Homework 101: The Ultimate Guide for Students & Parents

Why do good people have to do unpleasant things? You surely have asked yourself this question a million times while slouching over a school assignment.

Did you know that 56% of students find homework the most stressful aspect of education? It comes as no surprise: lack of motivation, spending too much or too little time on assignments, and making mistakes take the fun out of studying.

If you want to know how to do homework quickly, efficiently, and without suffering, keep reading this article by Custom-Writing.org. We’ll tell you how to stay on top!

✍️ Why Should You Do Homework?

There must be a reason why such a pesky thing as homework exists, right? Right! Here’s what doing homework allows you to accomplish:

• Revisit your study materials. 
• Prepare for upcoming classes. 
• Boost your reputation by showing your teacher you work outside the classroom.  
• Create useful habits.  
• Avoid being grounded for slacking.    

These are all excellent reasons why students should do their assignments. But that’s not all of it: keep reading to learn more.

Benefits of Homework

If you genuinely believe that it’s all about pointless suffering, check out this list and see how homework can actually benefit you:

Now you know that home assignments are not as bad as people think.

⌛ What’s the Right Amount of Time to Spend on Homework?

You probably think that nobody knows the answer to that, don’t you? Actually, here are some guidelines put together by professionals in the field of education. Check them out:

Age	Hours a day
6-9 years old	no more than 20 minutes
10-12 years old	20-40 minutes
13-15 years old	up to 2 hours
College students	no more than 2 hours

Many students find it hard to complete assignments within the mentioned timeframes. Some have personal problems to deal with; others simply get too much homework. Keep reading to learn how to cope with challenges and find some much-needed inspiration.

🔝 Ultimate List of Homework Tips

How to Find Motivation

For many of us, the mere satisfaction of completing a task is not enough to get us through our homework routine. If you see yourself in this predicament, you may benefit from having an incentive. Let’s learn how to motivate yourself to do your tasks:

1. Think hard about what you really look forward to. Is it having a Starbucks Frappuccino or a humongous slice of pizza? Or what if you reward yourself with a book from your favorite bookstore or a new piece of clothing? Tell yourself that you can get these things only if you put in enough hours and get your tasks done. 
2. Think of bigger-scale rewards and set a goal for the next semester. For example, if you manage to cope with your homework successfully week after week, you could reward yourself with that trip you’ve been saving up for. If you fail, well, here goes another summer without a vacation. Let that thought terrify you, and then immediately get started on that assignment! 

Overcoming Difficulties

For some people, a lack of motivation is the only problem they face regarding homework. For others, there are many additional issues. Below, we’ve compiled a list of common difficulties and, most importantly, ways to overcome them:

Dealing with Homework Anxiety

Having poor memory and pretending to be The Flash while doing your homework is no big deal when dealing with a more serious problem: homework anxiety. This condition forces you to put off doing your homework for as long as possible, leading to more stress and anxiety. It’s a vicious cycle.

How do you recognize whether you have homework anxiety? Ask yourself:

If your answer to most or all of these questions is “yes”, you might be experiencing homework anxiety.

Reasons for this condition vary. For example, you may be an overly anxious person or a perfectionist, and the thought of failing scares you. There are many possibilities. But thankfully, there are also quite a few solutions that you can try:

• Set time limits. Knowing that you have set aside a particular amount of time may help with anxiety. Organizing your time better is an excellent idea if you struggle with starting or finishing things.  
• Take breaks. Go for a brisk walk, take a coffee break, or listen to a song to take your mind off your assignments.  
• If all else fails—seek help. There are professionals who can aid you in overcoming anxiety. If you feel like you can’t handle it alone, therapy might be worth a try.  

Homework Planning & Scheduling

To overcome all the possible obstacles on your way to good grades and a stress-free life, you must manage your time efficiently. You will see that many things in life can become much more pleasant with the help of proper planning. Try following these simple steps to get started:

1. Assess your entire workload for the day or the week before you start doing the tasks.
2. Now you can set your priorities correctly. Which assignment can be done quickly? Which ones will require thorough research and analysis? Don’t forget to take the deadline into account! 
3. Once you know what you need to do and how to order your tasks, devise your final plan and develop a routine that will help you succeed. You will inevitably need to make adjustments, but eventually, you will find the best way. Try checking completed tasks off a list—instant gratification works wonders! 
4. Make sure you’ve designated a time and a place for doing your homework. People often underestimate the importance of their workspace as a part of their success. Don’t plop yourself down on the couch between a box of unfinished pizza and a pile of laundry. Instead, clean up your desk, gather everything you might need, and start studying.  

How to Understand Your Assignments

Understanding your assignment is a big deal. If you take the wrong turn at the beginning of the path, you probably won’t get to your destination. The same goes for your homework—if you misinterpret the assignment, you are not likely to get a good grade.

But here’s the trick. Pay attention to these words when reading the task; they will indicate exactly what you must do:

How to Break Assignments Down

Another critical element to avoiding homework stress is knowing how to approach daunting assignments. It is easy to get deterred by the size of a task and to keep postponing it until it shrinks. But here’s the catch: it won’t.

Instead of hoping for a magical solution, here’s what you can do:

1. List all your assignments. Grab a sheet of paper and jot down everything you’re expected to do and when you’re supposed to turn it in.
2. Decide what’s easy to do and what’s not. Start with the simple stuff, and get it out of the way. You’ll start to feel that much-needed inspiration before tackling the tricky assignments.
3. Break your homework into feasible parts. All time-consuming tasks consist of a few smaller ones that you can complete gradually.
4. Take a break after each session. If you start early enough, you can afford to take a breather. Pauses are good for productivity and mood.

