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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Homework Struggles May Not Be a Behavior Problem

Exploring some options to understand and help..

Posted August 2, 2022 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• Mental health challenges and neurodevelopmental differences directly affect children's ability to do homework.
• Understanding what difficulties are getting in the way—beyond the usual explanation of a behavior problem—is key.
• Sleep and mental health needs can take priority over homework completion.

Chelsea was in 10th grade the first time I told her directly to stop doing her homework and get some sleep. I had been working with her since she was in middle school, treating her anxiety disorder. She deeply feared disappointing anyone—especially her teachers—and spent hours trying to finish homework perfectly. The more tired and anxious she got, the harder it got for her to finish the assignments.

One night Chelsea called me in despair, feeling hopeless. She was exhausted and couldn’t think straight. She felt like a failure and that she was a burden to everyone because she couldn’t finish her homework.

She was shocked when I told her that my prescription for her was to go to sleep now—not to figure out how to finish her work. I told her to leave her homework incomplete and go to sleep. We briefly discussed how we would figure it out the next day, with her mom and her teachers. At that moment, it clicked for her that it was futile to keep working—because nothing was getting done.

This was an inflection point for her awareness of when she was emotionally over-cooked and when she needed to stop and take a break or get some sleep. We repeated versions of this phone call several times over the course of her high school and college years, but she got much better at being able to do this for herself most of the time.

When Mental Health Symptoms Interfere with Homework

Kids with mental health or neurodevelopmental challenges often struggle mightily with homework. Challenges can come up in every step of the homework process, including, but not limited to:

• Remembering and tracking assignments and materials
• Getting the mental energy/organization to start homework
• Filtering distractions enough to persist with assignments
• Understanding unspoken or implied parts of the homework
• Remembering to bring finished homework to class
• Being in class long enough to know the material
• Tolerating the fear of not knowing or failing
• Not giving up the assignment because of a panic attack
• Tolerating frustration—such as not understanding—without emotional dysregulation
• Being able to ask for help—from a peer or a teacher and not being afraid to reach out

This list is hardly comprehensive. ADHD , autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety , generalized anxiety, panic disorder, depression , dysregulation, and a range of other neurodevelopmental and mental health challenges cause numerous learning differences and symptoms that can specifically and frequently interfere with getting homework done.

The Usual Diagnosis for Homework Problems is "Not Trying Hard Enough"

Unfortunately, when kids frequently struggle to meet homework demands, teachers and parents typically default to one explanation of the problem: The child is making a choice not to do their homework. That is the default “diagnosis” in classrooms and living rooms. And once this framework is drawn, the student is often seen as not trying hard enough, disrespectful, manipulative, or just plain lazy.

The fundamental disconnect here is that the diagnosis of homework struggles as a behavioral choice is, in fact, only one explanation, while there are so many other diagnoses and differences that impair children's ability to consistently do their homework. If we are trying to create solutions based on only one understanding of the problem, the solutions will not work. More devastatingly, the wrong solutions can worsen the child’s mental health and their long-term engagement with school and learning.

To be clear, we aren’t talking about children who sometimes struggle with or skip homework—kids who can change and adapt their behaviors and patterns in response to the outcomes of that struggle. For this discussion, we are talking about children with mental health and/or neurodevelopmental symptoms and challenges that create chronic difficulties with meeting homework demands.

How Can You Help a Child Who Struggles with Homework?

How can you help your child who is struggling to meet homework demands because of their ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD , school avoidance, or any other neurodevelopmental or mental health differences? Let’s break this down into two broad areas—things you can do at home, and things you can do in communication with the school.

Helping at Home

The following suggestions for managing school demands at home can feel counterintuitive to parents—because we usually focus on helping our kids to complete their tasks. But mental health needs jump the line ahead of task completion. And starting at home will be key to developing an idea of what needs to change at school.

• Set an end time in the evening after which no more homework will be attempted. Kids need time to decompress and they need sleep—and pushing homework too close to or past bedtime doesn’t serve their educational needs. Even if your child hasn’t been able to approach the homework at all, even if they have avoided and argued the whole evening, it is still important for everyone to have a predictable time to shut down the whole process.
• If there are arguments almost every night about homework, if your child isn’t starting homework or finishing it, reframe it from failure into information. It’s data to put into problem-solving. We need to consider other possible explanations besides “behavioral choice” when trying to understand the problem and create effective solutions. What problems are getting in the way of our child’s meeting homework demands that their peers are meeting most of the time?
• Try not to argue about homework. If you can check your own anxiety and frustration, it can be more productive to ally with your child and be curious with them. Kids usually can’t tell you a clear “why” but maybe they can tell you how they are feeling and what they are thinking. And if your child can’t talk about it or just keeps saying “I don't know,” try not to push. Come back another time. Rushing, forcing, yelling, and threatening will predictably not help kids do homework.

Helping at School

The second area to explore when your neurodiverse child struggles frequently with homework is building communication and connections with school and teachers. Some places to focus on include the following.

• Label your child’s diagnoses and break down specific symptoms for the teachers and school team. Nonjudgmental, but specific language is essential for teachers to understand your child’s struggles. Breaking their challenges down into the problems specific to homework can help with building solutions. As your child gets older, help them identify their difficulties and communicate them to teachers.
• Let teachers and the school team know that your child’s mental health needs—including sleep—take priority over finishing homework. If your child is always struggling to complete homework and get enough sleep, or if completing homework is leading to emotional meltdowns every night, adjusting their homework demands will be more successful than continuing to push them into sleep deprivation or meltdowns.
• Request a child study team evaluation to determine if your child qualifies for services under special education law such as an IEP, or accommodations through section 504—and be sure that homework adjustments are included in any plan. Or if such a plan is already in place, be clear that modification of homework expectations needs to be part of it.

The Long-Term Story

I still work with Chelsea and she recently mentioned how those conversations so many years ago are still part of how she approaches work tasks or other demands that are spiking her anxiety when she finds herself in a vortex of distress. She stops what she is doing and prioritizes reducing her anxiety—whether it’s a break during her day or an ending to the task for the evening. She sees that this is crucial to managing her anxiety in her life and still succeeding at what she is doing.

