Carys Scales
With school back in full swing, you’ve probably been set a lot of homework. It’s completely normal to worry about how to stay on top of it all. But not to fear– it is possible! Here are my tried and tested tips for riding the wave of homework.
- Set regular time aside.
- Do your homework early.
- Make use of study periods and join after-school clubs.
- Make checklists.
- Reward yourself.
1. Set regular time aside.
A great way to stay on top of homework is to set some time aside for it regularly. Of course you might change things a bit when you get more work than usual. My three biggest homework days used to be Wednesdays, Fridays and Mondays. On those days, I would block off a full hour of “Homework Time” into my diary. Try to keep it scheduled at the same time if you can. That way, it’ll become a habit. And to remind yourself, you can set notifications on your phone so that you know when it’s time to start.
2. Do your homework early.
It’s the age-old tip we’ve all heard before (the early bird getting the worm), but honestly– it works! Homework can pile up quickly and getting it done as soon as you can makes it a lot more manageable–and limits the chances of all-nighters! It also means you can fully unwind before bed and just relax so that you can get a good night’s sleep.
3. Make use of study periods and join after-school clubs.
If you’re anything like me, it can be hard to work at home- there are so many distractions! Whether your siblings are being loud or your gaming console is calling to you, it can be easy to put work to one side. Then before you know it, the day is done. Getting your work done in school can help your brain stay in work mode (since you’re already focused in classes). See if you can find a quiet space to study. If you’re doing A-levels, you might have study periods, or if you don’t get those, you could take advantage of an after-school club.
4. Make checklists.
If you’ve read any of my other blogs, you’ll know that I love a good checklist! It’s a great way to see everything that you need to do. And checking off each item is very satisfying too. I recommend making two checklists for each subject:
- Checklist 1– this should be all of the homework you have due. Some assignments may have deadlines in a few days, while others will be due in a few weeks. Write down the dates next to each task. If you want to go the extra mile, set yourself a target date to complete that work!
- Checklist 2– This is for your homework time. Write down a list of everything you want to get done for a specific subject on that day. For example, let’s say you have a History essay due in three weeks. It would be too much for you to get the whole project done in one sitting, so on your second checklist, you could write down ‘Research primary sources.’
Breaking your work down into smaller, bite-sized chunks means there’s less of a chance that you’ll feel overwhelmed.
5. Reward yourself.
If you’re a psychology student, you’ll have studied Pavlov and know all about how he trained his dog to salivate when it heard the sound of a bell. Now, I’m not saying that you need to perform this experiment on yourself, but setting a reward system can train your brain to get stuff done. It helps keep your workload under control and it can support your mental health so that you don’t burnout.
Use a simple reward like a chocolate bar, exercise, an extra episode of your favourite TV show– anything you like, to motivate yourself to finish your homework.
It can feel overwhelming to suddenly get a rush of homework after so many weeks off– but don’t worry! Just make sure you get it done as soon as you can, while also taking care of your mental and physical health. Try out these tips, and see how you get on.
Carys Scales is an English tutor and studies English Literature and Creative Writing at Cardiff University.