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How to Manage High School Classes, Homework, Sports and Keeping Up with Household Chores

Last Updated: October 21, 2021

This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA . Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. This article has been viewed 86,303 times.

Your high school years are some of the most fun and overwhelming years of your life. Balancing your school work, your athletic commitments as well as your home and personal life can be nothing short of exhausting. Luckily, if you spend a little time figuring out how to manage everything, you may find you’re able to clear away much of the stress, leaving you free to enjoy your high school experience.

Staying On Top of Your School Work

• If you know you’re going to be missing class because of an away game, talk to your teachers ahead of time to find out what assignments you’ll be missing.
• Plan to turn in your assignments early if you’re going to be missing class, or if that’s not possible, ask your teacher for an extension.

• If you can’t afford a tutor, ask your teacher if you can come in for extra help after school.
• The more you fall behind, the harder it will be to catch up later. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and stress by staying on top of the work.

• If you’re traveling on the bus to an away game, use the time on the bus to work on assignments or do your class reading.
• Learn how to multi-task: do your reading while eating breakfast or study for a test while blow drying your hair.

Managing Your Time and Staying Organized

• Create a filing system that will help you keep track of all your current assignments.
• Color code your folders and assignments by using different colored labels for each class.

• Mark off all the time you have classes or practices, then look at the rest of your schedule and figure out when you have free time to do homework and chores.
• Make sure to give yourself some free time each week to relax, or you will get burned out.
• If you have trouble getting organized, ask a parent or guidance counselor to help you.

• Try to split up the work – work on your project for 20 minutes every day, instead of working on it for a three hour chunk on one day.
• Don’t cram. Cramming the night before a test is far less effective than actual studying and will exhaust your brain and stress you out.

• Spend two hours on Saturday getting a jumpstart on your assignments for next week.
• Spend an hour on Sunday getting organized and making a to-do list for the upcoming week.

• If your chores are daily chores, like making the bed, try to do them first thing when you wake up to get them out of the way early.
• Multi-task during chore time. If you have a book to read for English class, get the audio recording and listen to it while doing your laundry.

Maximizing Your Mental and Physical Health

• You can’t exactly quit going to school or doing homework or chores, so sports are the easiest commitment to eliminate.
• If you’re incredibly busy at school or with practice, ask your parents if you can take a week off from doing chores (tell them you’ll do double next week to make up for it).

• Have a water bottle with you at all times. Drinking water will help keep you hydrated and feeling good.
• Eat fruits and vegetables. These will help your immune system and make you less susceptible to falling ill.
• Make a bedtime and stick to it. If you’re not sleeping regularly, it will be impossible for you to function at the top of your game.

• Use social media as a reward – if you finish all your work for the day, you can spend more time checking Twitter.
• Give yourself an hour on social on weekends as a reward for working so hard during the week.

Expert Q&A

• Do not commit to anything more than you’re already doing. If there’s anything extra you’re doing that you can quit, do that. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Remember why you’re working so hard. Refocus on your goals and that will make the work seem that much more worth it. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Ashley Pritchard, MA. Academic & School Counselor. Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.
• ↑ http://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/balancing-academics-extracurriculars-your-college-search
• ↑ http://www.ecampustours.com/for-students/career-exploration/building-your-resume/how-to-balance-high-school-and-a-part-time-job.aspx#.V1MVHJMrLjE
• ↑ http://lifehacker.com/5829673/how-to-find-more-time-in-your-day-by-putting-your-chores-on-auto-pilot

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4 Ways to Make Homework Easier

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Homework can seem overwhelming at times, especially in high school. One of the biggest challenges of being a high school student is learning how you work best — and this can look a little different for everyone.

Luckily, you can try many different strategies to find what works best for you.

1. Create a Homework Plan

Understand the assignment. Write it down wherever you keep track of your assignments, such as a notebook or an app on your phone. Don't be afraid to ask questions about what's expected. It's much easier to ask the teacher during or after class than to struggle to remember later that night. Consider asking your teachers how long they expect specific assignments to take.

Start as soon as you can. Use any free periods during your school day to start your homework. If you don’t have any free periods, take a few minutes to look at all your assignments during school so you have a chance to ask questions before you go home.

