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Overwhelmed with homework? Can’t seem to stay on top of it all? We know the feeling. At times, it can feel difficult, or perhaps even impossible, to tackle all of your homework, deadlines, assignments, and studying. After all, you’re probably participating in multiple extracurriculars, working, volunteering, and taking care of family responsibilities. You might even be worrying about applying to college. So how can you learn to handle all of your homework while remaining sane?

By setting good studying habits now, you will be setting yourself up to become a better student in the future. There’s no better time to begin improving yourself as a student than right now—you’ll also give yourself a fresh start for college and beyond. Keep reading for tips and tricks on how to finally get a handle on all your homework!

Create a study space

It can be difficult — or even impossible—to study if the environment in which you are studying is distracting you. If you try to do your homework in your bedroom or at a friend’s house, you might find it impossible to focus. After all, who wouldn’t be distracted in these scenarios?

Instead of doing your homework on your laptop while lying in bed, try sitting up at a desk in a quiet room. Be sure you have all the supplies that you need, like pencils, pens, paper, your school worksheets, a calculator, and a ruler. You don’t need to create a ridiculously high-tech study room, this just needs to be a place that will help you feel productive and that won’t distract you.

Be sure to eat a healthy snack before you do your homework so that you don’t get distracted by your grumbling stomach. Consider eating something that isn’t too sugary or fatty, rather, you should eat something with protein or with fruits and vegetables that will give you lots of energy over a longer period of time.

If you don’t have a sufficient study space at home, consider visiting a local library or coffee shop to do your work. These spaces will usually be filled with other people who are doing work as well, which can be a useful motivational tool!

It’s always a good idea to take a moment to think about your deadlines and the time commitment that is required for each of your assignments. Try to tackle the biggest and most strenuous assignments first, keeping in mind the due dates for each.

Remember to be realistic . For instance, if you have a 10 page paper due on Friday, don’t wait until Thursday night to start writing it. Instead, you should make a plan to tackle approximately 3 or 4 pages of your per day, which means that you should start on Sunday or Monday. Be sure to also leave a buffer day so that you can edit your paper, proofread it and cite your sources!

Your plans for completing your homework might vary based on your ability and/or level of familiarity with the subject or assignment. This is totally ok, and the more familiar you are with your own abilities, the better! Whatever you do, just make sure that you don’t end up lying to yourself about deadlines. Don’t tell yourself that you can slack off and tackle a ridiculous workload at the last minute—you can’t!

In terms of planning, it might also help you to make a schedule, a google calendar, a to do list or a weekly plan. Many people like being able to see the amount of free time they have available laid out visually so that they can plan when they will get all of their homework done!

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Develop a routine

Developing a routine can help you become more effective at doing your homework. Try to do your homework at the same time each day, or at a similar time each week. Devote a certain amount of hours to a certain assignment that you have, and stick to this amount of time.

Forming a routine will help you build good habits, and it will also help you get into the  routine of reviewing the new information that you learned in your classes each day!

It is much easier to break off little pieces of your assignments and do them over time rather than cramming them in at the last minute. The same thing goes with studying; if you develop a routine, then you will end up retaining more information, whereas cramming at the last minute will make it much more difficult for you to remember anything!

Learn your own learning style

Everyone learns a little bit differently, and it’s important that you get to know yourself and your own learning style: are you a visual learner? Auditory? Kinesthetic? A mixture?

You can try finding out which type of learner you are through online quizzes, or perhaps you’ve already determined what type you are in school. You might also figure it out through trial and error—perhaps flashcards don’t help you retain important information, but writing an outline of the chapter or unit in your textbook does. Don’t be afraid to try out new methods of studying; you never know what will work for you!

Try to determine the circumstances under which you study best: in the library? At your desk? At the kitchen table? Do you work well under pressure, or do you prefer to finish your assignments well before the deadline? Do you study more effectively late at night, or early in the morning? Take note of your own tendencies, and again, don’t be afraid to experiment and try out new methods.

Understanding the best ways in which you can learn will also be a great head start for college—just remember to be patient and kind to yourself throughout this process of discovery.

Ask for help

If you’re really stuck on a certain assignment, try asking for help from someone you trust: a friend, a classmate, an older sibling, a parent…

If you’re still stuck even after receiving help from your loved ones, consider asking your teacher for help. You might even consider staying to talk to your teacher after school to make sure you really understand the assignment! After all, learning your limitations and figuring out who to turn to when you’re stuck is another really wonderful step to take before starting college!

Take breaks

It doesn’t matter who you are, no one is able to study or do homework effectively for 12 hours straight. The average human attention span is around 30 minutes, so if you feel yourself starting to get distracted, don’t hesitate to get up from your seat and take a quick break!

Try going for a jog, making yourself a healthy snack, practicing playing an instrument, sending a text to a friend—just be sure to get back to work once you’re done!

If you find that you’re going to have to work for a particularly long period of time, be sure to take breaks periodically and set up rewards for yourself. Use these rewards to motivate yourself to focus your full attention on the task at hand up until your next break. For instance, you might say to yourself, “if I study calc for 3 hours, then I can take a 30 minute break by watching an episode of my favorite tv show….” There’s nothing wrong with rewarding yourself as long as you use these breaks to keep yourself motivated and focused.

Having a lot of homework can feel difficult and overwhelming, but you can use these feelings to motivate yourself. Getting a handle on this workload will also help you prepare for college!

Overall, the more you are able to understand yourself and your study habits, the more successful you will be. Take the time to learn how to build yourself the perfect study space, how to motivate yourself, and how to work under circumstances that will allow you to be the most productive. Your bad habits can always be transformed into good habits, you just need to be willing to take that first step.

For more tips and information on studying, check out these blog posts:

10 Real World Study Tips to Improve Processing and Retention

How to Organize a High School Study Session

CollegeVine’s Top Six Study Tips for High School Students

5 Ways to Actively Learn During Class

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4 Tips for Completing Your Homework On Time

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Homework, a necessary evil according to many teachers, has a lot of students tied up in knots. Some students can never seem to get things turned in on time. In fact, many students do not even realize that they  have  homework until a friend from class texts them or they overhear someone in the halls talking about Ms. So-and-so's terrible, no-good, awful, horrifying worksheet for Chemistry that is due the next day. These five tips for completing your homework on time, however, should help you get that homework finished on time. 