Task completion at all costs is not a solution for kids with emotional needs. Her story (and the story of many of my patients) make this crystal clear.

Candida Fink, M.D. , is board certified in child/adolescent and general psychiatry. She practices in New York and has co-authored two books— The Ups and Downs of Raising a Bipolar Child and Bipolar Disorder for Dummies.

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10 productive things to do when you don’t have homework

Katie November 22, 2021 good habits , homework , organization , procrastination , productivity

By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed.

Days without homework are the best. Whether it’s just one homework-free night, a weekend with nothing due on Monday, or even a whole vacation week with no long-term assignments hanging over your head, the feeling is liberating.

While you should take some time to enjoy an afternoon or a weekend without homework, there are some major benefits to using at least a portion of that time to be productive in ways that will pay off down the line. 

Below are 10 productive things to do when you don’t have homework – or when you just don’t feel like doing it “right now.” I mean, if you’re going to procrastinate (gasp!), you could at least spend that time doing something valuable – right?

1. Clean out your backpack.

Take everything out, empty all the pockets, throw away the squished stuff at the bottom, and go outside to shake your bag upside down.

2. Go through your folders and notebooks.

Remove all the papers from each of your folders and sort them: throw away junk and expired papers as well as duplicates, and move papers to their proper folder if they ended up in the wrong spot.

3. Sort your writing utensils.

Collect all the pens, pencils, highlighters and markers in your backpack or workspace. Sharpen the pencils and throw away dried-up pens and highlighters. Keep only what you like and use.

4. Clean your devices.

Use a screen cleaner or a wipe made for eyeglasses and thoroughly clean the screens of your phone, tablet, laptop and/or desktop. Lock your keyboard, tap it upside down to shake out crumbs (ew), and give that a wipe too. Don’t forget to clean your mouse.

5. Clean up Google Drive.

Go into Google Drive or wherever your store your digital files, and do some housecleaning. First, delete junky or old files. Next, do a search for the work untitled to give you a list of files that have no names: give these unnamed files names or just delete them. Lastly, move any stray files into appropriately named folders. Don’t have folders? Make some, starting with school year dates.

6. Manage your inbox.

Managing your email inbox as a student can be challenging if you don’t know what to do. Here are the exact steps for basic student email management . At the very least, go into your inbox and delete some junk / old emails and unsubscribe from promotional emails you don’t want.

Want to super boost your organization? Here is my ultimate list of the 100 best organization tips for college students.

7. Create or revamp your study space.

If you’re getting bored with your study space, spruce it up. Even a subtle shift like switching your lamp from the left to the right or swapping out your chair can have a motivating effect due to novelty . If you don’t have a study space, can you create one? Here are my resources for creating study spaces based on your learning style: kinesthetic learner , auditory learner , or visual learner .

8. Rewrite your notes.

I’ve talked about the benefits of rewriting notes before. It’s one of the secrets of good students, and if you don’t already do it, now is the time. Find the most recent notes you took, and rewrite them neatly, filling in missing information and organizing the material in a way that’s better to study from.

9. Get ahead.

I know it’s such a relief when you don’t have homework, so this tip might feel contradictory, but why not use this free time to get ahead on some of your reading? Read the next chapter in the novel you’re reading in English class, read the next chapter in your history book, get started on the essay that’s not due for two weeks, or start studying for the test that you know you’re going to have.

10. Do a brain dump.

Any time is a good time to do a brain dump, but especially if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately. Here are the exact steps for doing a brain dump .

Listen, this list of productive things to do is not all about go-go-go until you pop. I’m not suggesting that you spend every second of your free time being productive. That’s actually not productive at all! But the message is that sometimes when we don’t have homework or we’re just not feeling like jumping into our homework quite yet, we can use that time to plug away at the little things.

More student productivity resources

• 24 productivity tips for students
• How to be more productive at work
• Productivity hack for students: Set the table

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Don’t Want To Do Homework: When you don’t feel Like Doing it

Don’t Want To Do Homework

Homework can be boring, but you still have to do it to keep your school grades up. Therefore, you need to keep focus by making a good plan so that you can finish your homework in time.  Without a doubt, homework and other class assignments are part of your academic journey that you cannot avoid.

However, the fact remains that most students are overwhelmed with homework hence they are unable to complete it and beat the deadline.

Without proper planning, students find it difficult to finish even the simplest of assignments. With reasons ranging from distractions to lack of concentration and procrastination, you can still find yourself in a last-minute situation to submit your homework.

Incomplete or undone assignments are not good for your academic voyage. Apart from missing marks, you can end up missing a crucial grade which can dent your final score.

People Also Read: Hardest Essay Topics For High School and University Students

What to Do When You Do Not Want to Do Your Homework?

If you are in this kind of situation, the best solution is to motivate yourself. If you organize your assignment properly, the work can be done within the right time.

Below are steps that can keep you motivated if you do not feel like doing your homework:

1. Work in a Group   

Working in a group helps to inspire, motivate and encourage you. Homework group is good especially for students who are struggling in a particular subject or topic.

You can ask each other questions and also seek the help of your tutor collectively. In the company of the same group, you can still hang out together after the homework. 

2. Reward yourself                                                                                    

This can be easy if you involve your parent or friends. Set up a reward price for yourself if you complete your homework. The small prizes you set can be for a particular question that you tackle successfully or every homework assignment you manage to complete.

A chat with a friend, 5 minutes use of phone and a walk around the house are some of the helpful rewards that can motivate you.

3. Break down the Homework into Small Chunks

When you view your homework as a whole, there are high possibilities that it will look boring. A better inspiration is to break it down into chunks so that you tackle one section at a time.

Have small sections that will not take more than 45 minutes. This can be very helpful especially for long holiday homework.

4. Limit Distractions

Distractions are the number one enemy to your homework achievement goals. In many ways, they will make you lose focus . A student doing homework in the midst of distractions is likely to take long or simply be unable to finish the homework.

