How to Do Homework

Co-authored by Ronitte Libedinsky, MS

Last Updated: February 21, 2023 References

Even though your parents probably complain about how hard it was in their day, students nowadays have more homework than ever before, even when just starting their first year at middle school. That homework doesn't need to be a struggle now. Learning to plan out an efficient schedule for completing your homework, working on it effectively, and knowing when to get help with difficult assignments can help take the stress out of studying. Don't put it off any longer. See Step 1 for more information.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Working on Homework

1
Make sure you have everything you need before you start. It's distracting and difficult to go searching for a ruler or a protractor after you're in the middle of your geometry homework, and it can be difficult to get back into it after going on a hunt that takes a half hour. If you've planned effectively, you should know exactly what you'll need to complete the assignment and can set up everything in your study space you'll need.

Once you go into your space and start working, try not to leave until you've got a break scheduled. If you want a quick snack or drink, get it now before you start. Hit the bathroom and make sure you'll be able to work for the amount of time before your next break, uninterrupted.
2
Eliminate as many distractions as possible. Put your phone away, get away from your computer, and make your environment as quiet as possible. Giving homework your undivided attention will actually make it easier, because your mind won't be balancing different tasks at the same time. If you find this hard, try giving your devices to your parents/guardians or try putting it in another room.^{[1]
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- It's common that students will try to multi-task, watching TV or listening to the radio or continuing to chat on Facebook or Instagram while also trying to do homework. It'll be so much more fun to do those things after you're already done with your homework, though, and your homework will take half as much time if you're focused on doing nothing but your homework.
- Check your phone or your social networking sites during your study break, but not before. Use these distractions as a carrot, not as a pacifier.
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3
Concentrate on one task at a time. Finish each assignment completely and check it off your list before moving on to the next item. It's usually better to finish one thing completely, so you can put it out of your mind and move on to other things. Focusing on individual tasks helps to keep you focused. Put all the other assignments out of your mind and focus on the task at hand. Maybe you could even ask a close friend or family to help you.^{[2]
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If one assignment proves challenging and time-consuming, it's okay to switch for a while to something else. Just make sure to save enough time to circle back and give it another shot.
4
Take a break every hour. Set a specific amount of time you will spend every hour doing something besides homework, and stick to it. Be sure you set how long after the start of the hour, and how long you will take. Don't let your break be too long though! You could start doing something and not want to go back to work!^{[3]
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- Try to figure out what works best for you. Some students might like to start their homework immediately after school to get it done as quickly as possible, while it may be better to give yourself an hour to relax before starting in on it and decompress from the long school day. Don't wait for the last minute.
- While it may seem like a better idea to work straight through and finish, it's possible that the quality of the work you're doing will start to suffer if you don't give your mind a rest. It's difficult to think hard for more than 45 minutes at a time on a particular subject. Give yourself a rest and come back refreshed.
5
Dive back in after study breaks. Don't let breaks balloon out into longer and longer breaks, or "being done." It can be difficult to want to go back to working after you've let yourself take a break, but try to find the end in sight and work hard until you get there.^{[4]
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- The first fifteen minutes after a break are your most effective minutes, because your mind will be cleared, and ready to work hard. Give yourself a pep talk and dive back in, refreshed and ready.
6
Create incentives to finish. Put a carrot at the end of your homework, like a new episode of your favorite show, or a chunk of video game time. Make it something that you didn't get to do during your study breaks, so it'll be more attractive to keep working and finish completely.^{[5]
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Ronitte Libedinsky, MS
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Expert Interview. 26 May 2020.}
- If you have trouble staying focused, get a parent, sibling, or friend to help keep you honest. Give them your phone while you're working to avoid the temptation to check it, or give them the video game controller so you won't be able to plug in for a few minutes of alien-hunting when you're supposed to be doing your homework. Then, when you're finished, show them the finished product and earn back your fun. Make it impossible to cheat.
7
Let the homework take as long as it needs. As tempting as it may be to bull-rush through your math homework to get to the Halo at the end of the tunnel, slow down and do it effectively. There's no sense in doing it if you're just doing it wrong to get it done. try to let the homework take as long as it needs to take to make sure you do it correctly.
- You can make yourself take enough time by having your gate-keeper (the person with your phone or video game controller) check over your homework for quality when you're done. If you know you're not going to get it anyway unless it's done right, you won't have any reason to rush. Slow down and do it right.
8
Review your work after you finish. When the last problem is done, or when the last sentence is written, don't just slam your book shut and jam your homework into your backpack. Take a short break and return to your homework with fresh eyes to read it over and look for obvious mistakes. Fixing spelling errors, typos, or obvious addition-errors is a great way to give yourself the extra points you deserve. If you go to all the trouble to do it, you might as well take a few extra minutes to make sure you do it right.^{[6]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Planning Your Homework