Tip 1: Rely On a Planning System

Most of you by now are well acquainted with a homework planner. It has the dates, the school subjects you are taking, and a whole lot of blank space to write down your homework assignments. Use these planners if you have them. Writing with an actual pencil or pen may seem almost archaic what with technology virtually doing everything for us, but the kinesthetic movement of writing down an assignment into one of those little squares (Language Arts test tomorrow - STUDY TONIGHT), will actually help solidify that homework in your brain.

Plus, when you are packing up to go home at the end of the school day, all you have to do is open up that planner to see which books, folders, and binders need to go home with you so you will not miss out anything that you need to do that evening.

Some people  hate  using planners. They'd rather walk on a pile of crushed glass than actually write something down in a planner. That's quite all right. One student kept a wadded up piece of paper in his pocket where he'd scrawl his assignments. It worked for him, so it was fine. For those of you not keen on planners or crumpled up notes, your phone can come in really handy. Just download a productivity app and type your assignments in there. Or, keep track of all the work due in the notes section of your phone. Or, snap a picture of the homework board in each teacher's class before you head out into the hallway. Or, if you are really dead-set against anything planner-related, then just send yourself a text after each class with your homework assignments for the night.

No matter which planning system you prefer, use it. Check off each item once you get it in your backpack. Your brain can only process so much information at a time, so you absolutely must write your homework down if you plan to complete it on time. 

Tip 2: Prioritize Your Homework Assignments

All assignments are not created equal. It's strongly recommended you use a prioritizing system when you sit down at home with your homework. Try a system a little something like this:

• Examples: Studying for a major test coming up tomorrow. Finishing a major project due tomorrow. Writing an essay worth a LOT of points that is due tomorrow. 
• Examples:  Studying for a quiz coming up tomorrow. Completing a homework sheet that is due tomorrow. Reading a chapter that is due tomorrow. 
• Examples: Studying for a spelling test that will occur on Friday. Writing a blog and posting it on the class board by Friday. Finish a book upon which you will take a quiz on Friday.
• Examples: Reviewing chapters for the midterm exam. Working on an on-going project, research paper, or long assignment due at the end of the quarter. Completing a packet that isn't due for two weeks. 

Once you've prioritized the work you have to do, complete all the 1's first, then the 2's, moving down as you go. That way, if you find yourself pressed for time because Great-Grandma decided to stop over for family dinner and your mom insisted you spend the evening playing bridge with her despite the fact that you have hours of homework ahead of you, then you will not have missed anything vitally important to your grade. 

Tip 3: Get the Worst Assignment Over With First

So, maybe you absolutely hate writing essays (But, why, though when all you have to do is follow these essay tips? ) and you have a major essay staring you in the face that  must  be completed before tomorrow. You also have to study for a major math test, complete a social studies blog by Friday, study for the ACT  next month, and finish up your science worksheet from class. Your "1" assignments would be the essay and the math test. Your "2" assignment is the science worksheet, the "3" assignment is that blog, and the "4" assignment is studying for the ACT. 

Ordinarily, you would start with the science worksheet because you  love  science, but that would be a big mistake. Start with those "1" assignments and knock out that essay first. Why? Because you hate it. And completing the worst assignment first gets it off your mind, out of your homework cache, and makes everything that comes after it appears to be really, really easy. It will be an absolute  joy  to complete that science worksheet once you have written the essay. Why rob yourself of joy? 

Then, once you've completed the stuff due first, you can focus on putting in a little bit of time on the ACT. Easy peasy.

Tip 4: Take Planned Breaks

Some people believe that sitting down to complete homework means that you literally park your behind in a chair and you don't move it for the next four thousand hours or so. That is one of the worst study ideas in history. Your brain only has the capacity to stay focused for about 45 minutes (maybe even less for some of you) before it goes on the fritz and starts wanting to make you get up and dance the Roger Rabbit. So, schedule your study time with breaks actually built in . Work for 45 minutes, then take a 10-minute break to do whatever it is people your age like to do. Then, rinse and repeat. It looks a little something like this:

Homework Time:

• 45 minutes: Work on "1" assignments, starting with the absolute worst.
• 10 minutes: Get a snack, play Pokemon Go!, surf Instagram
• 45 minutes: Work on "1" assignments again. You know you didn't finish.
• 10 minutes: Do some jumping jacks, dance the Macarena, polish your nails.
• 45 minutes: Work on "2" assignments and maybe even finish with any 3s and 4s. Put everything in your backpack.

Completing your homework on time is a learned skill. It requires some discipline and not everyone is naturally disciplined. So, you have to practice checking that you have everything you need for homework when you are still at school, prioritizing your work, plunging into the assignments you loathe, and taking planned breaks. Isn't your grade worth it?

You bet it is. 

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 5 best homework help websites (free and paid).

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Listen: we know homework isn’t fun, but it is a good way to reinforce the ideas and concepts you’ve learned in class. But what if you’re really struggling with your homework assignments?

If you’ve looked online for a little extra help with your take-home assignments, you’ve probably stumbled across websites claiming to provide the homework help and answers students need to succeed . But can homework help sites really make a difference? And if so, which are the best homework help websites you can use? 

Below, we answer these questions and more about homework help websites–free and paid. We’ll go over: 

• The basics of homework help websites
• The cost of homework help websites 
• The five best homework websites out there 
• The pros and cons of using these websites for homework help 
• The line between “learning” and “cheating” when using online homework help 
• Tips for getting the most out of a homework help website

So let’s get started! 

The Basics About Homework Help Websites–Free and Paid

Homework help websites are designed to help you complete your homework assignments, plain and simple. 

What Makes a Homework Help Site Worth Using

Most of the best sites allow users to ask questions and then provide an answer (or multiple possible answers) and explanation in seconds. In some instances, you can even send a photo of a particular assignment or problem instead of typing the whole thing out! 

Homework help sites also offer more than just help answering homework questions. Common services provided are Q&A with experts, educational videos, lectures, practice tests and quizzes, learning modules, math solving tools, and proofreading help. Homework help sites can also provide textbook solutions (i.e. answers to problems in tons of different textbooks your school might be using), one-on-one tutoring, and peer-to-peer platforms that allow you to discuss subjects you’re learning about with your fellow students. 