Budget your time. It’s normal for students to have a few hours of homework a night. If it's a heavy homework day, you'll need to devote more time to it. Try to come up with a homework schedule, especially if you're involved in extracurriculars or have an after-school job.

2. Find a Good Place to Work

When you settle down to study or do homework, where do you do it? Parked in front of the TV? In the kitchen, with other family members distracting you? Maybe these places worked when you were younger and homework was simpler, but your homework is probably more complicated now.

Find a place to focus. You'll do best if you can find a place to get away from distractions, like a bedroom or study. If your house is noisy no matter where you go, try searching online for study music, anything you find relaxing or inspiring. This can help drown out noise in your environment — just be mindful of the volume so you don’t hurt your ears.

Make sure you feel comfortable. Sit at a desk or table that’s comfortable, or try spreading out on the floor. It’s usually best to avoid your bed because you might get sleepy or have trouble sleeping later on. As long as you find a spot where you feel comfortable (and not tired), you’ll be able to focus.

3. Get to Work

Get in the right mood. If you start working while you feel stressed out, anxious, or otherwise in a bad mood, you may not get much done. Try practicing a mindfulness or breathing exercise before getting started, even just for a few minutes. These will help you focus better.

Decide where to start. Some people like to start with the easy assignments to get them out of the way, while others prefer to tackle the more challenging assignments first. Consider which strategy will work better for you. Try both and see if you notice a difference.

Keep moving. If you get stuck, try to figure out the problem, but don't spend too much time on it because you need time for your other assignments. If you need to, ask someone for help, like an adult or sibling. You could also text a classmate — just do your best to stay on topic.

Take breaks. Most people have short attention spans. Sitting for too long without stretching or relaxing will make you less productive than if you stop every so often. Taking a 15-minute break every hour is a good idea for most people. (If you're really concentrating, wait until it's a good time to stop.)

4. Get Help When You Need It

Even when you pay attention in class, study for tests, and do your homework, some subjects may still seem too hard. Don’t be afraid to ask for homework help — from teachers, counselors, friends, or family members. They'll respect your honesty and most are happy to help.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to do homework: 15 expert tips and tricks.

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)! 

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find: 

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them 
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you . 

So let’s get started! 

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away. 
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C. 

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels 

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, y ou get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. 

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!) 

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast 

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.) 

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later. 

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too. 

What’s Next? 

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!) 

Need more help with this topic? Check out Tutorbase!

Our vetted tutor database includes a range of experienced educators who can help you polish an essay for English or explain how derivatives work for Calculus. You can use dozens of filters and search criteria to find the perfect person for your needs.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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10 Homework Tips for High School Students

• by Daniel Friedman
• 6 minute read

Having trouble getting focused with homework? Here are 10 simple homework tips for high school students to make life much easier!

Hopefully after reading this, you’ll find a more enjoyable way to do homework while also being focused and efficient.

Let’s get started…

Prioritize Your Classes

Write down your homework everyday at school as it’s being assigned in some sort of agenda, planner, or notebook.

At the end of every day, list your homework assignments in order of how you’re going to do them. I recommend starting with the harder assignments first and finishing off with the easier ones.

Be sure to keep in mind what homework will need more time than others. If you have a project, essay, or long studying to do, start with that first.

This is going to give you the basics of how to organize your homework after school and what to prioritize.

Blue Pen, White Paper

Writing with a blue pen on white paper is the easiest way to remember your writing. It is scientifically proven to help retain information more efficiently than any other writing combo.

This is literally hacking your brain to memorize things easier. It is one of the best homework tips for high school students to use.

Try using this trick during your actual classes in school. That way when you study, you’ll already have your notes written in the best format.

Using other memory tools such as bullets, numbers, drawings, and highlights are also efficient ways to make studying a breeze.

Related Post: 7 High School Hacks Every Student Should Know

Take breaks often.

There is a technique in efficiency known as the Pomodoro Technique. Here is the basic formula for how it works:

• Work for 25 minutes
• Take a 5 minute break
• Repeat 4 times
• After the 4th cycle, take a longer 30 minute break

This is the best studying technique in the world for not only retaining information, but also no burning out while working on any task.

It will come in handy when you have long hours of homework that may seem impossible for your attention span.

There are actually Pomodoro timers out there online that you can use to remind you when it’s time to take a break.

Get Rid of Distractions

This one is obvious, but crucial!