Scrolling through social media, phone calls, movies and a noisy environment are simply not good for you when you are doing your homework. 

Look for a noise-free environment and switch off your television and phone when doing your homework.

5. Avoid Procrastination     

Postponement of homework will obviously lead to last minute approaches when the deadline is almost due. It is important to start working on your assignment as early as possible. In this way, you can manage the homework task in time.

6. Outline your Homework

Long holiday or weekend homework assignments are broad. If you come up with a proper outline, you can know the time you need to spend on each task. Simply create a list of all the work that you are going to tackle. As such, you will avoid spending too much time on one assignment. 

With a clear outline, you will skip difficult assignments and handle them later.

7. Have all Materials you Need at Once

Apart from being in a good and peaceful environment, it is good to ensure you have everything you need before doing your homework. Items such as books, pens and calculators should be ready.

You will be able to avoid frequent movements that can distract your concentration. Having all items and a good environment will help you to do your homework fast and easily.

People Also Read: Linking Words for Essay Writing: Useful Paragraph Phrases

Reasons Why Students Don’t Feel Like Doing Homework

  If you are lazy , there is no way you will find it easy to handle homework assignments. It is even worse if the homework involves a topic that you did not understand while in class.

Not Understanding the Assignment

As a student, you need to understand all directions and basics of an assignment topic so as to tackle it. Most tutors or teachers give basic introduction to a topic and expect students to learn something new from it.

For instance, if you did not understand a math concept in class, doing the homework will be difficult. As such, the level of work and instructions need to be clear to the students. It is advisable to seek clarifications from your teacher if you do not fully comprehend the homework directions.

Not Understanding the Purpose of Homework

Homework assignments are very significant in your academic journey. If you do not understand the significance, you will not be compelled to finish your homework. As a student, if you are not aware of the important role of homework in your academics, you are likely to rebel it.

Teachers have the obligation of informing students the significance of homework assignments.

Unavailability of the Right Materials/Equipment      

There are basic materials you will need to do your homework. Rulers, calculators and a computer are some of them. If an assignment needs equipment that you do not have, you are likely to be demoralized.

It takes Students Time

Most students feel homework takes the time they need to do other activities. After busy classwork in school, students often feel like being at home is their ideal time to play, socialize with friends and have time for family bonding.

However, if there is proper planning, you can still have time for all these activities and still do your homework.

Lack of Appropriate Environment

Some students live in peaceful environments while others have to deal with chaotic surroundings. Such students do not have a peaceful place where they can sit and do their homework. If this is the case, you can go to a public library or remain at school for an extra hour or two in order to complete your assignment.

What to Do If You Physically Can’t Do Your Homework

If you are a student, there are a number of sacrifices you have to make in order to achieve your academic goals.

Generally, most college and university students have accepted exhaustion as part of their academic journey. Sleeping less in order to complete your homework is part of this sacrifice.

Apart from the recommended 8 hours a student should sleep, you can dedicate 2 hours to complete an assignment and sleep for 6 hours. Sometimes, it is a reasonable sacrifice that pays towards the end of your course.

Hire a Writer  

You can alternatively opt to hire a writer to do your homework. However, ensure that you go for good writers who will understand your assignment and all the guidelines. Fortunately, there are good writers who can complete your homework excellently within the deadline.

If you are completely unable to do your homework, external writers can provide unique and high quality work quickly.

People Also Read: Can you do a Research Paper in a Day or Write 10-page Essay

As the debate on homework for students gathers momentum in different countries , its significance cannot be overlooked. Through homework, a parent can be able to know what the child is learning in school.

Far from that, homework teaches a student to take full responsibility for their free time.  You will know how to carry on with your studies independently when you are away from the teacher.

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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Adverb Clause of Time And Exercises

You might know that an adverb clause is a  dependent clause  that functions as an adverb in a sentence. There are different kinds of adverb clauses in English; in addition, the subordinators can distinguish the different types of adverb clauses. In this lesson, you will learn how to use an adverb clause of time.

Adverb Clause of Time

The adverb clause connectors, such as after, before, when, while/as, by the time, since, until/till, as soon as/once, as long as/so long as, and whenever can be used to form adverb clauses of time. Examples:

• After I am done with my homework, I will study the adverb clause of time.
• As soon as we finish Step 4, we will start the TOEFL iBT preparation program.
• As long as some troublemakers exist around here , you will not be able to improve your business.

Related Articles:

• Adverb Clause Of Contrast/ Concession 
• Adverb Clause Of Purpose
• How To Use Adverb Clause Of Reason/ Cause?

Exercise 1:

Directions: Complete the following. Pay special attention to verb tenses.

• Last night, I went to bed after I ______________________________my homework.
• Tonight, I will go to bed after I _________________________my homework.
• Ever since I was a child, I ____________________________________ afraid of dogs.
• Jacquie’s contact lens popped out while she _____________________basketball.
• Be sure to reread your composition for errors before you _________________ it in to the teacher tomorrow.
• By the time, I left my apartment this morning, the mail carrier __________________________ the mail.
• I have known my best friend since her _____________________________ ten years old.
• A black cat ran across the road as I ____________________________my car to work this morning.
• By the time I leave this city, I _______________________________ here for four months.
• Whenever Mike __________________________________ angry, his nose gets red.
• I ____________________________ to the beach whenever the weather was nice, but now I do not have time to do that because I have to study.
• We will have a big party when __________________________________.
• The next time I ______________________________to Hawaii, I’m going to visit Mauna Loa, the world’s largest volcano.
• I had fried chicken the last time I ____________________________ at that restaurant.

Exercise 2:

Directions: Make sentences with until from the given situations.

• I can’t pay my bills. I haven’t gotten my paycheck yet.

        I can’t pay my bills until my paycheck comes.

• We can’t leave yet. We have to wait for Carmen.
• Tell me the truth, or I am not going to leave this room.
• Finally, he arrived. Before that, it had been a dull party.
• Dinner won’t be ready for a while. I think we should just sit here by the fire.
• When I go to bed at night, I like to read. After a while, I get sleepy.