And best of all, nearly all of them offer their services 24/7, including tutoring! 

What You Should Should Look Out For

When it comes to homework help, there are lots–and we mean lots –of scam sites out there willing to prey on desperate students. Before you sign up for any service, make sure you read reviews to ensure you’re working with a legitimate company. 

A word to the wise: the more a company advertises help that veers into the territory of cheating, the more likely it is to be a scam. The best homework help websites are going to help you learn the concepts you’ll need to successfully complete your homework on your own. (We’ll go over the difference between “homework help” and “cheating” a little later!) 

You don't need a golden piggy bank to use homework help websites. Some provide low or no cost help for students like you!

How Expensive Are the Best Homework Help Websites?

First of all, just because a homework help site costs money doesn’t mean it’s a good service. Likewise, just because a homework help website is free doesn’t mean the help isn’t high quality. To find the best websites, you have to take a close look at the quality and types of information they provide! 

When it comes to paid homework help services, the prices vary pretty widely depending on the amount of services you want to subscribe to. Subscriptions can cost anywhere from $2 to $150 dollars per month, with the most expensive services offering several hours of one-on-one tutoring with a subject expert per month.

The 5 Best Homework Help Websites 

So, what is the best homework help website you can use? The answer is that it depends on what you need help with. 

The best homework help websites are the ones that are reliable and help you learn the material. They don’t just provide answers to homework questions–they actually help you learn the material. 

That’s why we’ve broken down our favorite websites into categories based on who they’re best for . For instance, the best website for people struggling with math might not work for someone who needs a little extra help with science, and vice versa. 

Keep reading to find the best homework help website for you! 

Best Free Homework Help Site: Khan Academy

• Price: Free!
• Best for: Practicing tough material 

Not only is Khan Academy free, but it’s full of information and can be personalized to suit your needs. When you set up your account , you choose which courses you need to study, and Khan Academy sets up a personal dashboard of instructional videos, practice exercises, and quizzes –with both correct and incorrect answer explanations–so you can learn at your own pace. 

As an added bonus, it covers more course topics than many other homework help sites, including several AP classes.

Runner Up: Brainly.com offers a free service that allows you to type in questions and get answers and explanations from experts. The downside is that you’re limited to two answers per question and have to watch ads. 

Best Paid Homework Help Site: Chegg

• Price: $14.95 to $19.95 per month
• Best for: 24/7 homework assistance  

This service has three main parts . The first is Chegg Study, which includes textbook solutions, Q&A with subject experts, flashcards, video explanations, a math solver, and writing help. The resources are thorough, and reviewers state that Chegg answers homework questions quickly and accurately no matter when you submit them.  

Chegg also offers textbook rentals for students who need access to textbooks outside of their classroom. Finally, Chegg offers Internship and Career Advice for students who are preparing to graduate and may need a little extra help with the transition out of high school. 

Another great feature Chegg provides is a selection of free articles geared towards helping with general life skills, like coping with stress and saving money. Chegg’s learning modules are comprehensive, and they feature solutions to the problems in tons of different textbooks in a wide variety of subjects. 

Runner Up: Bartleby offers basically the same services as Chegg for $14.99 per month. The reason it didn’t rank as the best is based on customer reviews that say user questions aren’t answered quite as quickly on this site as on Chegg. Otherwise, this is also a solid choice!

Best Site for Math Homework Help: Photomath

• Price: Free (or $59.99 per year for premium services) 
• Best for: Explaining solutions to math problems

This site allows you to t ake a picture of a math problem, and instantly pulls up a step-by-step solution, as well as a detailed explanation of the concept. Photomath also includes animated videos that break down mathematical concepts to help you better understand and remember them. 

The basic service is free, but for an additional fee you can get extra study tools and learn additional strategies for solving common math problems.

Runner Up: KhanAcademy offers in-depth tutorials that cover complex math topics for free, but you won’t get the same tailored help (and answers!) that Photomath offers. 

Best Site for English Homework Help: Princeton Review Academic Tutoring

• Price: $40 to $153 per month, depending on how many hours of tutoring you want 
• Best for: Comprehensive and personalized reading and writing help 

While sites like Grammarly and Sparknotes help you by either proofreading what you write via an algorithm or providing book summaries, Princeton Review’s tutors provide in-depth help with vocabulary, literature, essay writing and development, proofreading, and reading comprehension. And unlike other services, you’ll have the chance to work with a real person to get help. 

The best part is that you can get on-demand English (and ESL) tutoring from experts 24/7. That means you can get help whenever you need it, even if you’re pulling an all-nighter! 

This is by far the most expensive homework site on this list, so you’ll need to really think about what you need out of a homework help website before you commit. One added benefit is that the subscription covers over 80 other subjects, including AP classes, which can make it a good value if you need lots of help!  

Best Site for STEM Homework Help: Studypool

• Best for: Science homework help
• Price: Varies; you’ll pay for each question you submit

When it comes to science homework help, there aren’t a ton of great resources out there. The best of the bunch is Studypool, and while it has great reviews, there are some downsides as well. 

Let’s start with the good stuff. Studypool offers an interesting twist on the homework help formula. After you create a free account, you can submit your homework help questions, and tutors will submit bids to answer your questions. You’ll be able to select the tutor–and price point–that works for you, then you’ll pay to have your homework question answered. You can also pay a small fee to access notes, lectures, and other documents that top tutors have uploaded. 

The downside to Studypool is that the pricing is not transparent . There’s no way to plan for how much your homework help will cost, especially if you have lots of questions! Additionally, it’s not clear how tutors are selected, so you’ll need to be cautious when you choose who you’d like to answer your homework questions.  

What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Homework Help Sites?

Homework help websites can be a great resource if you’re struggling in a subject, or even if you just want to make sure that you’re really learning and understanding topics and ideas that you’re interested in. But, there are some possible drawbacks if you don’t use these sites responsibly. 

We’ll go over the good–and the not-so-good–aspects of getting online homework help below. 

3 Pros of Using Homework Help Websites 

First, let’s take a look at the benefits. 