Clear your desk, turn off your phone, avoid social media on your computer, and even clean your room.

A decluttered environment is a decluttered head. You will be able to focus much harder on the task at hand when there aren’t a bunch of distractions in your face.

You should also allow as much light to enter your room as possible. Open blinds, turn on lamps, and turn up your computer’s brightness (if you do homework on it).

More light in a workspace is proven to improve focus and efficiency.

Start Right When You Get Home

Getting in the habit of starting your homework right when you get home as a high school student is going to save you a lot of procrastination.

When you get home, eat something and then prepare yourself homework. Getting it done early will also give you unlimited free time until you go to sleep.

Taking your break first and then doing homework can cause anxiety from the fact that you don’t know how much time you have left to complete your assignments.

Do yourself a favor and avoid that anxiety. It feels much more rewarding to finish your homework and have the rest of your day to do whatever you want.

Related Post: 10 Time Management Tips for Teens

Finish homework during school.

This might be one of the best homework tips for high school students who don’t do much during lunch breaks.

This will save you so much time when you get home. I have literally finished over half of my homework before I even stepped foot in my house most days.

Utilize your breaks in between classes to work on smaller assignments that can be done without much focus.

Doing this homework in a group of friends that share the same classes will also help you get the homework done faster. Win-win!

Do Homework with Friends

When you get home, hop on a FaceTime, Skype, or Zoom call and do homework with friends.

This will benefit you in 2 main ways. One, you can share answers, insight, and make the work go by faster. Second, it’s simply way more fun!

You can essentially split the workload depending on the type of homework. You’ll also learn from each other, create closer bonds, and quiz each other for upcoming tests.

There are clearly many benefits to working in a group that most high school students miss out on. Even 1 friend can save you a ton of time and effort.

Related Post: How to Manage Online Classes

Utilize outside sources.

Homework doesn’t only have to be done with your class textbooks and notes from school.

Utilize certain outside sources such as Youtube, Khan Academy, and Slader.

Slader is one the greatest homework apps of all time, especially for math. It provides step by step solutions to all of your textbook’s questions.

They have so many subjects on their app! Here are a few:

• Foreign Language

If your homework is done directly from textbook questions, chances are that Slader has the answers for you already. Look up your book name or ISBN number and find solutions to everything you need.

Same thing goes with Youtube, Khan Academy, and other online sources. This generation has more access to information than any other generation ever. Take advantage of it!

Work on a Full Stomach

Starting homework on a full stomach eliminates the need to get up from necessity.

Our brain naturally starts to focus on our hunger, thirst, or going to the bathroom if it exceeds the need of the task you’re currently doing.

When you’re doing homework, take breaks, but take them voluntarily. You won’t be able to focus one bit if your mind is on other things.

Get home, eat a nice meal, drink water, go to the bathroom, and start doing your homework. A full stomach from a good meal will also help your brain work better.

You’ve probably been told to eat a good breakfast before a test day to be “smarter”. The same thing applies to doing your homework.

Pro tip: Dark chocolate is proven to regain your focus on the task at hand. If you start getting distracted easily for no reason… have a treat.

Related Post: 10 Habits of a Successful Teenager

Listen to music without lyrics.

I highly recommend listening to music while you work. However, listening to music with lyrics is a bad idea.

Find a no lyric playlist on any Music platform such as Spotify, Soundcloud, or even Youtube. Youtube has a constant live stream called “lofi hip hop radio” that has no lyrics and is excellent at helping you work.

Listening to music will not only help you focus, but it also makes homework more enjoyable. Without it, your mind will wander to different places.

Plus, music in your ears means less noise from the outside world. Everyone hates being distracted while doing homework by someone yelling outside your room.

Pop those headphones on and tunnel vision into your assignment!

Hopefully these were the best 10 homework tips for high school students you’ve ever heard. Try implementing them into your next homework session at home and in school.

They helped me so much during the last couple of years of high school. I wish for them to do the same for you!

Good luck this semester!

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions leave them down below. Thanks for reading!

Daniel Friedman

Hey, I'm Daniel - The owner of Modern Teen! I love sharing everything I've experienced and learned through my teen and college years. I designed this blog to build a community of young adults from all around the world so we can grow together and share our knowledge! Enjoy and Welcome!