How to Do Homework Quickly

We’ve already explained how to plan your homework, prioritize assignments, and reward yourself for completing tasks. While these are all fantastic strategies, it’s also necessary that your homework doesn’t take ages and is done promptly.

Here are a few little hacks to save you time and help you be more efficient:

• Capitalize on the opportunities to do homework outside of your home. If you know you’ll have to take a long bus ride and have some reading to do, why not take it with you? If you have an appointment and you know you’re going to show up early, why not work on your laptop?
• You can do your homework at school, too. Use longer breaks in between classes to your benefit. You might not be able to complete an entire assignment, but you can at least get started. If you have a few short, easy tasks, you might even finish all of them while waiting for your next class to begin.
• Don’t let yourself slip out of working mode. If there’s work waiting to be done—do it right away. Arrive at home, have lunch, and then sit down at your desk and start working. You can kick back and relax afterward.

Finally, the best way to do assignments quickly is to learn how to focus on homework. The less you get distracted, the more work gets done in a short amount of time.

How to Take Productive Breaks

Taking breaks here and there can be more efficient and comfortable than working on your assignment for 5 hours straight. Some ways to rest are better than others; let’s have a closer look.

DO:

DON’T:

Getting Homework Assistance

Homer Simpson once said: “You tried your best and failed miserably. The lesson is: never try.” We’re here to tell you not to trust Homer! The actual lesson is: if you have tried everything and nothing works, try again. And if sometimes you just can’t do it on your own, get help.

Aside from asking your parents to assist you, here are a few more ways to get guidance:

• Ask your teacher for help. Your instructor should be your go-to person when you need to ask for advice regarding your homework. You’re not being unfair to your fellow students by approaching an educator with questions.
• Become part of a study group or find a study buddy. You can work tough subjects over or have a go at explaining something to other students. Working with another person is a great way to measure your understanding and practice alternative memorization techniques. With a few good laughs, homework will no longer be the torture it once was.
• Consider finding a tutor. A private teacher may be just what you need. Some work for free, even though you’re more likely to find those who charge hourly payments.
• Go to a tutoring center. These centers are known for helping students improve academically. Why not take advantage of them?

6 Best Homework Apps to Use

Last but not least, let’s take a look at various study apps designed to help struggling students. These are not considered cheating since they don’t do the homework for you. Instead, they help you organize your time, set your priorities, memorize the material, and stay on track. Here are the best ones:

1. Flashcards Deluxe 
   This is an extremely powerful memorization tool with everything at your fingertips. It allows you to create decks of flashcards for any subject or use the ones made by other students. Download the app from AppStore, PlayMarket, and Amazon for $3.99. 
2. Chegg apps 
   The possibilities are endless with this group of apps. They boast over 500 million flashcards, plus you can create your own. They also offer homework help, test preparation, and simplified topic explanations. Subscription starts at $14.95 a month. 
3. Popplet 
   Visual learners will benefit most from this app. You can build mind maps of literally anything to memorize things more easily. The layout is easy to navigate, even for the youngest students. It is also available in any language. Users of iOS can get it for $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year.   
4. StayOnTask 
   The name of this one explains everything—it helps you stay on task. If you get distracted easily, you will like this app because it regularly reminds you to keep working. Besides, it is free, which makes it even better. Available on Android.  
5. iHomework 2 
   This app is a planner that does not let you loaf around. You can organize assignments, add them to your calendar, set reminders, and track your grades. Available on the App Store. 
6. Google Workspace for Education 
   Google created this suite of tools to facilitate communication and learning for teachers and students. It contains many great tools which are particularly useful for making notes on the go, setting reminders, and keeping track of assignments. The workspace is free for schools; paid subscriptions are available for everyone. 

👪 Bonus Homework Tips for Parents

If you’re a parent of a kid struggling with homework and don’t know how to help—these tips are for you:

• Communicate with the teachers. They will tell you about your child’s grades, progress, and areas where they need to improve. Furthermore, teachers can help you better understand the assignments your child receives and how to tackle them best.
• Provide support. More often than not, your child needs your wisdom and kindness, not nagging and reproach. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s okay for you to complete their assignments for them!
• Show interest. Make your child feel like they’re doing something fascinating and that you care about it. If you show that homework is an exciting activity from the get-go, they may think so too.
• Notice struggles. Things will be difficult sometimes. Your task as a parent is to be able to recognize those difficulties and help your child overcome them.
• Use positive reinforcement. “Timmy, you’re grounded until you finish your math assignment” is not a good approach. “Timmy, if you finish your math assignment, I will let you have a sleepover” is much better. Don’t threaten—entice! And remember always to give praise where praise is due.

And here’s how you can set your child up for homework success depending on their age group:

We hope that everyone can find something useful in this ultimate homework guide. Let us know what your favorite homework tip is in the comment section. We wish you good luck, and remember that it’s okay to ask for help if you’re experiencing problems!

🔍 References

1. How Much Homework Is Too Much?: National Education Association 
2. Homework Tips: Advocates for Children of New York 
3. Handling Your Homework: Time Saving Tips: College Vine 
4. 8 Easy Ways to Finish Your Homework Faster: The Princeton Review 
5. 8 Handy Homework & Study Apps: ADDtitude 
6. 7 Apps That Can Do Your Homework Much Faster Than You: Time 
7. Homework Challenges and Strategies: Understood 
8. How to Do Your Homework: Cuesta College 
9. 10 Tips to Make Homework Time Less Painful: Psychology Today 
10. Schoolwork-Related Anxiety: OECD iLibrary 
11. Tips for Helping Your Child Focus and Concentrate: PBS.org 
12. Movement and Learning: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill