LIFE

With sports, clubs and chores to do at home, it can be hard to find time for homework in your busy schedule. But we can all agree that staying up late to finish a huge paper or a week’s worth of math problems due the next day isn’t fun. It *can* be much easier, though. Read on for tips to help speed up your homework routine and avoid burning the midnight oil!

Step away from the phone
Phone buzzing away while you’re trying to focus on reading your never-ending history chapter? Try turning it off and handing it to someone you trust like a parent or sibling to get it out of your sight. Tell them not to give it back until you’ve got the material down pat.

Use every minute
There’s tons of time tucked between classes, on the bus and before school—so use every drop! You can review flashcards while eating breakfast, knock out a few math problems before third period and read a chapter of a required book on the bus or car ride home. To drown out the noise around you with a pair of noise-canceling headphones or pop in some earbuds and play white noise or soothing sounds.

Be strategic
Is your handout you were assigned only being graded for completion? If so, try to fill it out accurately, but avoid agonizing over every answer if you have bigger things to tackle. It’s OK to breeze through smaller assignments so you have more time to tackle the major stuff, like a project worth 10 percent of your grade or studying for a chapter test. 

Check your work with friends
If something will be graded for accuracy and you’re super crunched for time, check your homework with a friend who’s acing the class after you’ve completed it yourself. Mark obvious differences you notice and go back and review just those answers to see if they need changes. This can be a good way to make sure you’re on the right track for an assignment without triple-checking every single part on your own. Just make sure you’re still following your school’s and teacher’s rules for integrity.

Race against the clock
Are you slugging through your worksheets for no reason (other than maybe boredom)? Try setting a timer for a reasonable amount of time. Aim to finish a chunk of your work before it runs out. Watching the minutes tick away right in front of you might give you the push you need—and make your homework a little more exciting. You could even reward yourself for meeting your goal to sweeten the deal a bit.

What are your homework tips? Tell us below in the comments!

by Grace Zhou | 11/2/2018