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18 Things To Do When You Turn 18 (By a 20 Year Old)

10 things to do while you're still young (for a better future), you may also like.

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What’s the Right Amount of Homework?

Decades of research show that homework has some benefits, especially for students in middle and high school—but there are risks to assigning too much.

Many teachers and parents believe that homework helps students build study skills and review concepts learned in class. Others see homework as disruptive and unnecessary, leading to burnout and turning kids off to school. Decades of research show that the issue is more nuanced and complex than most people think: Homework is beneficial, but only to a degree. Students in high school gain the most, while younger kids benefit much less.

The National PTA and the National Education Association support the “ 10-minute homework guideline ”—a nightly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. But many teachers and parents are quick to point out that what matters is the quality of the homework assigned and how well it meets students’ needs, not the amount of time spent on it.

The guideline doesn’t account for students who may need to spend more—or less—time on assignments. In class, teachers can make adjustments to support struggling students, but at home, an assignment that takes one student 30 minutes to complete may take another twice as much time—often for reasons beyond their control. And homework can widen the achievement gap, putting students from low-income households and students with learning disabilities at a disadvantage.

However, the 10-minute guideline is useful in setting a limit: When kids spend too much time on homework, there are real consequences to consider.

Small Benefits for Elementary Students

As young children begin school, the focus should be on cultivating a love of learning, and assigning too much homework can undermine that goal. And young students often don’t have the study skills to benefit fully from homework, so it may be a poor use of time (Cooper, 1989 ; Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). A more effective activity may be nightly reading, especially if parents are involved. The benefits of reading are clear: If students aren’t proficient readers by the end of third grade, they’re less likely to succeed academically and graduate from high school (Fiester, 2013 ).

For second-grade teacher Jacqueline Fiorentino, the minor benefits of homework did not outweigh the potential drawback of turning young children against school at an early age, so she experimented with dropping mandatory homework. “Something surprising happened: They started doing more work at home,” Fiorentino writes . “This inspiring group of 8-year-olds used their newfound free time to explore subjects and topics of interest to them.” She encouraged her students to read at home and offered optional homework to extend classroom lessons and help them review material.

Moderate Benefits for Middle School Students

As students mature and develop the study skills necessary to delve deeply into a topic—and to retain what they learn—they also benefit more from homework. Nightly assignments can help prepare them for scholarly work, and research shows that homework can have moderate benefits for middle school students (Cooper et al., 2006 ). Recent research also shows that online math homework, which can be designed to adapt to students’ levels of understanding, can significantly boost test scores (Roschelle et al., 2016 ).

There are risks to assigning too much, however: A 2015 study found that when middle school students were assigned more than 90 to 100 minutes of daily homework, their math and science test scores began to decline (Fernández-Alonso, Suárez-Álvarez, & Muñiz, 2015 ). Crossing that upper limit can drain student motivation and focus. The researchers recommend that “homework should present a certain level of challenge or difficulty, without being so challenging that it discourages effort.” Teachers should avoid low-effort, repetitive assignments, and assign homework “with the aim of instilling work habits and promoting autonomous, self-directed learning.”

In other words, it’s the quality of homework that matters, not the quantity. Brian Sztabnik, a veteran middle and high school English teacher, suggests that teachers take a step back and ask themselves these five questions :

• How long will it take to complete?
• Have all learners been considered?
• Will an assignment encourage future success?
• Will an assignment place material in a context the classroom cannot?
• Does an assignment offer support when a teacher is not there?

More Benefits for High School Students, but Risks as Well

By the time they reach high school, students should be well on their way to becoming independent learners, so homework does provide a boost to learning at this age, as long as it isn’t overwhelming (Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). When students spend too much time on homework—more than two hours each night—it takes up valuable time to rest and spend time with family and friends. A 2013 study found that high school students can experience serious mental and physical health problems, from higher stress levels to sleep deprivation, when assigned too much homework (Galloway, Conner, & Pope, 2013 ).

Homework in high school should always relate to the lesson and be doable without any assistance, and feedback should be clear and explicit.

Teachers should also keep in mind that not all students have equal opportunities to finish their homework at home, so incomplete homework may not be a true reflection of their learning—it may be more a result of issues they face outside of school. They may be hindered by issues such as lack of a quiet space at home, resources such as a computer or broadband connectivity, or parental support (OECD, 2014 ). In such cases, giving low homework scores may be unfair.

