The term homework is one that many students would rather not hear mentioned. Furthermore, the subject of homework has sparked such a heated debate among scholars – is it necessary or not? However, this article’s focus is to help students at all levels learn how to stay focused while doing homework.
If homework is not your favorite, do not skip this post. You never know what the end of it holds for you.
What Is Homework?
Although this may be a cliché to many already, it would be prudent to have a working definition to guide this discussion. As the root word suggests, homework is schoolwork done outside school – especially at home. Teachers may assign homework based on:
- What the students have learned that day in class
- What the teacher intents to teach the following day
- Some of the concepts that brought difficulty to the students
Students are therefore required to carry this assignment at home and complete it on their own. However, as we will see in our discussion, this is not always easy. Most students, whether kindergarten kids, college or university students, have trouble focusing on their homework.
How To Focus On Homework – Why Is It Necessary?
Research has shown that homework plays a critical role in the life of any student. Some of the reasons why homework assignments are necessary to include:
- It helps students understand concepts better.
- Teachers can gauge the understanding of the students
- It keeps students engaged while at home
- Parents can be part of their student’s academic journey through such tasks.
Therefore, all students need to learn how to focus on homework to achieve the above objectives and more. Learning how to stay focused on assignment is necessary in the following manner:
- Students will be able to complete assignments on time. When students know how to ward off any homework distractions, they can fully concentrate on their homework and complete it on time.
- It helps them write correct answers. Students who know how to focus on homework can research well and develop the right solutions for their assignments. They will also be able to avoid minor grammatical and spellings errors in their papers.
- It makes a complex assignment seem easy! With a total concentration on a particular homework problem, students can easily find answers even to the most challenging issues.
That is why you need to master how to concentrate on h/w. It is a skill that has helped many students finish their assignments and score top-tier grades even at the college level. You are not an exception either! Once you cultivate the skill of how to focus better on homework, the returns will be rewarding.
But why can’t I focus on homework? You may ask.
Can’t Focus On Homework? Here Is Why?
There are many evenings when you get home from school and say to yourself, ‘I can’t focus on my homework tonight; let me just watch and sleep!’ Well, my friend, you may be justified in saying this because for one or more of the following reasons:
- A long day at school: The long, tiresome school activities can wear you out to the point of failing to focus on your homework. Some may not even want to see their books anywhere close to them.
- Complex assignments: Some of the technical tasks can turn you off completely. For instance, failing to find an answer after four or more attempts can make you lose your concentration.
- Unfinished businesses: In the process of trying to complete your homework, you may remember an errand you were to make. Sometimes, you may have promised to pay a courtesy call to a particular friend. All these will raise a sense of anxiety in you and derail your concentration levels.
- Environmental factors: There are times when the downpour is so heavy that you lose concentration. A stubborn bird that likes to rest next to your window can also be a distraction.
- Emotional disorders: Although many may not know this, emotions and attitudes play a crucial role in concentration. If you are experiencing any form of emotional instability, you may not be able to complete your assignment as planned.
- Noise from around: Your neighbor might decide to show you how loud his home theatre system can go. Your siblings might also distract by noise from their toys or video games. None of these will keep your mind fully on the homework.
- You might be lazy! Please don’t feel like I am too hard on you. Laziness is a common thing that affects everyone – even the president feels sluggish at times! It can distract a student from focusing on the homework and completing it.
All these might distract you to the point of screaming (like I did some time last year). However, there are working tips and advice from expert writers that can help you concentrate on homework. Let’s have a look at them.
What To Do When You Can’t Focus On Homework
The beauty of life is that everything has a solution. Regardless of how difficult it may seem at first, you can maneuver around a problem and overcome it with ease. That is how it is with learning how to focus on homework – it is achievable!
Use the following tricks to focus when doing your homework:
- Get some rest after coming home from school: The human mind also gets tired, just like any other body part. Therefore, you can take a shower and a little nap after school before engaging in your homework. A fresh mind is a catalyst to total concentration.
- Have all the materials you need beforehand: It is essential to assemble all the tools necessary for your homework before starting. Collate all the stationery and refreshments you may need in advance. It prevents getting up now and then to get a forgotten ruler or calculator from the other room or classmate next door.
- Choose the best time for completing your homework: Research shows that the mind works best early in the morning. You can decide to rest early and wake up in the morning to complete your assignment. After all, your stubborn siblings and the noisy neighbor will not be awake by this time.