#1: Better Grades Beyond Homework

This is a big one! Getting outside help with your studies can improve your understanding of concepts that you’re learning, which translates into better grades when you take tests or write essays. 

Remember: homework is designed to help reinforce the concepts you learned in class. If you just get easy answers without learning the material behind the problems, you may not have the tools you need to be successful on your class exams…or even standardized tests you’ll need to take for college. 

#2: Convenience

One of the main reasons that online homework help is appealing is because it’s flexible and convenient. You don’t have to go to a specific tutoring center while they’re open or stay after school to speak with your teacher. Instead, you can access helpful resources wherever you can access the internet, whenever you need them.

This is especially true if you tend to study at off hours because of your extracurriculars, work schedule, or family obligations. Sites that offer 24/7 tutoring can give you the extra help you need if you can’t access the free resources that are available at your school. 

#3: Variety

Not everyone learns the same way. Maybe you’re more of a visual learner, but your teacher mostly does lectures. Or maybe you learn best by listening and taking notes, but you’re expected to learn something just from reading the textbook . 

One of the best things about online homework help is that it comes in a variety of forms. The best homework help sites offer resources for all types of learners, including videos, practice activities, and even one-on-one discussions with real-life experts. 

This variety can also be a good thing if you just don’t really resonate with the way a concept is being explained (looking at you, math textbooks!).

Not so fast. There are cons to homework help websites, too. Get to know them below!

3 Cons of Using Homework Help Websites 

Now, let’s take a look at the drawbacks of online homework help. 

#1: Unreliable Info

This can be a real problem. In addition to all the really good homework help sites, there are a whole lot of disreputable or unreliable sites out there. The fact of the matter is that some homework help sites don’t necessarily hire people who are experts in the subjects they’re talking about. In those cases, you may not be getting the accurate, up-to-date, and thorough information you need.

Additionally, even the great sites may not be able to answer all of your homework questions. This is especially true if the site uses an algorithm or chatbot to help students…or if you’re enrolled in an advanced or college-level course. In these cases, working with your teacher or school-provided tutors are probably your best option. 

#2: No Clarification

This depends on the service you use, of course. But the majority of them provide free or low-cost help through pre-recorded videos. Watching videos or reading info online can definitely help you with your homework… but you can’t ask questions or get immediate feedback if you need it .

#3: Potential For Scamming 

Like we mentioned earlier, there are a lot of homework help websites out there, and lots of them are scams. The review comments we read covered everything from outdated or wrong information, to misleading claims about the help provided, to not allowing people to cancel their service after signing up. 

No matter which site you choose to use, make sure you research and read reviews before you sign up–especially if it’s a paid service! 

When Does “Help” Become “Cheating”?

Admittedly, whether using homework help websites constitutes cheating is a bit of a grey area. For instance, is it “help” when a friend reads your essay for history class and corrects your grammar, or is it “cheating”? The truth is, not everyone agrees on when “help” crosses the line into “cheating .” When in doubt, it can be a good idea to check with your teacher to see what they think about a particular type of help you want to get. 

That said, a general rule of thumb to keep in mind is to make sure that the assignment you turn in for credit is authentically yours . It needs to demonstrate your own thoughts and your own current abilities. Remember: the point of every homework assignment is to 1) help you learn something, and 2) show what you’ve learned. 

So if a service answers questions or writes essays for you, there’s a good chance using it constitutes cheating. 

Here’s an example that might help clarify the difference for you. Brainstorming essay ideas with others or looking online for inspiration is “help” as long as you write the essay yourself. Having someone read it and give you feedback about what you need to change is also help, provided you’re the one that makes the changes later. 

But copying all or part of an essay you find online or having someone write (or rewrite) the whole thing for you would be “cheating.” The same is true for other subjects. Ultimately, if you’re not generating your own work or your own answers, it’s probably cheating.

5 Tips for Finding the Best Homework Help Websites for You

Now that you know some of our favorite homework help websites, free and paid, you can start doing some additional research on your own to decide which services might work best for you! Here are some top tips for choosing a homework help website. 

Tip 1: Decide How You Learn Best 

Before you decide which site or sites you’re going to use for homework help, y ou should figure out what kind of learning style works for you the most. Are you a visual learner? Then choose a site that uses lots of videos to help explain concepts. If you know you learn best by actually doing tasks, choose a site that provides lots of practice exercises.

Tip 2: Determine Which Subjects You Need Help With

Just because a homework help site is good overall doesn’t mean that it’s equally good for every subject. If you only need help in math, choose a site that specializes in that area. But if history is where you’re struggling, a site that specializes in math won’t be much help. So make sure to choose a site that you know provides high-quality help in the areas you need it most. 

Tip 3: Decide How Much One-On-One Help You Need 

This is really about cost-effectiveness. If you learn well on your own by reading and watching videos, a free site like Khan Academy is a good choice. But if you need actual tutoring, or to be able to ask questions and get personalized answers from experts, a paid site that provides that kind of service may be a better option.

Tip 4: Set a Budget

If you decide you want to go with a paid homework help website, set a budget first . The prices for sites vary wildly, and the cost to use them can add up quick. 

Tip 5: Read the Reviews

Finally, it’s always a good idea to read actual reviews written by the people using these homework sites. You’ll learn the good, the bad, and the ugly of what the users’ experiences have been. This is especially true if you intend to subscribe to a paid service. You’ll want to make sure that users think it’s worth the price overall!

What’s Next?

If you want to get good grades on your homework, it’s a good idea to learn how to tackle it strategically. Our expert tips will help you get the most out of each assignment…and boost your grades in the process.

Doing well on homework assignments is just one part of getting good grades. We’ll teach you everything you need to know about getting great grades in high school in this article.

Of course, test grades can make or break your GPA, too. Here are 17 expert tips that’ll help you get the most out of your study prep before you take an exam.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Strategies to make homework go more smoothly.

Routines and incentive systems to help kids succeed

Writer: Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP

Clinical Expert: Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP

Here is the best guide to helping kids do homework successfully that we’ve seen, published by the National Association of School Psychologists on their website, NASPonline.org . Our thanks to NASP for sharing it with us.