1
Write out your daily homework in a list. You should have a section of your notes dedicated specifically to homework, to make it easy-to-find and convenient. Some students find it effective to use a day planner or a calendar to stay organized, while others prefer simple notebook paper or composition books.^{[7]
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Ronitte Libedinsky, MS
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 26 May 2020.} Use whatever fits in with your own organization style, and list out each night of homework in the same place.^{[8]
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- It's common to quickly write out the math problems you're supposed to do at the top of your notes, or scribble down the page number of the English reading on a textbook page, but try to recopy this information into a specific homework list so you will be sure to remember to do it.
- Write down as many details as you can about each assignment. It's good to include the due date, corresponding textbook pages, and additional instructions from your teacher. This will help you plan your night of homework more effectively. Also, it's a good idea to write about your homework in a planner.
2
Make sure you understand each assignment. It's important to spend a bit of time before you dive into your homework to make sure you understand the skills expected of you in the homework assignment. When you get a list of problems to complete in math, flip through and read all the problems, looking for potentially difficult ones. Do the easy questions first and move to the harder ones later. Look through a reading assignment to get some sense of how long it will take, how difficult the reading will be, and whether or not you'll need to complete any questions as a result of it.^{[9]
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- Homework doesn't have to wait until you get home. Look through an assignment as soon as it's been given, so you'll have the time to ask your teacher any questions you might have before you leave school for the day.
3
Create a comfortable homework spot. The best way to do homework is in a quiet space without distractions, where you'll be able to spend however much time you need to do your homework comfortably. Whether at home or elsewhere, a quiet spot is necessary for a good homework session. You might want a snack and drink just in case.^{[10]
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- At home, a desk in your bedroom might be the best place. You can shut the door and tune out any distractions. For some students, though, this is a good way to get distracted. You might have video games, computers, guitars, and all sorts of other distractions in your bedroom. It might be a better idea to sit at the kitchen table, or in the living room, where your parents can call you out for procrastinating. You'll get it done more quickly without the temptation of distraction.
- In public, the library is a great place to study and do homework. At all libraries, it's a rule that you have to be quiet, and you won't have any of the distractions of home. The school library will often stay open after school ends, making it a good option for finishing up homework before heading home, or your school may even have an after-school study spot specifically for the purpose.^{[11]
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- Try to switch it up. Studying in the same place too often can make work more difficult. Some studies have shown that a change in environment can make your mind more active, since it's processing new information. You'll be able to vary your routine and remember what you learned more effectively.
4
Choose the most important assignments to work on. At the end of the school day, when you're getting ready to start on your homework, try to figure out what the most important assignments are and put them in the appropriate order to give yourself enough time to complete everything you need to do. This is especially important if you've got multiple assignments, or some assignments that aren't due the next day but will take multiple days to complete. You've got to divide your time appropriately, making prioritizing an important step.
- Try starting with the most difficult homework. Do you really hate the idea of getting into the algebra homework? Does reading for English take the longest? Start with the most challenging homework to give yourself the most time to complete it, then move on to the easier tasks you can complete more quickly.
- Try starting with the most pressing homework. If you've got 20 math problems to do for tomorrow, and 20 pages to read in a novel for Friday, it's probably better to start with the math homework to make sure you'll have enough time to complete it. Make homework due the next day the priority.
- Try starting with the most important homework. Your math homework might be difficult, but if it's only worth a few completion points, it might be less important to spend a lot of time on it than the big project for Social Studies that's due in two days. Devote the most time to the most valuable assignments.
5
Make a timetable. There are only so many hours in the day. Set aside a specific amount of time to devote to each assignment in your homework, based on how long you think each assignment should take and how much time you have to work on it in the evening. Give yourself enough time to complete each assignment and do other nightly chores.^{[12]
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- Set an alarm or a timer to keep yourself honest. The less time you spend procrastinating and checking your text messages, the more quickly you'll be done. If you think you can finish everything in a half hour, set a timer and work efficiently to finish in that amount of time. If you don't quite finish, give yourself a few extra minutes. Treat it like a drill.
- Keep track of how long you usually spend on particular assignments on average. If your math homework typically takes you 45 minutes to finish, save that much time each night. If you start plugging away for an hour, give yourself a break and work on something else to avoid tiring out.
- Schedule 10 minutes of break time for every 50 minutes of work time. It's important to take study breaks and give your mind a rest, or you'll work less effectively. You're not a robot!