- Have an order of completing your tasks: For instance, math homework can contain both problematic and simple sums. You can alternate these two so that you do not end up tackling five technical aggregates at the same time that will drain you off quickly.
- Get rid of destructions: Things such as music, television, computers, mobile phones, and other electronic gadgets can be a huge distraction. It would be wise of you to put them away when completing your homework not to be distracted. If possible, you can switch them off.
- Complete urgent errands first: Before sitting down to begin your homework, ensure that you have completed every chore you were assigned. It will enable you to focus your mind entirely on your task and not on the incomplete errands you have to go.
- Make a cup of coffee! It can do the magic perfectly well. When you feel like your concentration levels are getting low, especially during the night, you can make one for yourself. It will also keep you from dosing off amid the work.
- Listening to soft, soothing music: Psychologists say that the mind works best when a conducive environment is created. Slow music playing in the background can help maintain your concentration levels during studying. However, loud music is not recommended for such cases.
- Take a glass of water: Long hours of completing assignments can dehydrate your brain. The result of this is loss of concentration. Taking water hydrates it and thus increases brain activity. You will be able to focus on your homework once again as if you just began.
- Keep your mind up and alert: Psychologists have recommended chewing gum as a way of engaging your mind and keeping it active. It will help you maintain focus on your homework to the end.
- Avoid sugary foods: Things like sweets, chocolate, juice, or biscuits are a no-go zone if you wish to focus on your homework. They will only work to reduce your brain activity and make you sleepy.
The tips discussed above are only practical when implemented. Some of them may require you to push yourself to the limit, but they are necessary if you want to score top-notch grades. Remember that practice makes perfect!
How To Do Homework Without Getting Distracted During COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic struck the whole world with a bang destabilizing almost every system. Education has not been spared either, and students have to adopt new and creative ways of completing homework amid the pandemic.
Here are some expert ideas:
- Limit your exposure to COVID-19 related news: The more you watch the news or read social media posts on coronavirus, the more you get anxious and distracted. Get verifiable facts from the WHO website or trusted government sources. These will reduce panic and give you ample time to complete your homework without losing focus.
- Adhering to the coronavirus prevention protocols: By following the laid down measures, you will not have to start doubting yourself when completing your homework. For instance, if you washed your hands, avoided physical contact, and wore your mask all day while in school, you would not have to fear the risk of exposure to the virus.
- Staying calm and composed: It is essential to focus your mind on the homework rather than the mere gossip you’ve heard all day long concerning the virus. A calm and composed mind will focus on the need of the hour, which is the homework and not any other thing.
Although the virus has ravaged the whole world in diverse ways, remaining optimistic will give you the calm mind necessary for completing your homework.
How To Stop Getting Distracted From Homework In Remote Learning
Most schools have adopted the distance learning approach, and students must complete their homework online. It comes with its fair share of distractions which may hinder effectiveness in the completion of tasks.
However, you can put off homework distractions in remote learning with the following tactics:
- Avoid visiting unnecessary sites: When conducting your research online, refrain from visiting places such as YouTube or Netflix to check the latest music or movies. Doing this will help you focus on the assignment at hand.
- Make sure that your laptop accessories are working: These include the laptop charger, mouse, or keyboard. When all these are in perfect condition, you will complete your homework online with ease.
- Have a stable internet connection: Remote learning depends on internet connectivity, and any interference on this can bring overwhelming frustrations on the part of the student. That is why you have to ensure that you have the proper bandwidth for completing your assignment online.
- Avoid the temptation of browsing outside the homework scope: While online, you might remember a particular fact or feature you wanted to Google during the day. It will only serve to take your focus away from the homework. Stick to your homework scope and do not deviate.
- Avoid social media sites as plague: You might think to yourself, ‘let me see what people are talking about on Twitter for two minutes, then come back to my assignment.’ The two minutes can end up being two hours. Social media sites have a way of attracting you and making your stay there all day long.
With the advancements in technology, computers can now know your preferences and automatically present to you what you like. Clicking on a link or visiting a site that is irrelevant to your homework will distract your attention. If possible, block any ads that may pop up in your remote learning course, as this may make you lose focus.
Final Words On How To Focus On Homework
We have seen the necessity of homework, some of the distractions, and how to handle them. Remember that homework, just like any other assignment in class, requires your maximum attentiveness. In some institutions, task amounts to the final grades, making it necessary to handle it with utmost precision.
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