Whether you are at school, college, or university, homework is a necessary part of your studies. Allowing you to show your knowledge or to improve on what you are learning in class, homework plays an important role in your educational journey – although that doesn’t mean it is always fun or pleasant. Indeed, anything that you can do to make getting your homework done easier or more enjoyable has to be a good thing. Whether you are the sort of person who likes to get their homework done as soon as possible, or the sort to put things off until the pressure really mounts, these three quick homework hacks could help.
In order to get down to work you will need to be motivated and so a little determination can help you get ahead, but you might also like to think about the atmosphere you work best under. Whether you work better in silence or with some background noise, you should try to get the atmosphere right, This may mean putting on some music while you work, or even heading out to the library or a coffee shop.
Although your teachers may tell you that it is best to have quiet to work, business professor Ravi Mehta studied how our brains process information and found that a little background noise may actually help you study. Ravi Mehta concluded that 70 decibels of background noise (the equivalent to a quiet hubbub) was perfect for creative thinking and problem solving. The level of noise will depend on your preferences and what you are doing. An art project may be able to sustain more noise while you work than reading a complex theory, for example.
Another good tip is to set an alarm to go off after about 40 minutes. Knowing that the clock is ticking down will help to keep you on task – how much of your work can you get done before the buzzer? Once the alarm goes off you can take a moment to have a stretch, walk about a bit, or grab a drink. This break will also allow your brain to recover after concentrating on your studies, meaning you won’t get fatigued by over-working yourself in one sitting.
While working in short bursts can keep your productivity high, you should make sure to take breaks and don’t be tempted to burn the midnight oil. Getting enough sleep is also important to your studies and well-being.
Finally, when you have finished your assignment, or even just the work you had set out to do, make sure you reward yourself for your efforts. Setting yourself a reward before you get down to work can also help you to stay motivated to get on and complete your workload. If you can try to love learning it will help, but failing that make sure you love the reward you are going to give yourself for getting the job done!
People work better when they are offered a reward than when they face possible punishment, so look for some positive reinforcement – whether that is a night out with friends, or even just a cup of tea and a biscuit for a job well done!