Exercise 3:

Directions: Combine the ideas by using either as soon as or once . ( As soon as and once basically have the same meaning. but as soon as is more immediate. Often, just is used with as soon as to emphasize the idea of “immediately”:

• I’ll call him just as soon as I get home.
• The taxi will get here in five minutes or so. Then we can leave for the airport.

      As soon as the taxi gets here, we can leave for the airport.

• The rice will be done in about ten minutes. Immediately after that, we can eat.
• First, I have to graduate. Then I can return home.
• Spring will come and the weather will be nice again. Then we can start playing tennis every morning before class.
• My roommate walked into the room. Immediately, I knew that something was wrong.
• Your English will get better. Then you will begin to feel more comfortable living in the United States.
• Immediately after the singer finished her song, the audience burst into applause.
• I’m watching a baseball game on TV, but it will be over in a few minutes. Then I’ll take out the garbage.

Exercise 4:

Directions: Using the given information, make a sentence in which you use just after, just before , or just as . Notice that just adds the idea of “immediately.”

• I got to the airport at 8:15. My plane left ten minutes later. I got to the airport just before my plane left.
• You shouldn’t eat a heavy meal and then go to bed immediately afterward.
• I went to bed at 11:00. The phone rang at 11:05.
• We were sitting down to eat. At that moment, someone knocked on the door.
• I was getting on the bus. At that moment, I remembered that I had left my briefcase at home.
• I got up to give my speech. Immediately before that, I got butterflies in my stomach.
• The guests will come at 7:00. At 6:55, I’ll light the candles.
• I was bending over to pick up my pencil. My pants split.

Exercise 1.

• Last night, I went to bed after I did my homework.
• Tonight, I will go to bed after I do my homework.
• Ever since I was a child, I was afraid of dogs.
• Jacquie’s contact lens popped out while she was playing
• Be sure to reread your composition for errors before you give it to the teacher tomorrow.
• By the time I left my apartment this morning, the mail carrier had sent the mail.
• I have known my best friend since she was ten years old.
• A black cat ran across the road as I was driving my car to work this morning.
• By the time I leave this city, I will be here for four months.
• Whenever Mike is angry, his nose gets red.
• I was going to the beach whenever the weather was nice, but now I don’t have time to do that because I have to study.
• We will have a big party when you come .
• The next time I go to Hawaii, I’m going to visit Mauna Loa, the world’s largest volcano.
• I had fried chicken the last time I was at that restaurant.

Exercise 2.

• I can’t pay my bills until my paycheck comes.
• We can’t leave yet until Carmen come.
• Tell me the truth, until I leave this room.
• Finally, he arrived until it had been a dull party.
• Dinner won’t be ready for a while until we sit here by the fire.
• When I go to bed at night, I like to read until I get sleepy.

Exercise 3.

• As soon as the taxi gets here, we can leave for the airport.
• As soon as the rice is done, after that, we can eat.
• As soon as I graduate, I can return home.
• One the spring comes the weather will be nice again and then we can start playing tennis every morning before class.
• Once my roommate walked into the room immediately, then I knew that something was wrong.
• Once your English gets better, then you will feel more comfortable living in the United States.
• As soon as the singer finished her song, the audience burst into applause.
• I am watching a baseball game on TV, but as soon as it’s over, I’ll take out the garbage.

Exercise 4.

• I got to the airport just before my plane left.
• You shouldn’t go to the bed just after eating a heavy meal.
• I went to the bed just before the phone rang.
• Just as we sat down to eat, someone knocked on the door.
• Just as I got on the bus, I remember that I had left my briefcase at home.
• I got butterflies in my stomach just before I got up to give my speech.
• I will light the candles just before the guests come.
• My pants split just as I bent myself to pick up my pencil.

Conclusion:

Attempt the adverb clause of time exercises, then compare your answers with the given answers above. In addition, please feel free to write your feedback about the article (adverb clause of time) using the comment section below.

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Best english books for english learners, direct and indirect of present perfect continuous tense, present continuous tense definition and examples.

Last night, I went to bed after I ______________________________my homework. Tonight, I will go to bed after I _________________________my homework. Ever since I was a child, I ____________________________________ afraid of dogs. Jacquie’s contact lens popped out while she _____________________basketball. Be sure to reread your composition for errors before you _________________ it in to the teacher tomorrow. By the time, I left my apartment this morning, the mail carrier __________________________ the mail. I have known my best friend since her _____________________________ ten years old. A black cat ran across the road as I ____________________________my car to work this morning. By the time I leave this city, I _______________________________ here for four months. Whenever Mike __________________________________ angry, his nose gets red. I ____________________________ to the beach whenever the weather was nice, but now I do not have time to do that because I have to study. We will have a big party when __________________________________. The next time I ______________________________to Hawaii, I’m going to visit Mauna Loa, the world’s largest volcano. I had fried chicken the last time I ____________________________ at that restaurant.

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., 8 easy ways to finish your homework faster.

How many times have you found yourself still staring at your textbook around midnight (or later!) even when you started your homework hours earlier? Those lost hours could be explained by Parkinson’s Law, which states, “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, if you give yourself all night to memorize those geometry formulas for your quiz tomorrow, you’ll inevitably find that a 30 minute task has somehow filled your entire evening.

We know that you have more homework than ever. But even with lots and lots to do, a few tweaks to your study routine could help you spend less time getting more accomplished. Here are 8 steps to make Parkinson’s Law work to your advantage:

1. Make a list

This should be a list of everything that has to be done that evening. And we mean, everything—from re-reading notes from this morning’s history class to quizzing yourself on Spanish vocabulary.

2. Estimate the time needed for each item on your list

You can be a little ruthless here. However long you think a task will take, try shaving off 5 or 10 minutes. But, be realistic. You won’t magically become a speed reader.

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3. Gather all your gear

Collect EVERYTHING you will need for the homework you are working on (like your laptop for writing assignments and pencils for problem sets). Getting up for supplies takes you off course and makes it that much harder to get back to your homework.

