How to Conquer These 5 Homework Distractions in 2019
“My dog ate my homework.”
“I can’t do my homework because I got a new shredder and it was the only paper I had to test it with.”
Teachers have heard every excuse, and for good reason; it’s hard to focus on your homework when there’s so much of it to do. Students are devoting hours each evening to their take-home assignments, some say to the tune of 17.5 hours per week.
Many sources have questioned the value of this much homework for high-school students. Some draw the line at the “10-minute rule,” which says daily homework time should be capped at 10 minutes per grade level.
In a survey of 1,000 Brainly users comprised of students in middle and high school, 70% said they have trouble focusing on their homework.
We asked respondents to pick any of the following 5 options that distract them from their homework at least once a week. Here are the results:
- Social media (47% selected)
- Video/mobile games (39%)
- A noisy home environment (39%)
- Extracurricular activities (25%)
- Job or work (22%)
All but 15% of respondents chose at least one of these options.
To overcome these obstacles, we introduce to you the SPARK method: Space, Prioritize, Attack, Relax, and Keep at it.
Let’s break down these 5 strategies to start optimizing your homework time.
Space yourself.
Nearly half of the respondents cited environment-related options as a diversion from homework. This included 46% of middle-school students choosing video games, 51% of high-schoolers selecting social media, and 39% overall picking a noisy home environment.
It’s essential to make your after-school workspace as clean, quiet, and distraction-free as you can.
Clean means organized and clear of disturbing clutter. Check your writing surface and surrounding area. How much more likely would you be to grab a device sitting at arm’s reach than if it’s put away?
Another crucial aspect of this process is noise. Separate yourself from attention-grabbing sounds, like TVs and chatty family members, to keep your mind following the pages your eyes are seeing. Put your phone on silent; you can still be distracted by a phone on vibrate. Place it face down, far from your desk, so you’re not encouraged to check it habitually.
And lastly, noise-free includes a lack of nearby stimuli, like your phone or laptop. Even a 3-second disturbance, like looking at an Instagram notification or checking your feed, can completely throw off your train of thought. String a few of these diversions together and you’re losing minutes that could be spent in deep focus.
Can’t find this space at home? Find a place nearby that’s conducive to studying, like a classroom, library, or quiet café. Better yet, schedule some mutual work time with a friend who you feel will also be able to focus.
Try and keep this space as consistent as possible. Stick with a repetitive location for your homework whenever possible to allow your brain to put on its thinking cap more quickly. And don’t do homework in bed!
Prioritize your schedule.
Colleges take notice of the activities you take on after school, especially when they help you display passion or leadership. It’s important to leave time for homework too so that your grades don’t suffer.
Extracurricular activities proved to be detrimental to homework productivity for 24.5% of respondents. Jobs and work affected 12% of middle-school students, as opposed to 25% of high-school students.
Of the users we surveyed, those in middle school say they have more time to finish their homework. 40% said “always/yes,” as opposed to 28% of high-school students. Only 6% said “rarely/no,” as compared to 13% of high-schoolers.
Balance is critical to keeping a sane, realistic after-school schedule. If you’re overloaded with extracurricular activities, you’ll struggle to find time for everything else. Spend too much time on homework and you’ll start to lose quality in your answers.
If you have activities after work, make sure you’re also scheduling in homework time.
If you’re finding it hard to fit all your homework into your schedule, it might be time to reconsider your activities. The key to prioritizing success is to plan.
Attack homework problems.
A problem set or multi-page assignment can look insurmountable, especially if you’re not feeling totally comfortable with the material from class. It’s easy to get lost in preparation.
Don’t waste time trying to understand everything; get hands-on and hit problems one issue at a time.
Something started is one step closer to being finished! Break the questions down into what you already know, and use those parts to work your way towards the answer. Taking a step towards the solution will leave you more invested in getting there.
If you hit a snag while trying to answer the problem or question, that’s a great time to go back into the concepts to try and find the specific resource. Use a glossary, textbook, or notes from class to help remind you of what was taught.
Relax and take breaks.
Here’s the good news: As long as they’re scheduled and not abused, taking breaks can actually help you finish your homework!
A quick pause can help to rejuvenate some of that motivation that got you started.
If you’re feeling stressed, take this opportunity to relax. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. If it helps, put on some relaxing music. You can keep it on during your studies if it’s not taking away your focus. Here’s a great stream for studying:
Another way to take a proactive break is to do something active. Stand up and stretch to get more oxygen flowing to your brain. If this is a more extended break, do some quick physical exercises or walk around outside for a few minutes. You’ll get through your work a lot faster if your mind is feeling alert!
Even a regulated screen break can help you refocus. Check your feed, respond to your messages, or play a quick game; this can enable your brain to decompress and ready itself for the challenge ahead.
Be careful to limit these breaks so as not to waste time. To start, keep it at 10 to 15 minutes and try to accomplish at least an hour of work before taking another one.
Keep at it.
Whether it’s a tough question or just a seemingly endless assignment, it’s easy just to give up. But, by equipping yourself with everything you need and by keeping your focus forward, you can get through this!
Start by equipping yourself with everything you’ll need. Finish by keeping your focus forward and knowing when to move on.
Before you start, gather everything that can help you with your homework. Textbooks, print-outs, websites, and phone numbers of friends in your class all qualify. This way, if you’re stuck, you’ve got everything that could help right in front of you.
If you’ve run out of resources, take your best guess, make a note, and move on. These are all critical steps to success. Use what you know to make your answer as close as you can. Remember to ask your teacher or mentor about it tomorrow. And move on quickly, so your brain stays motivated to attack what’s next.
Methodology
This survey was randomly distributed over several days on Brainly.com. Participants were first asked to provide their level of education and then asked questions providing these results. Those who specified that their grade level was not middle or high school were excluded.
Users were able to select as many options as qualified as a weekly distractor from homework. Another option was “none of these,” which 14.9% of students chose.
Conclusion
Changing habits like these takes repetition and dedication. But, the more you’re able to consistently exercise these strategies, the easier it will be for you to use them.
Practice these 5 actionable habits to make homework time more focused, more efficient, and eventually more successful. Hey, maybe you’ll even start sleeping!