There are two key strategies parents can draw on to reduce homework hassles. The first is to establish clear routines around homework, including when and where homework gets done and setting up daily schedules for homework. The second is to build in rewards or incentives to use with children for whom “good grades” is not a sufficient reward for doing homework.

Homework Routines

Tasks are easiest to accomplish when tied to specific routines. By establishing daily routines for homework completion, you will not only make homework go more smoothly, but you will also be fostering a sense of order your child can apply to later life, including college and work.

Step 1. Find a location in the house where homework will be done. The right location will depend on your child and the culture of your family. Some children do best at a desk in their bedroom. It is a quiet location, away from the hubbub of family noise. Other children become too distracted by the things they keep in their bedroom and do better at a place removed from those distractions, like the dining room table. Some children need to work by themselves. Others need to have parents nearby to help keep them on task and to answer questions when problems arise. Ask your child where the best place is to work. Both you and your child need to discuss pros and cons of different settings to arrive at a mutually agreed upon location.

Step 2. Set up a homework center. Once you and your child have identified a location, fix it up as a home office/homework center. Make sure there is a clear workspace large enough to set out all the materials necessary for completing assignments. Outfit the homework center with the kinds of supplies your child is most likely to need, such as pencils, pens, colored markers, rulers, scissors, a dictionary and thesaurus, graph paper, construction paper, glue and cellophane tape, lined paper, a calculator, spell checker, and, depending on the age and needs of your child, a computer or laptop. If the homework center is a place that will be used for other things (such as the dining room table), then your child can keep the supplies in a portable crate or bin. If possible, the homework center should include a bulletin board that can hold a monthly calendar on which your child can keep track of longterm assignments. Allowing children some leeway in decorating the homework center can help them feel at home there, but you should be careful that it does not become too cluttered with distracting materials.

Step 3. Establish a homework time. Your child should get in the habit of doing homework at the same time every day. The time may vary depending on the individual child. Some children need a break right after school to get some exercise and have a snack. Others need to start homework while they are still in a school mode (i.e., right after school when there is still some momentum left from getting through the day). In general, it may be best to get homework done either before dinner or as early in the evening as the child can tolerate. The later it gets, the more tired the child becomes and the more slowly the homework gets done.

Step 4. Establish a daily homework schedule. In general, at least into middle school, the homework session should begin with your sitting down with your child and drawing up a homework schedule. You should review all the assignments and make sure your child understands them and has all the necessary materials. Ask your child to estimate how long it will take to complete each assignment. Then ask when each assignment will get started. If your child needs help with any assignment , then this should be determined at the beginning so that the start times can take into account parent availability. A Daily Homework Planner is included at the end of this handout and contains a place for identifying when breaks may be taken and what rewards may be earned.

Incentive Systems

Many children who are not motivated by the enjoyment of doing homework are motivated by the high grade they hope to earn as a result of doing a quality job. Thus, the grade is an incentive, motivating the child to do homework with care and in a timely manner. For children who are not motivated by grades, parents will need to look for other rewards to help them get through their nightly chores. Incentive systems fall into two categories: simple and elaborate.

Simple incentive systems. The simplest incentive system is reminding the child of a fun activity to do when homework is done. It may be a favorite television show, a chance to spend some time with a video or computer game, talking on the telephone or instant messaging, or playing a game with a parent. This system of withholding fun things until the drudgery is over is sometimes called Grandma’s Law because grandmothers often use it quite effectively (“First take out the trash, then you can have chocolate chip cookies.”). Having something to look forward to can be a powerful incentive to get the hard work done. When parents remind children of this as they sit down at their desks they may be able to spark the engine that drives the child to stick with the work until it is done.

Elaborate incentive systems. These involve more planning and more work on the part of parents but in some cases are necessary to address more significant homework problems. More complex incentives systems might include a structure for earning points that could be used to “purchase” privileges or rewards or a system that provides greater reward for accomplishing more difficult homework tasks. These systems work best when parents and children together develop them. Giving children input gives them a sense of control and ownership, making the system more likely to succeed. We have found that children are generally realistic in setting goals and deciding on rewards and penalties when they are involved in the decision-making process.

Building in breaks. These are good for the child who cannot quite make it to the end without a small reward en route. When creating the daily homework schedule, it may be useful with these children to identify when they will take their breaks. Some children prefer to take breaks at specific time intervals (every 15 minutes), while others do better when the breaks occur after they finish an activity. If you use this approach, you should discuss with your child how long the breaks will last and what will be done during the breaks (get a snack, call a friend, play one level on a video game). The Daily Homework Planner includes sections where breaks and end-of-homework rewards can be identified.

Building in choice. This can be an effective strategy for parents to use with children who resist homework. Choice can be incorporated into both the order in which the child agrees to complete assignments and the schedule they will follow to get the work done. Building in choice not only helps motivate children but can also reduce power struggles between parents and children.

Developing Incentive Systems

Step 1. Describe the problem behaviors. Parents and children decide which behaviors are causing problems at homework time. For some children putting homework off to the last minute is the problem; for others, it is forgetting materials or neglecting to write down assignments. Still others rush through their work and make careless mistakes, while others dawdle over assignments, taking hours to complete what should take only a few minutes. It is important to be as specific as possible when describing the problem behaviors. The problem behavior should be described as behaviors that can be seen or heard; for instance, complains about h omework or rushes through homework, making many mistakes are better descriptors than has a bad attitude or is lazy.

Step 2. Set a goal. Usually the goal relates directly to the problem behavior. For instance, if not writing down assignments is the problem, the goal might be: “Joe will write down his assignments in his assignment book for every class.”

Step 3. Decide on possible rewards and penalties. Homework incentive systems work best when children have a menu of rewards to choose from, since no single reward will be attractive for long. We recommend a point system in which points can be earned for the goal behaviors and traded in for the reward the child wants to earn. The bigger the reward, the more points the child will need to earn it. The menu should include both larger, more expensive rewards that may take a week or a month to earn and smaller, inexpensive rewards that can be earned daily. It may also be necessary to build penalties into the system. This is usually the loss of a privilege (such as the chance to watch a favorite TV show or the chance to talk on the telephone to a friend).