The constant blings and beeps from your devices can make it impossible to focus on what you are working on. Switch off or silence your phones and tablets, or leave them in another room until it’s time to take a tech break.

Read More: How to Calculate Your GPA

5. Time yourself

Noting how much time something actually takes will help you estimate better and plan your next study session.

6. Stay on task

If you’re fact checking online, it can be so easy to surf on over to a completely unrelated site. A better strategy is to note what information you need to find online, and do it all at once at the end of the study session.

7. Take plenty of breaks

Most of us need a break between subjects or to break up long stretches of studying. Active breaks are a great way to keep your energy up. Tech breaks can be an awesome way to combat the fear of missing out that might strike while you are buried in your work, but they also tend to stretch much longer than originally intended. Stick to a break schedule of 10 minutes or so.

8. Reward yourself! 

Finish early? If you had allocated 30 minutes for reading a biology chapter and it only took 20, you can apply those extra 10 minutes to a short break—or just move on to your next task. If you stay on track, you might breeze through your work quickly enough to catch up on some Netflix.

Our best piece of advice? Keep at it. The more you use this system, the easier it will become. You’ll be surprised by how much time you can shave off homework just by focusing and committing to a distraction-free study plan.

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Doing Homework: Ins and Outs for Students

Difficulties in doing homework.

Have you ever thought about the most trouble-free period of your life? Most people would say “nursery school”. No wonder, as all you had to do was play and have fun. If you had an idea about your future responsibilities, did you have a desire to grow up? 

However, nobody can stop time, and here you are, a student who has little time to play but many duties to fulfill. Being a student means studying, doing homework, going to the library, and dealing with many other things that can sometimes be annoying. It’s really tough, especially in the first year of college or university. The new reality and surroundings require much mental and physical effort: new professors, new classmates, more disciplines, and more homework assignments as well. 

Doing homework at college can often be a challenge, as its complexity level differs from that of school. The dilemma becomes more apparent when you apply for sports and have training. Another obstacle arises when you’ve accumulated assignments with short deadlines for submission. It’s understandable if the question is, Can I pay money for someone to get homework assistance? MyPaperDone.com , and the website mentioned above, can be of great use in this situation. Your assignments will be completed within the required time limit. Difficulties with doing homework can appear at any moment and for any student. 

Can Someone Do Your Homework?

The huge amount of written academic papers to compose and theory to learn need a lot of time. Moreover, some personal circumstances can contribute to being overwhelmed with homework. In these moments, causing you some distress and anxiety, how many times have you thought, “Can someone do your homework?” instead of doing it yourself 

Actually, the answer to this question is affirmative, and you can refer to different websites on the Internet. Such a service was invented with the purpose of assisting students with their homework. As a rule, these companies have hired a team of specialists from various fields. Personnel working in these companies includes teachers, professors, and last year students as well. There is an option to read the reviews of completed works, students’ opinions, and general feedback about the provided service. 

By registering on one of these websites, you can rely on experts to do your homework as fast as you need. Over the years of studying at college or university, you will face tasks of different types, from the most important to the least significant. However, the less significant doesn’t mean the fastest. Sometimes, it can happen to spend hours writing academic work that, in reality, doesn’t have much research value. 

Useful Homework Helper App

Using technology in the right way can help you to solve many problems. The Internet is an enormous digital library, a well of knowledge to use correctly. If you learn how to effectively utilize its sources, you will definitely simplify your life. For example, the use of some homework helper apps can facilitate the process of completing assignments:

• Khan Academy: it was created by an engineer with the purpose of offering services and study materials for free, and it has become one of the most valuable sources. You can find playlists of exercises and problems, lessons in various subjects, videos, and other educational content.
• Photomath: this app helps you solve math problems instantaneously just by taking a photo with your tablet or smartphone. Moreover, it recognizes even handwritten tasks and provides step-by-step solutions. 
• Quizlet: by creating an account, you’re able to generate tests, quizzes, and other games, using available lexical items or creating your own study tools. It allows you to personalize the way you study according to the required level of difficulty. 
• The list of other useful and effective online platforms is very long, and you are able to examine them on this page . The ability to combine various accessible tools plays an important role in achieving successful results. Many platforms are free, and some of them are for payment. Based on your necessities, you may choose the most suitable for you. 

Unfortunately, learning in the classroom is not enough. By mixing traditional tools such as books, textbooks, and classroom learning with digital ones, your chances of becoming an excellent specialist are great. 

Help Doing Your Homework

The study schedules and other commitments often leave you little time for rest. As you can imagine, homework help with school subjects differs from help with college or university materials. The Internet provides many solutions for all types of students, including school, college, or university students. 

In the case of school, it’s not indispensable to have in-depth knowledge, unlike at the college level. When you need help doing your homework, take into consideration the person’s experience that counts a lot. When visiting websites that offer this service, examine the reviews and feedback. It will help you understand if their services suit you or not. Each reputable company has a skillful crew with knowledge in different fields of science. 

Don’t forget, therefore, to not exaggerate and ask for assistance when you really need it. On this website , you will discover interesting information that can be useful regarding homework. You learn from your mistakes, and trying to do your assignments alone is an effective method of learning. Nevertheless, having the possibility to ask for help with your homework gives you an assurance that it will be done in any case. So, if after several attempts, you fail to complete an assignment and don’t have time to retry, visit a website and ask for help. 

The post Doing Homework: Ins and Outs for Students appeared first on Mom and More .

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Trump Is Now a Felon. What Voters Do With That Information Will Write This Era’s History

This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIME’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox.

There are moments in American history that we all know matter, even if we aren’t clear at the time about their weight. Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon. Republicans’ failed impeachment of Bill Clinton. George W. Bush’s Wall Street bailout. These moments turned out to be political inflection points, the impact of which are still being debated even now. Another such moment just took place in lower Manhattan.

Thursday’s decision by a dozen jurors to find former President Donald Trump guilty of 34 felony crimes is an era-defining event , but how it will shape the age remains entirely uncertain. After all, Ford’s pardon gave permission for Nixon’s apologists to adopt and amplify his win-at-any-cost politics. And the fallout from Clinton’s affair with an intern shaped the 2000 elections in ways big and small, perhaps even paving the way for Bush, whose extraordinary measures to save the economy in the final weeks of his presidency set into motion a reactionary movement that soon became known as the Tea Party.