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Finding Extra Time

1
Start working on it now. It's a lot easier to come up with reasons to do other things, and avoid doing your homework. But if you struggle to finish and find the time to complete your homework on a regular basis, this kind of procrastination is probably to blame. The easiest way to steal extra time for your homework? Just do it. Now.^{[13]
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- Do you really need an hour of TV or computer after school to decompress? It might be easier to just dive into your homework and get it done while the skills are still fresh in your mind. Waiting a couple hours means you'll have to review your notes and try to get back to the same place you already were. Do it while it's fresh.
- If you've got three days to read an assignment, don't wait until the last evening to do it all. Space it out and give yourself more time to finish. Just because you've got a due date that's a long time away doesn't mean it wouldn't be easier to finish now. Stay ahead of the game. Try either waking up earlier or going to bed later. But don't get too tired!
2
Steal some homework time on the bus. You'd be surprised how much time you've probably got hidden throughout the day that you might be able to use more effectively. A long bus ride is a great opportunity to do some of your less-intense homework, or at least get started on looking through it to plan how you'll do it when you get home.
- If you've got to read a bunch of stuff for homework, read on the bus. Pop in some headphones to white noise that'll drown out the shouting of other students and tune into your book.
- The bus can be distracting, or it can be a great resource. Since it's full of your classmates, try to get other students to work with you and get things done more quickly. Work together on the math problems and try to figure out things together. It's not cheating if everyone's doing the work and no one's just copying. Also, you might make some new friends while you're at it!
3
Work on your homework in between class periods. Sometimes passing periods are quite long, as much as 10 minutes. If you get to your next class quickly without dallying in the hallway to talk to your friends, you can steal as much as an hour throughout the school day to work on your homework in between classes. Imagine knocking out an entire math assignment the day it was assigned and not even having to bring your book home.
- Don't rely on this time to finish homework just before it's due. Rushing to finish your last few problems in the five minutes before you need to turn it in looks bad in front of the teacher, plus it doesn't give you any time to review your homework after you finish it. Rushing is a good way to make mistakes. And always check difficult problems you had trouble with.
4
Work on homework during long waits. If you've got an hour to kill before sports practice, you could spend it messing around or you could spend it finishing your homework. Don't make excuses that there aren't enough hours in the day if you spend some of those hours wasting time waiting for something. Use your time wisely and you'll be racing through homework in no time at all!^{[14]
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- Work on your homework while you're waiting for a ride, while you're killing time at your brother's soccer game, or while you're waiting for your friend to come over. Take advantage of any extra time you have in the day.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Getting Homework Help

