Have you been procrastinating on homework recently? You are not alone. Homework is perhaps the least favoured undertaking for students across the academic spectrum. Often, students tend to push homework to the last date and submit a rushed half-hearted paper that barely earns them good scores.
Here, we’ll discuss tips on how to make yourself do homework and overcome procrastination.
Why can’t I do my homework?
Before discussing the fix to homework procrastination, it’s great that we establish the reasons why students procrastinate on handling their assignments. Some of the common reasons why students procrastinate include:
- A negative attitude towards a tutor or a subject. If you have an aversion towards a subject, you tend to prioritize other commitments at the expense of your disfavoured subject.
- Mental exhaustion owing to handling too many assignments over long durations.
- The lack of pressure due to a long duration before the due date
- A fear that you cannot do your homework perfectly
- The boring nature of an assignment
- Lack of motivation
- Fear of failure
Often, students fail to do their assignments as a result of one or a combination of the above reasons. When you are looking to overcome procrastination, you should first start by identifying your reason, therefore finding the optimum fix.
How to get the motivation to do homework
Why would a learner that feels worn out to do homework find it easy to read a novel or binge-watch a series without dozing off? Often, the tiredness you experience when you try to do homework is a result of a lack of motivation for homework.
The lethargic reaction towards homework often results in a downward spiral of putting your homework off for later until you are exposed to the pressure of a fast-approaching deadline. Some of the tips to motivate yourself to do homework include:
- Employ a reward system
Huge assignments often feel like an unproductive rut considering the hard work you put in without noticeable results. One way to fix this is by planning a reward after the attainment of various goals within your schedule.
The reward serves as a positive stimulus, giving you the drive to put your effort into the assignment. Ideally, employ incremental rewards to maintain the joy to unlock the next reward tier, therefore, pushing yourself to complete larger assignments.
- Form a study group
At first, you may struggle with holding yourself accountable for how you spend your time. Group study ensures that you adhere to your schedule, keeping you on par with various assignments.
Groups also bring together individuals with different capabilities, reducing the likelihood of getting stuck with various aspects of your assignments.
- Set daily goals
The lack of focus is often a cause for procrastination among students. when tasks are not defined, you may focus on your strengths and neglect challenging subjects.
Ideally, have a schedule and describe the tasks for each day. This will allow you to prioritize urgent assignments and pay equal attention to all assignments.
- Keep the benefits and consequences in mind
Our guess is that you do not enjoy getting failed and berated for poor-quality assignments and late submissions. When going about your assignments, list the consequences and benefits associated with completing your assignment.
This list will serve as a driving force to do your assignments to avoid the negative consequences of pushing your assignment for later.
How to stop procrastinating on homework
- Remove any distractions that may compete for attention with your assignment. These distractions can easily compromise your focus, leading you towards more entertaining activities.
- Take regular breaks to recharge your focus and overcome mental exhaustion associated with too many assignments. These breaks can be spent on a fun activity, helping you let off the stress associated with the study.
- Try it for five minutes. This ingenious approach is a common solution to overcoming procrastination. Five minutes seem like a second in comparison to a two-hour study session. If you feel drained just by thinking about the assignment, consider handling it for five minutes.
- Put your assignment on the desk. It is easy to ignore your assignment when it’s out of your sight. As such, put your assignments on the desk to remind yourself of the commitments you are neglecting. This will help you to remember the repercussions of putting your assignment off for a later date and gradually, get you to focus on your assignment.
- Chunk your assignment into smaller portions and set reasonable goals. If you are still bored after the five-minute session, you can throw in the towel and divert your focus to other commitments. Often, this push will get your gears running, helping you overcome the drained state you were previously experiencing.