Since the quantities of time discussed here are totals, teachers in middle and high school should be aware of how much homework other teachers are assigning. It may seem reasonable to assign 30 minutes of daily homework, but across six subjects, that’s three hours—far above a reasonable amount even for a high school senior. Psychologist Maurice Elias sees this as a common mistake: Individual teachers create homework policies that in aggregate can overwhelm students. He suggests that teachers work together to develop a school-wide homework policy and make it a key topic of back-to-school night and the first parent-teacher conferences of the school year.

Parents Play a Key Role

Homework can be a powerful tool to help parents become more involved in their child’s learning (Walker et al., 2004 ). It can provide insights into a child’s strengths and interests, and can also encourage conversations about a child’s life at school. If a parent has positive attitudes toward homework, their children are more likely to share those same values, promoting academic success.

But it’s also possible for parents to be overbearing, putting too much emphasis on test scores or grades, which can be disruptive for children (Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe, 2015 ). Parents should avoid being overly intrusive or controlling—students report feeling less motivated to learn when they don’t have enough space and autonomy to do their homework (Orkin, May, & Wolf, 2017 ; Patall, Cooper, & Robinson, 2008 ; Silinskas & Kikas, 2017 ). So while homework can encourage parents to be more involved with their kids, it’s important to not make it a source of conflict.

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11 Tips For Helping Your Child Manage A Lot Of Homework

One of the easiest ways for students to develop confidence in class is being able to turn in homework completed and on time. But in order to accomplish this, students need a strategy for tackling homework—especially when there is a lot to do.

It’s not uncommon for parents to hear, “I have too much homework and no time to do it!” or even, “I have so much homework I want to cry!”

When it comes to homework, a little planning and organization helps students of all ages complete their homework on time. When solid homework habits are established, good grades follow—not just for the next test but for the entire school year.

If your child feels overwhelmed with homework, use the tips below to set up a good homework strategy he or she can feel confident managing.  

How To Deal With Homework Overload

Set up a study area.

From the first day of class, designate one area of the house as the “homework zone.” This should be an area free from distractions that is dedicated to working on projects and assignments. Encourage your child to avoid studying in bed—beds should be reserved for sleeping only.

Separating homework from leisure time activities (like sitting in front of the TV) keeps your child focused on the task at hand, freeing up time later on once homework is done.

Make Materials Available To The Homework Zone

Consider what tools your child needs to get homework done. Use a container or box to keep all supplies handy—anything that your child may need access to during homework should be easily accessible.

Having these materials readily available means less time is wasted searching for materials and supplies.

Remove Distractions

Distractions can be internal (such as racing thoughts or hunger) or external (like technology or other people). These distractions can lead to a poor understanding of material and feelings of frustration.

It’s important to limit the number of distractions however possible, so that your child can accomplish more work and retain as much of the homework material as possible. If your child has a cell phone, shut it off or put it in a different place until homework is complete. Make sure the TV is off and everyone else in the home is doing something relatively quiet.

Use An Agenda

Agendas are a key organizational tool for homework. Make sure your child has an agenda with plenty of room to record important tasks and deadlines. An agenda not only reminds your child what needs to be completed for homework each night—it’s also a great place to write down questions to ask the teacher.

Prioritize Tasks

Look at your child’s agenda together and come up with a plan for what needs to be accomplished first. It can be tempting to do the easy work before anything else but encourage your child to tackle the tougher assignments first. Your child will have the most mental energy and focus at the start of homework time, so it’s important for him or her to get the most challenging work done first.

Set a Time Frame

Choose a time of day to work on homework that is best suited to your family’s needs. Whether it is right after school or after dinner, make sure it’s a time your child can commit to throughout the whole week. Sticking to a set schedule helps build consistency, and gets the work done on time.

Create a plan with your child for how long he or she will work on homework each night. Depending on your child’s age, this can range from 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Be sure to incorporate study breaks while your child works on his or her homework. Learning how to take a study break that works is the best way to handle a busy homework night. A short 5-10 minute break every 30 minutes or so gives your child a chance to regroup and avoid boredom or frustration.

Offer Guidance

Don’t do the homework for your child, but be available when he or she needs some help. If your child can complete work independently, check in every once and a while to ask how things are going.