Once the system is up and running, and if you find your child is earning more penalties than rewards, then the program needs to be revised so that your child can be more successful. Usually when this kind of system fails, we think of it as a design failure rather than the failure of the child to respond to rewards. It may be a good idea if you are having difficulty designing a system that works to consult a specialist, such as a school psychologist or counselor, for assistance.

Step 4. Write a homework contract. The contract should say exactly what the child agrees to do and exactly what the parents’ roles and responsibilities will be. When the contract is in place, it should reduce some of the tension parents and kids often experience around homework. For instance, if part of the contract is that the child will earn a point for not complaining about homework, then if the child does complain, this should not be cause for a battle between parent and child: the child simply does not earn that point. Parents should also be sure to praise their children for following the contract. It will be important for parents to agree to a contract they can live with; that is, avoiding penalties they are either unable or unwilling to impose (e.g., if both parents work and are not at home, they cannot monitor whether a child is beginning homework right after school, so an alternative contract may need to be written).

We have found that it is a rare incentive system that works the first time. Parents should expect to try it out and redesign it to work the kinks out. Eventually, once the child is used to doing the behaviors specified in the contract, the contract can be rewritten to work on another problem behavior. Your child over time may be willing to drop the use of an incentive system altogether. This is often a long-term goal, however, and you should be ready to write a new contract if your child slips back to bad habits once a system is dropped.

Click here to download the homework planner and incentive sheet .

Frequently Asked Questions

To help homework go more smoothly, e stablish a routine that includes a time and place where it will be done, a planner that lists each assignment, scheduled breaks when some of the work is done, and a reward system for kids who are not motivated by good grades alone.  

Set a good homework routine following these steps: Find a location in the house where homework will be done. Set up a homework center stocked with needed materials . Establish a homework time. Use a daily homework planner so that your child has everything in writing.  

One tool that can make homework go more smoothly i s a Daily Homework Planner , which lists each assignment, how long it should take to complete, and what rewards may be earned for completing each assignment.    

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• Study Methods: Ways to make sure you get that Homework Assignment done before 11:59PM

I know that we all struggle when it comes down to sitting down and doing homework. For me personally, I get anxiety just thinking about doing assignments. Everyone is different when it comes to certain methods that help themselves to just sit down and get their homework done. Here are some things that help me:

• Change your surroundings: Being able to do homework somewhere other than where you live can help you think differently and get your mind off of watching Netflix rather than doing homework
• Study with your friends: Always remember you and your college friends are in it TOGETHER! You are never alone when it comes to studying and doing homework – take advantage of having people around you that are in the same boat
• Prioritize your work: my biggest piece of advice is DON’T PROCRASTINATE. I know as students we procrastinate a lot more than we should, but its always better to get ahead of your school work than to fall behind
• Weekdays are for school, weekends are for fund: trying to get ahead of your school work during the week with give you a sense of relief when the weekends roll around.

Doing some of these things have really taught myself how to buckle down and get my stuff done. This also heavily reduces my stress and anxiety when it comes to homework, time management, and school.

7 thoughts on “Study Methods: Ways to make sure you get that Homework Assignment done before 11:59PM”

Great post Kaycee, I always love seeing the advice you give. I remember my advisor telling me at the beginning of college to treat your day like a 9-5 and get all of your homework done during that time so that you can relax and not have to worry about it later. Although I didn’t adopt this mentality, I try to have all of my homework done by 8PM and don’t check my email again until the next day.

First off, love the title, it is a really great hook! But overall, loved this post. I think it is such a common and relatable struggle for every college to get assignments done in a timely, non stressful manner so this post was super great for that. My favorite study hack is to set a timer for like 30 minutes where I put my phone across the room and get stuff done and once that timer goes off I can get up and go get a snack for 5-10 minutes and then a repeat the process until I am all done with the work I need to do!

I agree with all of these tips! When I do homework, sometimes I’ll put on a podcast if anything just because it gets boring sitting there for hours trying to get so many things done. I too try to get things done in the week to leave my weekends free of any homework. Any assignments due on Sunday night I see as due on Friday nights so it pushes me to get everything done. With working on the weekends, it’s really helped to prioritize this thought process rather than procrastinating it to the last possible moment.

These tips are awesome! I am always open to trying new ways to study. I definitely find studying with friends to be so fun and helpful. I have been getting a lot better about getting ahead of my homework during the week rather than cramming during the weekend and it has helped me feel a lot less burnt out. Great post!

I think that most of us get anxiety from assignments. I think the overload of assignments from each class definitely plays a role in that. I believe that if we are making sure that we are going somewhere else to do homework, it helps us focus on what needs to get done. Instead of sitting in bed and doing assignments all day, you won’t feel motivated to do them or get them done. Great post!

I really like these tips you mention in the blog post to help students get their assignments done. I know that I can benefit from these tips, and there are some important reminders in here too. I feel that lately I have been procrastinating so this made me think about that and be more mindful. I also like the idea of going elsewhere to study and maybe even bring some friends along!

This was a great read! I know personally, I procrastinate a lot! I get so anxious about doing assignments that I put them off until the last minute and I am unable to produce the best content possible. Leaving the house is a great idea as it allows a different and less distracting environment that can be easier to study in.

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Which one is correct? "do your homework" or "make your homework"?

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do your homework

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

• Don't forget to do your homework before going out to play.
• I always do my homework as soon as I get home from school.
• She asked her brother to help her do her homework.
• It's important to do your homework to understand the lesson better.
• He promised his teacher he would do his homework more diligently.

make your homework

This phrase is not correct in English. 'Make your homework' is not a standard or commonly used expression.

Alternatives:

• Do your homework
• Complete your homework
• Finish your homework
• Work on your homework
• Study for your homework

Last Updated: March 19, 2024

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• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Remember to Turn in Homework

Last Updated: November 29, 2021

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a Private Tutor and Life Coach in Santa Cruz, California. In 2018, she founded Mindful & Well, a natural healing and wellness coaching service. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. Emily also received her Wellness Coach Certificate from Cornell University and completed the Mindfulness Training by Mindful Schools. This article has been viewed 50,287 times.

You’ve had enough of that soul-crushing stare your teachers hit you with when they find out you forgot your homework again. They silently shake their head as you tell them you finished it, and even enjoyed working on the assignment, but simply left it at home. Even worse, you get home and realize you had brought your homework to class but forgot to turn it in! Again! Fortunately, there are proven steps you can take to help you remember to turn in your homework.

