others for help of course. Whether it is from a family member or a close friend, an extra hand always makes sure that your homework is done correctly and on time. They don’t necessarily have to do the homework for you; even if they agree to check out what you have written for spelling mistakes, and grammatical errors, or any other general mistakes, it would save you a lot of time in proofreading before final submission. So make sure you ask for help when you need it.
5. Get proper rest:
Yeah, that’s right! Rest in essential to ensure that your mind is at a peaceful state and ready to concentrate on the task at hand. Before you begin your homework, make sure that you are not ready, and well rested enough to give the concentration that the work deserves. If you just got back from school, take a one-hour nap before sitting to do your homework.
6. Treat yourself often:
A very useful method of keeping oneself motivated is indulging in self reward. No, I don’t mean that you have to do buy yourself an expensive mobile or the latest PlayStation console. But by treating yourself with smaller things like chocolates, 15 minutes of music time, a conversation with a friend, or a tasty meal, can work wonders for your motivation. Make a plan inside your head that you will complete a part of homework, and then treat yourself if you get it done on time. This is one of the most effective ways to stay motivated and enthusiastic.
7. Listen to music:
Researchers have found that listening to music can help ease the burden of dealing with excess amount of work, and keep one’s spirit high. Now don’t go around playing Eminem or the latest album of Arctic monkeys. Play something soothing and preferably a kind of music that is mostly instrumental. Music that contains vocals often serves as a distraction as lyrics often tempt the mind to concentrate away from the work. One of my favourite artists happens to be Beethoven, whose music I used to listen to frequently while doing my homework.
8. Do not over-work:
If you have plenty of homework to do, work in small time periods to allow your brain the recovery time needed to function properly again. In between different homework, you may choose to watch a bit of TV, take a walk on your balcony, eat something sweet, etc. The point is to not let fatigue creep into the routine. My optimizing your breaks and work period, you’ll soon find how much work you can get done without actually noticing the time you have spent working.
9. Have patience:
When you are over-burdened with work, you may find it overwhelming to do all at the same time. Of course, there will be some parts that seem extraordinarily difficult but there will also be parts that are easy. Have patience while dealing with tough problems, especially when it comes to math. The last thing you’d want is to make countless errors of your project and end up getting zero marks.
10. Keep your stationery together:
When you’re sitting down to do your homework, make sure you got all the items and accessories you need to complete it. This may include your pen, pencils, geometry box, eraser, sharpener, ruler, colouring box, etc. This would eliminate the need to wonder around the house often in looking for things that you need to complete a particular task. Your main intention is to get the homework done as quickly as possible and of course correctly. Having your stationery together reduces the risk of getting distracted as everything you need is right at your fingertips.
11. Ask your teacher:
If there is a particular type of homework that you’re not being able to solve, it is always better to approach the teacher for help. When you’re in school the next day, get your queries solved and your doubts cleared before you sit for the next homework session. There is no better help that anyone else can provide like a teacher can. On the plus side, your teacher will also think that you are serious about your studies, which will further help to get good marks.
12. Stay organized:
This aspect cannot be stressed enough because most students often face problems due to lack of organized studying and problem-solving methods. When you’re sitting to do homework, make sure you’ve got your books with you and placed in good positions to allow you to reach whenever required. Also, make sure that your table is clutter free of junk items and anything else that is not relevant to the task at hand. This will make your mind focus on the topic more and less on your surroundings.
13. Organize group sessions:
Though many have doubts on this method of homework completion, I have the opinion that sitting in groups motivates a person to do better and more enthusiastically. This is because when you’re in a group that is always room for discussion as well as clearance of doubts. Plus, there is the occasional chat session that can help get rid boredom that comes with doing homework.
14. Get started:
Yeah, you heard me! Get started as fast as you can. Don’t think about how much you’ll be able to accomplish at the end of the day or how much will be remaining for you to do. Taking the first step forward and ensures that you have made the move to get the work done. That is enough of an accomplishment for a person who struggles with doing homework.
15. Finish it off:
Don’t stop till you have finished the task you are assigned to do. Have perseverance to fight through boredom, fatigue, laziness, and other aspects that is holding you back. If you have made the start, make sure you end it as well.