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Homework

Discussion in 'General Support and Advice' started by Leonardo5, Jun 1, 2019.

  1. Leonardo5

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    Im pretty sure many of you can relate..or maybe none of you can relate, but I really have trouble getting started on homework. I mean, i know I’m meant to do it, i have to do it and I’d get in trouble for not doing in, but every time i stare at a piece of homework (unless it’s very enjoyable which doesn’t happen very often) I get this overwhelming depressed feeling, and tiredness. When I sit down to do it I get distracted so easily, and if my dad shuts down my wifi or takes my device away I could zone out just staring at my homework, half an hour passes, and I’ve done nothing. I always procrastinate, I only do homework the day before unless as I mentioned earlier it’s very enjoyable and I often am unable to complete homework by the due date. When these things happen I tell myself I can complete it, I can get up early in the morning to complete it, but I feel like I’m just lying to myself to feel better, e.g I know doing this homework will take around this much time, but I procrastinate and tell myself I can work faster and harder, and complete it in just as good quality, I let myself believe this lie and then I never complete the homework. I can never stick to a timetable, because to me i like to make it up as i go, and i get angry when my dad makes me write a timetable because I hate the idea of doing things in the specific order my dad likes, which is homework before entertainment. I can never do homework before entertainment, since I always entertain myself first. I usually start my homework 8-9pm and finish at 12pm (usually taking this long because I get distracted or zone out while staring at the wall etc). When I am unable to complete homework in time I get very anxious, and feel like I’ve let myself down.

    Do you guys have any tips to get a better homework habit? I’d like to change but I don’t know how.. any way to make myself motivated to do homework? I don’t feel I can keep procrastinating like this especially I’m starting VCE next year.
     
  2. GayTurtle

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    Personally, I find it helps a lot to change my environment in some way when I need to get work done. I'm terrible at getting stuff done if I'm sitting in front of my desktop. It can be as simple as moving to a different chair in my apartment, which actually I'm about to do, or going and sitting down at a coffee shop for a while. Going to a specific place with the specific plan to get work done can do wonders for orienting your mind the right way. Personally I usually find that it helps extra to go to a public space like a library or a coffee shop. Somehow I feel like I have to be working at those places or else people will judge me haha. Anyways, it's using flipping the tables and my tendency to be very self-conscious to my advantage. Maybe this helps you too.
     
  3. Mirko

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    Hi there! A change in environment could certainly help in getting started, as the above poster mentioned; libraries or coffee shops (depending on how you work) can be good places to remain concentrated as it isn't as easy to get distracted with other things.

    A further suggestion I would make is to divide your homework in smaller chunks and as you complete different parts, your motivation to continue working on your homework might increase; this in turn could help you to stay concentrated on it. Create realistic goals for yourself, no matter how small they are. Also, try to start with something that comes easy (or easier) to you, and than begin to work your way up to parts that you might find a bit more difficult to complete.

    How come you start working on your homework between 8 and 9pm? Is there a chance you could try starting a bit earlier?
     
  4. Leonardo5

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    I start homework that late because I always do, it’s in my very stubborn mental schedule that cannot change. If I do it during the day little to no work will be done whereas at night I can somewhat do a little more. I am unable to start earlier, even if I do that time would definitely be wasted staring off into space.
    Working In different environments doesn’t work for me, i think my brain is quite stubborn, i cannot do homework unless I am in the mood or it is the right time. Different places doesn’t change what I need to do, does it? It’s homework that’s the problem, or any other kind of work. I don’t know why I can only do productive work late at night, but it feels wrong to change it. But my Asian parents don’t understand, of course and I get yelled at a lot for this.
     
  5. Mirko

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    If you find that it is easier for you to do work later in the day, then stick to that time frame; in so many ways, it is really also about how you approach it. From what you have mentioned so far, it's clear you are not a fan of homework, with the exception of the things you like doing :slight_smile:)), which could contribute to how you are approaching things overall.

    Maybe try dividing your homework into smaller pieces, regardless of whether it is something you like or are not so fond of, and try working on it bit by bit. You might need to try starting sooner rather than later and you might need to try to stick to the time you set aside, and turn off anything that could be a distraction. Not doing too much all at once, could help with preventing you from feeling overwhelmed.
    You could try doing some of your homework for an hour and afterwards do something that you like, for a short period of time, and then go back to it.
     
  6. Leonardo5

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    It’s a lot easier said than done.. I have tried to divide up my work before, that ends up me being too proud of how much I accomplished and then it becomes an excuse to not do it, e.g essay due in 2 weeks, first week I do maybe half the essay then I say to myself I’ve done so much and no one else in my class has started yet, I tell myself I can rest for a few days since I’m ahead of everyone else, those few days becomes the entire week and I am then yet again cramming in the rest of the essay at midnight.
    I really think these “normal” study tips aren’t for me, I cannot follow and continue doing it.

    I have tried moving to a different place, like the library. My mum forced me to sit in the quiet study area for 8 hours to complete 4 pages of music theory which only included one harmony, and I would say about 2 of those hours was me actually trying. Maybe I did too much at once, but that was because I had a lot of work to do and was cramming it all in just before the exam.
    I also very much take priority on video games rather than study, I always do it first and will get extremely annoyed when my normal routine is disrupted. But my normal routine doesn’t work, because I am constantly handing work in late.
    I can do up to 10 minutes max of productive work until I get distracted, even when devices are off I always find something, even if it’s just staring at the wall, daydreaming, cutting up my rubber, reading my textbook over and over again..
    My mum says I have a huge problem with focusing, and I think it’s true.
     