Knowing you are there to help if needed will assure your child that he or she has the support to accomplish what needs to be done.

Stay Informed

Regularly talking to your child’s teacher is a great routine to establish. Being informed will help you keep your child accountable for the work that needs to be completed.

Ask about upcoming projects that may require extra help or any regularly occurring assignments. Add these things to a master calendar that the family shares to keep everyone informed and on track!

Be A Role Model

“Do your homework!” are 3 words heard in many households. Set a good example for your child by practising what you preach.

What your child sees you doing has a big influence on what he or she does. Read a book, do some research, or scratch a chore off your to-do list while your child is working on homework.

Offer Praise

If your child is working hard, give him or her praise for doing a great job. Be sure to recognize his or her efforts, not just intelligence.

Your child will appreciate that his or her hard work is not going unrecognized, and will be more motivated to continue working just as hard.

Watch Frustration Levels

If your child is feeling stressed by homework , or just can’t master the concepts, then it’s time to seek help. Arrange to talk to your child’s teacher or seek out after-school tutoring to help your child stay on track.

Good Grades Start With A Solid Homework Strategy

Homework can be a challenging experience, especially when it starts piling up for your child. But with a well-established homework routine, your child will build confidence in his or her ability to manage time and study more effectively.

If your child is struggling to build homework skills, our Homework Help Tutoring is a good option to help him or her get back on track!

Check out some of our other homework-related resources:

• Infographic: How Does Homework Actually Affect Students?
• How To Study At Home (Without Getting Distracted)

How To Keep Your Child Motivated When Studying: 11 Tips For Parents

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Articles & Advice > Majors and Academics > Blog

How to Get Organized and Manage Your Time as a High School Student

Struggling to get it together? These simple tips can help you get organized, get homework done efficiently, and manage your time better in high school.

by Rebecca Blyn CollegeXpress Student Writer

Last Updated: Aug 21, 2023

Originally Posted: Jun 12, 2018

I am involved in about a million activities inside and outside of school. I take six classes, four of which are APs, and I also work at least four days a week. I am a figure skater, which means I wake up at 4:00 am and practice for two hours four times a week. I’m extensively involved in the music program at my school as a part of the wind ensemble, symphony orchestra, jazz band, marching band, pit ensemble, and other chamber ensembles. I also run a club that gives free music lessons to young students for two hours weekly. As a second-semester senior who has done it all, let me tell you—time management is important! No matter what your focus is, managing your time effectively is the key to being successful. Here are some easy tips for getting homework done quickly and for general time management in high school.

Tips for general time management

Before we get into the real stuff you want to know (how to get your homework done quickly and efficiently), you have to set yourself up for success by improving your time management and organization skills. Here are some sure-fire ways to stay on top of everything that will lead to you having an easier time getting your assignments done.

Use a planner

Before senior year, I had never used a planner to schedule my activities . I just figured they weren’t important and I didn’t do enough to need one. But trust me—whether you have one extracurricular a week or are the president of three clubs, in the school musical, and on the cheer team, a planner will save your life .  In your planner, go through your calendar and write down all your activities. Even if you use your phone calendar, copy things down into your planner’s calendar. It is helpful to have everything in a tangible source. Then you can go through the week-by-week sections and write down what events you have. You should also write down your homework assignments, exam dates, and general to-do lists. This will help make sure you know exactly what is on your schedule and when.

There are also creative ways to use a planner! Check out these pictures of my friend’s planner. You can personalize your organization and make things your own with colored pens, drawings, and even stickers. If you’re opposed to keeping a journal, you can buy weekly calendar-style sticky notes that allow you to organize your materials and mark when things should be done in a less permanent way.

Related:  Why Every College Student Should Keep a Planner

Use Reminders on your phone

The Reminders app on my iPhone has been one of my main methods of organization. I don’t normally take my planner to school with me, so when I need to remember to do something when I get home, I put it in Reminders. This app is also great for small reminders that you don’t consider worthwhile to put in your planner. The alert notification only goes away when you mark the task as “completed,” so you can keep the alert on your lock screen until you finish your task to remind you that it needs to be done. There are various alternatives for Androids as well that accomplish the same function.