1
Talk to your teacher about difficult assignments. The first, best, and most important resource for homework help should be the teacher who assigned it. If you struggle with an assignment the night before it's due and it ends up taking a long time, don't keep beating your head against the wall. It's okay to stop when you can't figure something out after a serious effort and ask your teacher for help. However, many teachers find this annoying and ask students to at least try.^{[15]
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- Asking for help with your homework isn't a sign that you're bad at the subject or that you're "stupid." Every teacher on the planet will respect a student that takes their homework seriously enough to ask for help. Especially ask if you weren't there that day!
- Asking for help isn't the same thing as complaining about the difficulty of homework or making excuses. Spending ten minutes doing half your math problems and leaving most of them blank because they were hard and then telling your teacher you need help isn't going to win you any favors on the due date. If it's hard, see your teacher ahead of time and find the time to get help.
2
Visit the tutoring center or help desk at school. Many schools have after-school tutoring services or help desks for students who need a little extra help with their homework. It can be very helpful to have someone to look over your work, sit with you while you complete it, and keep you working diligently.
- If there's not an organized homework help group at your school, there are many private tutoring organizations that work both for-pay and non-profits. Sylvan Learning Center and other businesses have after-school hours that you can schedule appointments at to get help studying and completing your homework, while community centers like the YMCA, or even public libraries will often have homework help hours in your area.
- Getting help doesn't mean that you're bad at your homework. All variety of students visit tutoring centers for extra help, just to make sure they have enough time and motivation to get everything done. It's hard being a student! There's no shame in extra help. Imagine being afraid to ask for anything! You wouldn't be able to ask in restaurants, shops, anywhere!
3
Work with other students. Find other students in your class that you look up to and work on your homework together. Help each other out by working on your homework at the same time to keep each other honest, and pool your resources.^{[16]
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- Make sure that your group study sessions don't cross the line into cheating. Dividing up an assigned so your friend does half and you copy each other's answers is considered cheating, but discussing a problem and coming up with a solution together isn't. As long as you each do the work separately, you shouldn't have any problems.
4
Talk to your parents. Use your parents, older siblings, or other relatives as a resource if you struggle with your homework. They've all been there and been through what you've been through, even if it was a long time ago. Having something to listen to your "This math is so hard!" complaints can be a helpful release, even if they can't quite clue you into the proper approach.
- Some parents don't necessarily know how to help with your homework and might end up doing too much. Try to keep yourself honest. Asking for help doesn't mean asking your parent to do your work for you.
- Likewise, some older relatives have outdated ways of completing specific tasks and might suggest forcefully that something you learned in class is wrong. Always use your teacher's approach as the correct approach, and discuss these alternative ways of completing an assignment with your teacher if necessary.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I make doing homework for enjoyable?

Ronitte Libedinsky, MS
Academic Tutor
Ronitte Libedinsky is an Academic Tutor and the Founder of Brighter Minds SF, a San Francisco, California based company that provides one-on-one and small group tutoring. Specializing in tutoring mathematics (pre-algebra, algebra I/II, geometry, pre-calculus, calculus) and science (chemistry, biology), Ronitte has over 10 years of experience tutoring to middle school, high school, and college students. She also tutors in SSAT, Terra Nova, HSPT, SAT, and ACT test prep. Ronitte holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MS in Chemistry from Tel Aviv University.

Ronitte Libedinsky, MS

Academic Tutor

Expert Answer

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Homework usually isn't very fun on its own, but you can give yourself rewards to make it more enjoyable. So, for example, telling yourself that once you're finished you can binge your favorite show or go get ice cream. That will help propel you forward.
Question

How can I keep track of my homework?

Ronitte Libedinsky, MS
Academic Tutor
Ronitte Libedinsky is an Academic Tutor and the Founder of Brighter Minds SF, a San Francisco, California based company that provides one-on-one and small group tutoring. Specializing in tutoring mathematics (pre-algebra, algebra I/II, geometry, pre-calculus, calculus) and science (chemistry, biology), Ronitte has over 10 years of experience tutoring to middle school, high school, and college students. She also tutors in SSAT, Terra Nova, HSPT, SAT, and ACT test prep. Ronitte holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MS in Chemistry from Tel Aviv University.

Ronitte Libedinsky, MS

Academic Tutor

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

My best advice for that is to keep a calendar, whether it's a paper calendar, a Google Calendar, or a calendar app on your phone. As soon as you get assignments from class, you can add everything to the calendar so you don't forget.
Question

What can I do when I get stuck?

Community Answer

Take 3 to 4 minutes rest; get up and walk around or drink some water and then wash your face. Then sit down again and start off by the question asked just as you got stumped and write down some of the key points you know about the topic. Then, with a clear mind, you try doing it again. You can ask friends too.

Warnings

Never leave unfinished homework for the next day because you might have other homework to do and you will have to do both.

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If you forget your homework, your teacher might not accept late work or may even give you more homework.

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