  7. Mirko

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    It certainly easier said than done, and that's always the case but maybe with some extra help, you might be able to start to concentrate on your homework or the things you need to do for school.

    Have you tried speaking with a teacher for some tips or strategies that could potentially help?
     
  8. Chiroptera

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    It's hard to give precise advice about this because everyone functions differently, and what works for some may not work for others, but there are some tips that may be helpful.

    Besides what Mirko already suggested, I would insist that trying to set up a study schedule is a good idea. Yes, it is easier said than done. But once you get used to it, things will get easier.

    1-Be realistic when creating a schedule. If you are used to studying 1 hour a day, saying "I'm going to study 10 hours a day starting tomorrow!" will very likely not work well, and you will end up being frustrated. Therefore, be realistic. Do what Mirko said and try to break your work into small pieces. In addition, if you have too many additional/optional activities, it may be worth to think if cutting down on some of them may be positive.

    --For instance, I see that there are people who go to school, participate in a music course, play soccer, go to a language school, read many extra books... If that's the case, it may be worth considering to focus on less activities with more quality than trying to do everything and not being able to focus at all. Some people are fine with lots of different tasks, some are not (I'm one of those people who need to focus on less projects to be able to work on them with quality).

    2-Plan your free time. If you go to school during the morning, and you prefer to play some videogames during the afternoon, before studying (instead of just getting done with your homework, like some prefer to), that's fine. However, don't just say "I'm going to study at 6 PM". Plan your videogame time too: "I'll eat lunch at 12PM, rest for a bit, then play one hour of videogames, from 1PM to 2PM. Then, from 2:15 PM until 4PM, I'll study and do my homework, and then I'll be free to play videogames again".

    --The 15 extra minutes before starting your studies should be used to grab some water, go to the bathroom and do some things you need to before starting.

    --These times are examples. I prefer to write during the morning, and read during the night. You should try finding what works best for you (but be mindful not to fall into the "I'm not motivated, so I'm not going to do it" trap. If you said you are going to study, then you will try to do that. Discipline is important).

    3-You know it: Find a quiet place, turn off your phone, yadda yadda.

    4-If you get distracted and take longer to complete your homework, that's fine. You need to complete what you have set up for that day, but it's fine if you catch yourself getting distracted or daydreaming for a while. What matters is that you stick to your schedule. You won't be 100% focused on the first days of trying a new schedule. Don't give up on a schedule after 2 or 3 days of trying because you are having a hard time concentrating. It takes some time until you are used to a new habit and a new schedule, so give your body and your mind time to adjust.

    5- I like the Pomodoro Technique. Long story short: Divide your study time into small sections. You will study for 25 minutes, then rest for 5 minutes, then go back to do another 25 minutes.

    During the study period, you are not allowed to do anything else than studying. If you start getting distracted, then take a deep breath, and try focusing again. Like I said, It's fine to get distracted eventually, but you must not leave your study desk or do anything else besides studying or trying to focus on your study again.

    Then, during the rest time, it's the opposite. You should check your phone if you want, grab some water, go to the bathroom... anything that doesn't have to do with your study (as long as it doesn't take more than 5 minutes!).

    This doesn't work for everyone, however. There are apps that might help with this, but some people get easily distracted with their phones. Other people think that 25 minutes doesn't work very well because it's a short time, which ends up breaking their concentration. If that's the case for you, you can adapt the time (I use 30 minutes, personally), or just not use this method, if you feel it doesn't work for you.

    Long story short... it's important to remember that study takes effort. There are tips and techniques (like the one I mentioned) that might assist you, but there's no magic trick. You will get distracted some times and you will need some effort until you create the habit of studying (and even then, it takes some effort to maintain concentration, even though it is way easier when you are used to it). Studying may be extremely rewarding and satisfying once you get used to it and once you start to realize how much you are learning. However, like when you are learning to prepare a good meal, it takes discipline and effort before you reach the results of your work.
     
  9. ReginaNox

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    I used a reward system in hs and i plan to use the same system for my college work. Ill say to myself, i have 3 assignments. 1 should take 15 mins, 2 should take 30, and 3 should take an hour. So, ill do the longest first. When i get it done, ill have half an hour to myself, plus any extra time i got from finishing sooner. Then i start the next. After that ones done i have another half hour, plus a little treat. Then i finish up. And reward myself for finishing by video games.
     
  10. Leonardo5

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    Thank you all for the support, but as I said before I have severe problems starting homework, and these simple little tricks don’t do me any good, I am not motivated to do it. I have suspected adhd or autism for quite some time now but didn’t really want to mention it. It’s impossible for me to stick to a schedule and continue to follow it, because i really am mentally unable to. Though I knew the answer to my problems would not come this easy, so I will have to do more research.
    Thank you all for the tips and advices though!
     
    #10 Leonardo5, Jun 14, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2019
  11. LaurenSkye

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    I HATED homework when I was in school. I'd put it off as long as possible. If a teacher assigned homework on Friday and it was due Monday, I'd do it Sunday night. In some cases I would wait until study hall an hour before the class to do my homework.
     
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  12. Destin

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    BS'ng homework was like a form of art to me in high school. There were a bunch of times I didn't even start my homework until the 7 minute break between classes right before my class. I'd sit down and just furiously scribble down answers from the second I got into the room until the teacher was standing next to me to collect it. It's amazing what you can do in 7 minutes, got enough done to get a C or a B instead of a 0 usually, sometimes an A if the teacher graded on completion.