Is homework a learning tool or a punishment? This question has puzzled students for decades. Although meant as a learning exercise, homework and assignments have been known to cause substantial stress among students – irrespective of their learning stage. Whether you are a kindergartner or a college student, the idea of homework is enough to bring an everlasting frown to your face. However, if undertaken efficiently and systematically, completing homework can be a rather rewarding experience and enhance the overall efficacy of your learning experience. Thus, if the idea of homework makes you feel like quitting your studies, here are 10 tips to help ease the stress of homework and regain interest in your education.
-
Your time is Gold.
One of the key reasons behind your homework stress is that you do not have enough time to finish it. Thus, effective time management is significant for ensuring a stress-free homework experience. It is a multifaceted practice that often includes three inherent steps –
-
Setting out your homework time:
- Every learner has a different time of the day when he or she feels adequately energised and focused. The first step to efficient time management is identifying the time when you work best. To avoid being stressed out by your assignment, find the most suitable time and sit down to work.
-
Maintain a daily planner:
- Maintaining planners is a well-tested way of avoiding getting surprised by the amount of work you are yet to complete. Once you receive a assignment, enter it into your daily planner and demarcate a suitable schedule for its completion. It will allow you to keep track of your progress and ensure seamless completion of your assignments well before the deadline and reduce homework stress.
-
Why not get some help?
Another key reason behind homework stress is the lack of knowledge and understanding about a particular topic. When you sit down with your homework assignment, you might find yourself perplexed by the questions, unable to understand how to begin the task. In such cases, walk up to your teacher and ask them for their help. Do not shy away from seeking out homework assistance as that will only aggravate your homework stress and deter your learning. If your teachers are unable to help you adequately, there are other sources of homework help. You can always ask your parents or friends for help or undertake individual research. There are numerous online platforms where you can find heaps of educational material from various subjects. Learning blogs, YouTube videos and many other such online sources can help reduce your homework stress. Spend some time on these platforms and you might end up finding just what you are looking for.
-
What better way of meeting up with your friends?
Group studies are a good way to discuss, learn and retain the various concepts learned in class, making them invaluable sources of homework help. However, a few key things must be kept in mind when planning a group study session. First, keep the group size limited. Too many people can give way to too many ideas which might cause you to feel more confused than before the discussion began. Secondly, make sure you have a suitable space for group discussion. A group study session may be adequately beneficial only if it is conducted in a peaceful environment, free from external distractions. Finally, include only those who are looking to study. if your group study session has people who are simply looking to spend some time with your friend, it might not be beneficial for you. Before inviting any of your friends for working together on the homework assignment, make the purpose of the gathering clear.
-
The early bird catches the worm
Have you ever found yourself procrastinating about your homework to such an extent that you begin working on it the night before the submission? Is that not a stressful experience? One of the most efficient approaches to eliminating homework stress is to start early. Teachers often assign homework assignments after delimiting an adequate amount of time for their completion. Sit down with your homework assignment as soon as you receive it. You do not have to start working on it right away. Simply sit down and sketch out an action plan. It will allow you to have adequate control over the progress of your task and eliminate homework stress.
-
Organising is good
Staying organised is key to efficient completion of your homework assignment. Set aside a particular space for doing your homework. Make sure it is well-lit and away from distractions. Keep your desktop clutter-free and properly organised so that you do not have to search for anything you might need. Keeping all your books, notes and supplies handy will help you complete your homework assignment without much stress or hassle. It allows you to effectively manage your tasks and prevents wastage of valuable time spent on searching through a disorganised pile of supplies.
-
Do you need a break?
Taking breaks is necessary to keep you going. If you remain fixated on your assignment for too long you are likely to get exhausted very easily and which will further reduce your productivity and you might end up feeling stressed. Thus, take short breaks whenever necessary. However, it is important to understand that taking a break does not mean you get carried away by distractions. Make sure you give yourself enough time to relax after which you can start working again. Doing some light exercise, going for a quick stroll or playing with your pet are some suitable ways to relax your body and mind and shed away the homework stress.
-
Family and friends need time too
Spending time with one’s friends and family is an effective means of relaxation which can help you ease out stress. Plan your homework assignment in such a manner that you have adequate time to have some fun with your friends or sit down and talk to your family. Sitting down with your homework for too long and avoiding the company of your friends and family is likely to make you feel resentful and distracted. Spending some quality time with your friends and family will help you unwind and will not let you feel monotonous about your work. So, if you ever feel like you are spending too much time on your homework or that you don’t feel motivated enough to continue working on it, get in touch with your friends and family and let yourself relax.
-
You can do it
A key aspect of the successful completion of any challenging task is that you remain motivated enough. If you find that you are unable to focus on your work or are finding it to be too stressful, you might develop a tendency to procrastinate or might simply quit. Thus, you must keep yourself duly motivated. Tell yourself that you can do it. If you struggle with any particular aspect of your assignment, seek help. When that does not help you either, talk to your teacher about an extension so that you can devote some additional time to your assignment. Asking your classmates for advice or talking to your family may also help you remain motivated about completing the task.
-
Sleep, sleep and sleep
Students often tend to sacrifice their sleep hours when they have a pressing task to attend to. However, it is an unsustainable way of working. Lack of sleep can leave you exhausted and irritated. You might struggle to focus on your work or get easily distracted. Moreover, lack of sleep can interfere with your thinking process and erode focus. Most physicians say that adults require an average sleep duration of approximately 7-9 hours. However, if you find that setting aside 7-9 hours for sleeping at night is not feasible, you can complete some of your morning chores at night or take a small nap any other time of the day. You must focus on giving your mind and body an adequate opportunity to rest to efficiently complete your homework.
-
Keep that phone aside
One of the most essential ways of ensuring the optimal usage of time is to minimise distractions. By ensuring complete focus on your work, you will be able to complete your task faster. Moreover, setting aside your phone while doing your homework will place your mind and body in a proper mindset where your sole focus ought to be the efficient and rapid completion of your work. By being able to do so you will no longer have to be stressed out about how and when you will finish your homework assignment.
Thus, to conclude our discussion, homework is an effective way of retaining concepts and lessons learned in class which can sometimes become daunting and cause immense stress. If that is the case with you, follow our top 10 tips and eliminate homework stress.