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One could argue each of those moments gave power and momentum to the forces that ultimately fueled Trumpism’s rise and dominance. It’s not clear just what the Trump verdict will yield next in our political system. There is, however, a very good chance that the repercussions bleed far beyond this discrete case and won’t be fully appreciated in real time.

Trump still faces other criminal prosecutions over trying to overturn an election and mishandling classified documents, but the trial that unfolded in New York state court was about allegations he improperly used Trump Organization cash to silence a porn star who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with him a decade before the 2016 election. (Trump has denied the allegations of infidelity and paying out hush money.) New York prosecutors successfully argued Trump knowingly used his business’ funds to conceal the alleged affair to help his presidential bid, a no-no under campaign finance laws and a fudged bit of bookkeeping to reimburse his longtime fixer that was equally as verboten.

Each of the 34 charges carry a potential sentence of four years in prison and a $5,000 fine, although it’s highly unlikely the judge in this case would send an ex-President to jail for these crimes. Even if Judge Juan Merchan wanted to do so, it remains an open question whether the Secret Service could handle a protectee behind bars or what that might do to Trump’s presumptive nomination. Merchan has been upfront from the start that he did not want to be seen meddling in politics. No one is above the law, but bogus bookkeeping mightn’t be the most compelling reason to keep Trump from returning to the campaign trail to face voters as a newly-branded felon.

To say the verdict is one for the history books may sound like hyperbole, but it’s tough to overstate just how many norms were perhaps forever broken with this trial. For one, no former President ever faced criminal charges like this. Ford preemptively pardoned Nixon in the wake of his Watergate-fueled resignation. Clinton agreed to an $850,000 out-of-court legal settlement and other concessions to finally close the book on a probe that started with a hinky land deal back in Arkansas but ended with a national discussion about his alleged sexual dalliances . 

Trump, meanwhile, could find himself staring down both a jail sentence and a second term as President.

The next developments are uncertain, but some things are all but guaranteed. Trump’s team has argued from the start that the case should never have been brought, and it’s a very good bet they have the draft an appeal at the ready in their war room. Trump will also work to frame the verdict as political payback. From the start, he has cast the New York case—and the three others, to be fair—as a vile abuse of power orchestrated by President Joe Biden against his political rival for the White House in a bitter rematch. At other such moments, Trump’s campaign has successfully parlayed bad days in the legal realm into very, very good ones in fundraising. Many of Trump’s supporters have, to this point, believed Trump’s cry of victimhood and political persecution and opened their checkbooks.

But the political outlook is shakier now. Will Trump’s supporters stick with him now that he’s convicted? The polling suggests there could be some fracturing, but it’s one thing to claim in a survey that an unspecified criminal conviction matters and it’s another to actually ditch a thrice-married, sexual assault-bragging, history-indifferent vulgarian because of a verdict involving actions that may feel like ancient history to many. Trump has spun himself as a warrior for the wronged half of Americans, and Biden’s vulnerabilities are not going to be solved by a Manhattan jury. ​​

For now, Americans will have to take a moment to process that their nation was led by a man now convicted of 34 felony charges. And, if polling in recent months is to be believed, the nation may once again have Trump atop the pecking order by January. The U.S. political system gives roughly 80,000 voters in a handful of swing states the ultimate say on the top of the ballot, while at least 40 states have already been largely written off as solidly partisan. How you think voters will respond to moments as historic as this verdict depends on your reference point. Ford lost his bid to stay in the White House to Jimmy Carter in no small measure due to his Nixon pardon. Then again, Clinton, who never faced voters again after his impeachment, left office with high approval ratings.

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Bush was also at the end of his political career when he chose to rescue Wall Street—and millions of Americans’ retirement funds and mortgages—cementing his reputation as a Republican Benedict Arnold. He told former staffers at a reunion in April 2016 that he worried he was maybe the last Republican to hold the White House in his lifetime. (After witnessing Trump’s rise, he would later regret that wasn’t the case; he tellingly told fellow attendees at Trump’s only inauguration so far that the speech they just heard “was some weird shit.”)

In Trump’s case, we have an election coming up that will tell us something about what this verdict means, but the exact message may be harder to pin down. Historians will debate how someone who once wielded so much power was held to account, and whether it actually helped or hurt his quest to claim it again. Given how Trump had dodged any real consequences for far worse, predictions of Trump’s downfall may rely on a very misguided understanding of the id of the American electorate. This may be the day the Trump comeback became inevitable. Or maybe nothing of the sort happens, and the coming weeks surprise us in wholly unexpected ways. These are the moments when histories are at their richest—and most pliable.

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Homework Help: “I Don’t Have Time for Homework!”

As a classroom teacher, I used to hear excuses from a few students every morning about why they did not have their homework.

Most of them had to do with extra-curricular commitments: “I couldn’t do my homework last night because I had a baseball game.” Or, “I had to go to my brother’s basketball game.”

Some of the excuses were due to family obligations: “We had to take my grandma out for her birthday last night.” The best excuse I ever heard…”I couldn’t do my homework because I had to go with my mom to get her nails done.”

Many teachers would agree that the number one reason students fail classes is due to missing homework. Creating excuses for homework lowers your grades and encourages a very bad habit for your future.

The single reason you go to school is to learn and prepare for your future ; whether you will someday have a career, manage a home, or both, you will need to take responsibility.

One of the main reasons teachers give homework is to help you exercise your responsibility skills. You will not last long in a job if you tell your boss, “Sorry I couldn’t get that report done. I had to play soccer last night.” You will not keep a roof over your head for long with excuses like, “Sorry I couldn’t pay my bills last week…I was busy getting my nails done.”

Rest, relaxation, and fun are all important elements in life, but there has to be a balance between fun and responsibility! You have to know your priorities. When you take care of your most important priorities first, you will automatically have time for the “fun stuff!”