Organizing to Boost Your Productivity

• There is the classic two pocket, a side-folding folder in any color you can imagine, or adorned with the comic book hero, cartoon character, or sports team of your choice. One option is to get a few of these and use one for each of your classes.
• If you have separate folders for each class, keep all of them with you throughout the school day, perhaps in a three-ring binder.
• Alternatively, get yourself an accordion folder. These multi-pocketed wonders, usually equipped with a flap or other mechanism to ensure your materials stay where you put them, can immediately improve your organization. [1] X Research source
• Take time twice a week to organize all your folders or online files. This way they’re kept clean on a regular basis.

• Put any notes, handouts, worksheets, or assignment materials into the proper folder location as soon as you receive them, and keep them there whenever you’re not using them.
• Keep your organizing materials with you. Bring your binder or accordion with you to every single class. This ensures you always have all of your assignments with you for every class.
• For some extra tips, check out How to Be Organized in School.

• Before school every morning, triple check your bag! There’s nothing worse than simply forgetting completed homework at home. Make sure you have your organizing materials with you, and that you placed you completed assignments in them.

Developing Strategies to Remember Your Homework

• As soon as you sit down, take your completed assignment out of its folder and place in on your desk in front of you. Keep it there until you are able to turn it in.
• Get an extra folder exclusively for completed assignments and keep it in the very front of your binder. This way, you’ll be reminded of your completed assignments whenever you access any of your class materials.

• Always write down all of your homework assignments as soon as you are made aware of them. Be extremely detailed with the information you include. For example, jot down the chapters or page numbers of the textbooks or other materials associated with each assignment.
• If your class has a syllabus or course schedule, enter all of the included due dates into your personal planner.
• Include information regarding time slots you will not be able to work on homework, such as music or sports team practices, a babysitting gig, or family meals.

• Tangible planners are easier to update with quick additions or edits.
• It’s always satisfying to cross a completed assignment off with an actual writing utensil.
• Day planners are more appropriate for in-class use. Since you’ll often be assigned homework in class, and want to enter new assignments immediately, this is a particularly important factor.

• Another great source of reminders is your teacher. If you struggle to remember to bring your homework to class, talk to your teacher about it. Your teachers will likely have some helpful advice, and can even remind you the day before homework assignments are due.
• Your teachers will likely remind the whole class if you ask them to start reminding you, which may help your classmates remember their homework too!
• Alternatively, find a friend who will be sure to hold you accountable and remind you what needs to be done.

Using Your Time More Efficiently

• Think about how long it will take you to complete assignments and plan accordingly.
• Schedule specific portions of larger projects separately.
• If you struggle with finding large enough time slots to complete your homework, recognize that you need to make the time to do so. For instance, if you spend a good portion of each evening socializing with friends (online or in person), do all of your homework before you go out or get online.

• Kick starting your day will increase your productivity generally and prepare you for more efficient homework sessions. [2] X Research source
• Stick with it. If you get in the habit of getting up a bit earlier, you’ll likely start going to bed earlier as well.
• Don’t fall into the trap of staying up late working on homework, as your focus and productivity is greatly diminished late at night.
• Don’t procrastinate your homework and try to finish it when you wake up in the morning. It will make your day more stressful and ruin your previous night’s sleep.

• Wear headphones and sit facing a wall if you’re prone to visual distraction.
• Remind yourself that getting your homework done during school hours allows you to do whatever you want in your free time, including hang out with friends.

• If you are ever unsure of an assignment, ask your teacher about it as soon as you have a question.
• Get a jumpstart on weekend homework on Thursday or Friday. If you know you’re going to need to do some homework over the weekend, try to get it done earlier so you can relax and enjoy yourself over the weekend as well.
• Do not leave all of your weekend homework for Sunday.
• Try to plan weekend social activities for Saturday, and dedicate at least a few hours of Friday evening to schoolwork. If you do end up with plans on a Friday night, make sure you set aside a few hours on Saturday to work on homework.

Staying Focused on Your Homework

• Try studying in different environments to find the one that allows you to focus the best.
• Avoid screens, especially TVs. This includes your phone. Put your phone in your bag and leave it there. Only check it during scheduled breaks.
• Wear headphones (or earplugs). Whether in a library or coffee shop, headphones will help reduce the frequency of auditory distractions. Choose music that does not have lyrics, and is more ambient than bass-driven. Think “background music” when you’re making your selection, but know that you can still listen to music you enjoy.
• If you’re studying at home, try to use a room in which you won’t be interrupted by family members or roommates. Let others know you intend to work on homework for a certain amount of time, and ask them to let you be.

• The company of a friend can keep you from wondering what everybody else is up to, and can even make doing your homework feel like hanging out.
• Avoid studying with friends who tend to interrupt a lot, or who have trouble focusing themselves. You can hang with whoever you want once your work is done!

• Include a healthy snack, as well as a water bottle. Not having to get up for sustenance will keep you grinding through your homework for a longer period of time.
• Don’t forget sticky notes. They’re weirdly helpful. Use them as visual reminders of important things to remember, and to keep pages in books you’re studying or otherwise referencing frequently.

• Computers can also help you organize. Familiarize yourself with web-based storage systems like Google Drive and Dropbox. These will allow you to save and access files from anywhere you have internet access. [3] X Research source
• Use a flash drive too. Save all electronic files to both a web-based storage system and a thumb drive. Keep the drive with you at all times. (Get a thumb drive with a keychain attachment!) This way, even if you forget your hard copy, you can print another at school and eliminate the unfortunate “I forgot my homework” scenario.

• Try a 10 minute break after every 50 minutes of focused work.
• Use these breaks to go for a short walk, use the washroom, do a brief physical exercise (like stretching, push-ups, or jumping jacks), or to get a simple chore out of the way.
• Do not allow yourself to get distracted by activities that will prevent you from going back to work or will get your mind out of study mode. For instance, don’t call someone you haven’t spoken with in a while or sit down with friends who are hanging out but not studying.
• Reward yourself when completing assignments – but not before. If you’ve been itching for a bowl of ice cream, don’t dive into the freezer during a break. Instead, enjoy the ice cream once your homework is done for the evening and you can focus all of your attention – or none at all – on every bite.

