You do not like to tidy up, but you are happy to take on household chores as soon as you remember the importance of the homework deadline. I hate cooking more than anything, but I can spend hours cooking if you only have an important homework assignment for tomorrow.
Have you ever wondered why it happens? Have you ever asked yourself why I can’t do my homework? These are the surprises of procrastinating homework, that are able to surprise us every time we have to do one or another task immediately.
Why is it hard for Some People is Hard to do Homework?
People may procrastinate because of various reasons, such as:
- Feeling anxiety and fear that they will not be capable to complete the homework assignment;
- Wrong order of priorities;
- The belief that the homework task is boring;
- Thinking that homework will take little time, so it can be done later;
- Lack of motivation and perseverance to do homework;;
- High expectations of teachers and parents;
- There is no understanding of why it is necessary to do homework;
- Lack of energy due to inappropriate daily routine or diet;
- It is difficult to concentrate due to personal problems or an unsuitable environment for doing homework;
- Perfectionism or the desire to complete a task perfectly.
How to Stop Procrastinating on Homework? 10 Tips to Push You Forward
1. Be honest with yourself and admit that you procrastinate
One of the most common reasons why people cannot get rid of procrastination is that they do not recognize that they are procrastinating homework. And when asked why they did not complete one or another task on time, they find many reasons to make excuses.
So, in order to get rid of a problem, you first need to acknowledge it. And consciously monitor your speech and actions in order to ensure that they do not lead to procrastination.
2. State very clearly the reasons that lead you to procrastinate
After you have acknowledged that procrastination is causing you discomfort, it is time to name the reasons. Ask yourself why is it so hard to do homework? What exactly makes you anxious or afraid?
Naming the reasons will allow you not to blindly surrender to emotions, but to assess the situation rationally. When you clearly name the reasons, you may find that most of them are just ridiculous and not worth looking into.
3. Set clear and motivating goals
Another tip that can help to do your homework more effectively is to be clear about why you need to do it. This reasoning should not be superficial, but essential and inspiring for the work.
It is possible that the goal of finishing the school year with excellent grades or passing well in exams will not be very inspiring. In this case, try to deceive yourself. Use homework as a way to accomplish other goals. For example, if I achieve the goal set this month – I will allow myself to go to a concert of my favorite music group with my friends. If not, I will have to skip it, etc.
4. Break big goals into small ones, they will seem easier to overcome
Large projects can be really intimidating. In fact, they often paralyze people before they even begin to complete the assignment. Therefore, it is important to divide the task into several performance stages, and if necessary – to divide these stages into separate tasks.
This way the studying will no longer seem insurmountable. Step by step, one task at a time, you will soon have completed the entire project. And all this is only because a set of small tasks seems easier to overcome than one big task for our brain.
5. Surround yourself with people who have set goals and are purposefully pursuing them
Such a company will not only encourage you when it is difficult or inspire you when you lack motivation, but will also testify by example that the set goals are achievable. Of course, only if you devote enough time and effort to it.
As it is said, if you want to reach your goal slowly, go for it alone, if you want to reach it quickly, invite at least a couple of people to help you.
6. Tell others about the assignments you have to do
This is one of the effective ways to stop procrastinating with your homework and not only talk about the homework to be done, but actually do it.
You probably wonder, how does it work? Actually, this is another psychological trick that shows that when we have spoken about our plans to others out loud, we do not want to disappoint them. Therefore it becomes an additional motivation that helps to keep studying easier and to avoid procrastination at the same time.
7. Improve your time management: plan your schedule and stick to it
This is almost the most important thing: developing the habit of planning and sticking to that plan. Today, there are many ways to choose from that can help you plan your time and use it effectively. While some people still use a paper must-do list, others write their tasks down in a productivity app.
It doesn’t really matter which way you choose. The thing that is really significant – to choose one of the most popular ways to organize your agenda. And after that to start putting it into practice in your daily life. You will soon be surprised how much planning can do.
8. One task at a time
We often hear praise for those who know how to do several things at once. But it clearly does not work. When doing several tasks at once, our brain keeps switching back and forth from one thing to another. That is why we get tired faster, make more mistakes, and work less efficiently.
Therefore, if you want to save time and do more tasks in a shorter period of time, always follow a consistent order: one task at a time.
9. Choose a place to do homework with as few distractions as possible
If you want to prepare your homework effectively, then you need to provide the right environment for it. Choose a place where you have enough space to sit down comfortably and place the necessary tools nearby. It should be a quiet place – silence helps you concentrate for studying better.
It is also recommended to put aside all devices that may distract you. Be strict with yourself – give yourself a limited amount of time for homework (this will help you focus) and during this time do not use smart watches, phones or the computer unless your homework assignment requires it or the technology is useful for productivity.
10. Reward yourself for successfully completed assignments
Do not forget that doing homework should be fun! Therefore, always reward yourself after successfully completing tasks. This will lead to self-satisfaction and the work done, and will also provide motivation to perform other assignments.
What kind of reward could this be? Whether it’s an episode of a newly released series or ice cream – use your imagination! And you will get rid of such questions as how to not procrastinate on homework, etc.
How to Indicate that You are Procrastinating on Studying?
Here are some of the symptoms that indicate you are prone to homework procrastination:
- Even though you know you have to do a task right away, you keep putting it off;
- Accomplishing small tasks that require only a little time and concentration also take a lot of your time;
- You keep postponing frustrating tasks or the ones that might be boring;
- You wait until the deadlines for the completion of the work start to really cause you to worry about not being able to make it;
- If you have the opportunity, you prefer to postpone work until tomorrow, even if you know that the amount of tasks the next day may not be manageable;
- You would describe your busyness as a waste of time.
FAQs
Is it common to procrastinate on homework?
Of course. Every task that requires you to leave your comfort zone can cause fear, confusion, and reluctance to do it. The same emotions are caused by tasks that seem uninteresting or too difficult. Most people have to deal with these emotions in order to stop procrastinating.
Can procrastinating on homework indicate ADHD?
There is no direct relationship between procrastination and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The reasons why people with ADHD fail to complete tasks are different from those who succumb to procrastination.
People call me lazy. Is it true that laziness and procrastination are the same thing?
Not really. Laziness can be described as an unwillingness to do anything at all. Meanwhile, procrastination is characterized by active action, but paying attention to things that are not important. For example, knowing that there is only one day left to finish an important homework project, a person still chooses to first wash the floor of the room, download a long-watched movie, to clean and organize the computer desktop, etc.