Many adults never learn how to manage their priorities and have a hard time keeping a good balance in their lives. If you learn how to manage your priorities NOW, you will have a HUGE advantage when you are an adult. Not to mention the fact that you will improve your grades along the way!

Action plan

There are several things you can do to better manage your time and work around evening activities so that you can balance your homework with fun:

• Communicate with your family. On Sunday, ask your parents if they have anything planned for you for the week. This is the time to learn about dentist appointments, birthday dinners, your brother’s baseball games, etc. It is always better to know about these things ahead of time, rather than at the last minute.
• Plan ahead. If you have a big assignment due on Thursday and you have a basketball game on Wednesday night, be sure to do the assignment on Tuesday evening.
• Keep all homework in one place. Do not stash your math homework in a textbook, your science homework in a notebook, and your English homework in your book bag or you will spend a lot of time just looking for your homework. Keep all papers in ONE folder to save the search time and complete your homework faster.
• Make use of “down” time. You spend a lot of time each day waiting…waiting for teachers to take attendance, for classmates to settle down, for your bus to come, or for appointments. Tackle your homework during these times. Maybe you can get three math problems done while your teacher takes attendance. Perhaps you can do your science homework on the bus ride home. A few minutes here-and-there can quickly add up to 1 or 1.5 hours of free time later in the evening.
• Use a timer. If you struggle to stay focused when doing your homework, challenge yourself to be like Nike and “Just do it!” Set a timer for the amount of time you think you will need to do an assignment and challenge yourself to beat the timer. You may be surprised at how quickly you can finish your homework when you are focused.

In Conclusion

Of course, there will be times when other priorities have to trump homework; f amily illness, a special event, or an emergency are a few valid reasons for missing an occasional homework assignment. However, the average family experiences these exceptions very rarely!

You have the power to work things out with your family and manage your time so that you can balance work + fun. When you take care of important things first (like homework), the fun will follow!

-Susan Kruger

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How to Avoid Getting in Trouble for Not Doing Your Homework

Last Updated: April 9, 2024

This article was co-authored by Alicia Oglesby . Alicia Oglesby is a Professional School Counselor and the Director of School and College Counseling at Bishop McNamara High School outside of Washington DC. With over ten years of experience in counseling, Alicia specializes in academic advising, social-emotional skills, and career counseling. Alicia holds a BS in Psychology from Howard University and a Master’s in Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology from Chestnut Hill College. She also studied Race and Mental Health at Virginia Tech. Alicia holds Professional School Counseling Certifications in both Washington DC and Pennsylvania. She has created a college counseling program in its entirety and developed five programs focused on application workshops, parent information workshops, essay writing collaborative, peer-reviewed application activities, and financial aid literacy events. This article has been viewed 99,721 times.

Homework generally isn’t that much fun. But it generally is a requirement that has a pretty decent-sized impact on your grade, so if you want (or need) to do well in a class, getting the homework done is a big deal. So what happens if you forget to do one of the assignments? You have a few options; the first and best is, of course, to not to forget to do it in the first place. But if that’s not an option, there are a few other measures you can take to try to get out of a homework scrape. Read on to find out more.

Using Good Judgment

• Explain why you didn’t do the homework--maybe you forgot about the assignment, got home late, fell asleep, etc. Don’t sugarcoat your reason, but do use some discretion; if you didn’t do your homework because you were at an all-night kegger, keep your reason general (ie, “I didn’t get home until late”) rather than overly specific (ie, “I was too busy doing keg stands”).
• Apologize. After giving your reason, sincerely apologize. Don’t gloss over this part--the sincerity of your apology will impact how likely your teacher is to want to help you. If you don't feel comfortable talking to the teacher directly, feel free to send them an email or leave them a note.
• Explain that it won’t happen again--and make sure it doesn’t. Let your teacher know that this was a rare instance of you lapsing on a responsibility and that you’ll be careful that it doesn’t happen again. And--this part is important--keep your word. If you make forgetting your homework habitual, your teacher will not only stop believing your excuses, they’ll rapidly become less sympathetic to your apologies.
• Ask for another day to finish the assignment. The best case scenario here is that your teacher will grant you extra time to complete the assignment and won’t penalize you for turning it in past the original deadline. More likely, though, your teacher will offer to let you turn in the assignment late, for partial credit. Don’t gripe about or be ungrateful for partial-credit--it will make it less likely that your teacher will extend you a similar opportunity in the future.

• Ask the teacher to help you understand the assignment and to let you have another chance at completing it. This both buys you more time and has the added benefit of getting you one-on-one homework help as well.

• If the story’s creative or amusing enough, your teacher might cut you some slack simply because you didn’t give them one of the same boring excuses they always hear.
• For example, maybe it just so happened that your parents went out last night and left you with a family friend who turned out to be a clairvoyant and burned all of your homework because he looked into the future and saw that if he didn’t destroy it all your cat would rip your homework to shreds while you slept and you would breathe in a fatal amount of air-borne paper bits and choke to death.

Avoiding Bad Excuses

• It should be obvious, but don’t use “the dog ate my homework.” You might as well not even bother coming up with an excuse at all.
• Don’t just say “I lost it” unless you can come up with a believable set of extenuating circumstances to explain how it got lost. Saying it just got lost randomly is pretty transparent.

• Instead of blaming the printer or your laptop, etc., explain that you had trouble when you were trying to print (or whatever) the homework right before class but that you’ll email it to your teacher by the end of the day. You can buy more time with that, and quickly type it up.
• Just be sure you actually do send it to them by the end of the day--preferably by 5 pm. [2] X Research source

• First, since it’s your responsibility, not theirs, to make sure you’re up-to-date on assignments, this excuse is pretty much like telling the teacher that it was your own fault.
• Second, because, from your teacher’s point of view, an entire classroom of other students managed to find out about and do the homework, so it clearly isn’t as hard as you’re making it out to be. [3] X Research source
• And finally, the ignorance excuse won’t work because when you’re absent, your teacher expects that you’ll find out everything you missed. If didn’t, your teacher will again see it as your own fault.