Community Q&A

• If you’re doing your best to organize, plan, and focus on your homework, but are still struggling to get it all done, talk to a school counselor or your parents. School counselors, in particular, are trained to help students, and they will be happy to work with you on strategies and options to improve your ability to succeed in school. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

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• ↑ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accordion%20file
• ↑ http://keystooptimalliving.com/6-am-challenge-the-benefits-of-waking-up-early/
• ↑ https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2424384?hl=en

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• School Stuff

How to Excuse Yourself from Unfinished Homework

Last Updated: June 24, 2024

This article was co-authored by Alicia Oglesby . Alicia Oglesby is a Professional School Counselor and the Director of School and College Counseling at Bishop McNamara High School outside of Washington DC. With over ten years of experience in counseling, Alicia specializes in academic advising, social-emotional skills, and career counseling. Alicia holds a BS in Psychology from Howard University and a Master’s in Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology from Chestnut Hill College. She also studied Race and Mental Health at Virginia Tech. Alicia holds Professional School Counseling Certifications in both Washington DC and Pennsylvania. She has created a college counseling program in its entirety and developed five programs focused on application workshops, parent information workshops, essay writing collaborative, peer-reviewed application activities, and financial aid literacy events. This article has been viewed 891,832 times.

Ideally, you will always be ready for class and have your homework completed. Sometimes, however, life gets in the way and you aren’t prepared. There are several methods for developing an excuse to give your teacher for why you don’t have your homework ready, ranging from honest to deceptive.

Inventing an Elaborate Excuse

• Crumple and tear a paper assignment. Then you can tell the teacher that it flew out the window and got run over or trampled on.
• Smear dirt and water on your assignment and claim it fell in a puddle. Make sure to write a few words (bonus points if it relates to the homework assignment) so that it looks believable.
• Spill something dark (like juice or ink) on the assignment so that it is illegible.

• For instance, if you have to save work to a USB drive, you can claim to have a problem with the file.
• If you are asked to email or otherwise electronically send a homework file, you can “accidentally” send a different assignment, or the “wrong” draft (which could have just your name and the first part of the assignment, for instance). You might even be able to purchase corrupted files.
• Be aware that your teachers can be tech-savvy and know all of these tricks, so you might have to get creative. [2] X Research source

Buying Time and Stretching the Truth

• If the missed homework is for a class late in the day, you might be able to do the work before school, during another class, or during lunch or a break.
• You can hand in the wrong assignment—such as one from another class—or an old one from the same class. By the time your teacher notices the mistake, you will be able to complete the real homework, or just turn it in the next day and say you are sorry about the mix-up.
• Copy answers from a friend so you have something to turn in. Make sure your friend is ok with helping. This also only works for assignments where it is expected that students will have the same or similar answers. In some schools, even copying something like homework can merit a suspension. Remember to evaluate the situation and make a good decision as to whether or not you will copy homework off of a peer.

• A dangerous move, you can forge a note from a parent explaining why you couldn't do your homework.
• If you decide to forge one, be warned that your teacher might know it’s a fake. If you are caught, you face punishment from both your parents and teacher.

Telling the Truth

• You might say something like "I am really sorry, but I got behind on things and wasn't able to finish my homework. Could I be excused just this once? I'll turn it in tomorrow and I won't be late again."
• Keep things simple and direct, rather than annoying your teacher with long, rambling excuses.

• This means saying something like: "I know there's no excuse, and I accept full responsibility. I should have done my work. I'm sorry that I'm not prepared, and it won't happen again."
• Doing so will display maturity and your teacher might respect your honesty.

• Perhaps you are overworked and stressed (this is especially persuasive at exam time).
• If circumstances beyond your control, like an illness or death in the family, have prevented you from doing your work, say so.
• You can also explain that you didn’t understand the assignment, or struggled with it, or felt rushed, and needed to give it more time.

• Your teacher is more likely to accept the excuse if you don’t spring it on him or her at the last minute.
• You might also be able to ask for an extension so that you can turn the homework in later.
• Know your teacher’s personality, and how flexible and forgiving he or she is. When you talk to your teacher, look sad, serious, agitated, etc. depending on your excuse.

Community Q&A

• The best approach is to try to do your work on time rather than be tempted by an excuse. Don’t attempt to make excuses too often. This way, when you actually need to use one, your teacher is more likely to accept it. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Turn in your work, even if you have to make an excuse and submit it late. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you are able to do any of your homework, even a small amount or poor quality work, consider turning it in anyway. Having something prepared can be better than having nothing, and sometimes teachers will give you partial credit for partial work. You can also explain to your teacher that you would like to do a better job and turn it in later, if you want. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Be prepared to face the consequences if you get caught for using a deceptive excuse. Talk to your teacher in a mature way, explaining that you have a problem with procrastination, or feel overworked, or struggled with the assignment, etc. Thanks Helpful 54 Not Helpful 8
• Try not to lie, a bad conscious can easily come from repetitive lying. Thanks Helpful 44 Not Helpful 11
• If you get caught lying, it may lead to severe consequences with your teacher and parent/guardian. Thanks Helpful 25 Not Helpful 8

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• ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/08/30/british-lecturer-compiles-best-student-excuses
• ↑ https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/the-computer-ate-my-homework-how-to-detect-fake-techno-excuses-2

About This Article

To excuse yourself from unfinished homework, try to make your excuse as believable as possible, like saying you were sick last night. If your homework was on a computer, claim your laptop crashed or your files were corrupted. Another thing you can try is handing in an old assignment. Then, do your actual homework before your teacher realizes. When they ask you about it, say that you accidentally handed in the wrong homework, and then give them the homework that was actually due. Even if you think you have a good excuse, your teacher’s probably heard it a dozen times before, so consider being honest with them and apologizing for falling behind. For example, say, “I’m sorry, but I wasn’t able to finish my homework this week. I had a lot of things to deal with. Is it okay if I turn it in tomorrow?” If you decide to be honest, try to tell your teacher at the beginning of class or even earlier in the day, which will make your excuse more realistic. For more tips, including how to pretend you lost your homework, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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