Avoiding the Situation in the First Place

• Start by writing down every assignment and its due date as soon as it’s assigned.
• Be sure to write all of your assignments down in the same place so you don’t miss any or have to go on a desperate search every time you want to know what’s due. A day planner, dedicated homework notebook, or scheduling app are all good options.

• Whenever you get an assignment, estimate how long it will take to complete and set aside the necessary time accordingly.
• If it’s an assignment that will take several days or even several weeks, set aside as many blocks of time as you’ll need to complete it over that span of time.

• Don’t procrastinate on homework--don’t let yourself play video games or chat on Facebook until you’ve finished your night’s assignments.
• Do the harder assignments first. Getting the harder work out of the way first is a more efficient and rewarding use of your time.
• Reader Poll: We asked 196 wikiHow readers how to avoid making the same mistake, and 10% said they would ask loved ones to hold them accountable. [Take Poll] While this may not be the best strategy according to our readers, try making a routine for yourself.

• If you have a study-hall period, a free period, a few minutes between classes, a 10-15 minute bus ride home, etc., use that time to work on homework. Sure, you’d rather be talking to friends or playing on your phone, but if you want to have your homework done, you’ll need to actually take the time to do it. [4] X Research source

• Start by approaching the teacher. Explain your difficulties and ask for their help. That’s what your teachers are there for, after all--to help you learn. (And if they show any reluctance to help, remind them of this fact.) They’re the best source of help since they’re the ones making and grading the homework, and having the help of an insider is often invaluable.
• Get help from a classmate. If your teacher isn’t able to give as much help as you need, supplement their help with help from a classmate who understands the material and is doing well in the class. If you aren’t sure who that might be, ask your teacher for suggestions.
• Get a tutor. Many schools offer free peer-tutoring services that can be a significant help. Ask your teacher or an administrator whether such services are available. If not, consider looking into hiring a tutor. There are a number of professional tutoring services to choose from, or you might try hiring a local college student for tutoring help.

• Even if you think you’re a great multi-tasker, trying to do homework while also texting, catching up on Facebook, and tweeting about how much you hate homework is actually hurting you more than helping you get through the process.
• Moreover, though multitasking can be an asset for some activities, it isn’t an asset when studying. When you’re multitasking, your mind leaves your current train of thought (like, say, trigonometry) and takes up a new train (maybe texting a friend about tomorrow’s plans), and the result is that you end up doing worse on both.
• Find a quiet, distraction-free space to do your studying. The better you’re able to concentrate, the better you’ll do on your work and the more quickly you’ll get through it. Put away or turn off anything you know will distract you (your phone, Facebook alerts, whatever). [6] X Research source
• If you find yourself being distracted by thoughts of other things you should or want to be doing, keep a piece of paper next to you where you can write down those thoughts as they come up. Don’t dwell on them, just write them down and know you can get back to them later. [7] X Research source
• Set small goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. For example, set a goal to study for 15-20 minutes straight and then reward yourself with a small treat when you do so. [8] X Research source

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• ↑ http://www.brighthubeducation.com/study-and-learning-tips/51078-10-most-common-homework-excuses/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html?view=ptr
• ↑ http://success.oregonstate.edu/learning-corner/learning-college/concentration-distractions

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Cicada map 2024: See where to find Broods XIII and XIX; latest info on emergence

If you haven't seen them yet, you may have heard them: the periodical cicadas that are out in full force in nearly 20 U.S. states across the Southeast and Midwest.

These 17 states, which range from Oklahoma to Wisconsin to North Carolina and more, are seeing the trillions of cicadas emerging this year in a rare, double brood event.

The two broods this year, the 13-year Brood XIX located mainly in the Southeast and the 17-year Brood XIII in the Midwest, have not emerged together in 221 years and are not expected to do so again until 2245.

Thanks to warm soil temperatures and ideal conditions, cicadas from both broods have already made their way above ground and the emergence is already in full swing.

Here's where you can find cicadas above ground this year.

What do cicadas eat? Lifecycle, diet and biting habits explained

2024 cicada map: Check out where Broods XIII, XIX are projected to emerge

The two cicada broods were projected to emerge in a combined 17 states across the South and Midwest. They emerge once the soil eight inches underground reaches 64 degrees, beginning in many states in April and May and lasting through late June.

The two broods  last emerged together in 1803 , when Thomas Jefferson was president.

Where are the cicadas already out in 2024?

Adult periodical cicadas from Brood XIX are now completing its emergence as the brood is out in full force in states across the Midwest and Southeast, according to  Cicada Safari , a cicada tracking app developed by Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

They have been spotted on the app in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Brood XIII has started to emerge in Wisconsin, Iowa and Indiana and throughout the Chicago area and around central and northern Illinois around Peoria and Champaign, according to the tracking service.

What is a brood?

According to the  University of Connecticut , broods are classified as "all periodical cicadas of the same life cycle type that emerge in a given year."

A brood of cicadas is made up of different species of the insect that have separate evolutionary histories. These species may have joined the brood at different times or from different sources. These different species are lumped together under the brood because they are in the same region and emerge on a common schedule.

How long will the cicadas be above ground?

How long cicadas live depends on their brood and if they are an annual or periodical species.

The two periodical broods this summer are Brood XIX, which have a 13-year life cycle, and Brood XIII, which have a 17-year life cycle.

Once male and female periodical cicadas have mated and the latter has laid its eggs, the insects will die after spending only a few weeks above ground − anywhere from three to six weeks after first emerging.

That means many of this year's periodical cicadas are set to die in June, though some could die off in late May or July, depending on when they emerged.

The nymphs of annual cicadas remain underground for  two to five years , according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. These cicadas are called " annual " because some members of the species emerge as adults each year.

Why do cicadas make so much noise?

You'll have to thank the male cicadas for all that screeching. Male cicadas synchronize their calls and produce congregational songs, according to  Britannica , which establish territory and attract females. There is also a courting call that they make before mating.

The periodical 13-year and 17-year brood cicadas  are the loudest , partially because of the sheer number of them that emerge at once.