Stay organized

As my last tip, I want to remind you that organization cannot be a one-time hobby . It is something that you have to stay committed to. Getting started can be difficult, but once you get in the swing of organization, you will wonder why you waited so long! I promise it will be worth your while, and in the long run it will teach you lots of skills that will be important when you leave school and get a job. For now, just take baby steps, and you’ll do great.

How to get homework done quickly and effectively 

Now that you’re armed with the information to mange your time and organize your materials, here’s how you can use those skills along with these tips on avoiding distractions to get your work done with ease.  

Turn off your phone

Hear me out! I know we all have a special relationship with our cellular devices, but putting it away for a bit is helpful in more ways than one. It’s so easy to pick up your phone to answer a text and get sucked into the vast web of games, social media, and communication. If you’ve ever told yourself that you would use your phone for two minutes and ended up in the same position 30 minutes later—trust me, I’ve been there too. Save yourself the trouble and just  turn your phone off!  Use a computer if you need the Internet, and tell your friends and family that you won’t be answering their texts or phone calls for the next few hours. You’ll be surprised how much work you can get done in a short amount of time without constantly checking your notifications.

Related:  6 Tips for Dealing With Distractions in Online Classes

Give yourself frequent breaks

This may sound counter-intuitive, but it’s important. If you want to get work done, you have to give yourself some time off. Sitting down and working straight for three hours will not be productive. So separate your studying and homework into 45-minute chunks, then take a five- to 10-minute break , making sure not to get distracted by your phone or TV. You  have  to go back to work after your break, or you’ll never get anything done. But you’ll get your work done more quickly and successfully by taking a few breaks every now and then.

Use a reward system for motivation

If you have trouble forcing yourself to sit down and study, use some motivation! For every 10 problems you finish, or for every 25 pages you read, you can give yourself snacks , regulated phone time, reading time, or anything else that would normally be a treat. This goes hand-in-hand with frequent breaks. Just make sure you don’t waste too much time on your prize! You can set a short timer so that you don’t get too carried away.

Clean your study space

For me, an unorganized study space makes it impossible to get work done effectively. It’s difficult to concentrate, and I get frustrated easily. Having things in your study space can also be distracting! It’s very easy to focus on the empty cereal box on the counter rather than your math equations. Take the extra time to ensure your study area is clean and organized. In the long run, by investing those extra few minutes, you’re saving yourself tons of time.

Utilize sound

Experts say that having music on while doing homework can actually be a good thing! Depending on the rigor of what you are working on, having sound in the background can help you concentrate. When it comes to difficult work such as tests and stressful papers, it’s best to turn the music off, but feel free to enjoy your tunes when doing your normal busy work. You can even try listening to instrumental music or songs in different languages (that you don’t speak) to avoid focusing on lyrics and becoming distracted.

This is a common study method to help save time, but it’s tried and true! It’s much easier to focus on your studying when you’re not staring at a white page with black blocks of writing. Introducing some color-coding can help mix things up and keep your brain focused! You can also learn to associate certain facts and subjects with colors. This is great when you have to recall something from memory for a test. 

Related:  How to Take Better Notes in High School and College

Realize that if you finish your work, you can take time for yourself! Time management is about staying organized, but it’s also about doing it in your own way. Just do what makes sense for you, as everyone has different methods. I wish you the best of luck in your organizational journey!

Do you have friends who need help balancing everything on their plate? Recommend our video on organization and time management skills on YouTube!

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5 Homework Tips for Your High Schooler

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High school is an important time for your child—not only because she’s preparing for the next phase of her education, but also because she’s developing important skills for her future career and life in general.

While your student might think homework is tedious, the skills and work ethic she develops now will serve her well in the future. Here are five homework tips to keep your high schooler on top of her homework.

1. Discuss Strategy

At the beginning of high school, have a discussion with your student, addressing work ethic and how homework and organization will help her achieve her goals. Read 6 Questions to Get Your High Schooler Thinking About the Future for ideas for how to approach and discuss important issues.

You should also discuss how she’ll ensure she has time for everything, develop a homework routine, study space, and other aspects of her homework plan. Check out Handling Your Homework Time-Saving Tips for more ideas.

Work together to come up with a plan for how she can juggle multiple commitments and fit homework in as well. For instance, she might want to create a to-do list each night and map out how she’ll accomplish her assignments at the beginning of each week.

2. Develop an Organization Plan

How will your child stay organized? She’ll be very busy juggling multiple commitments. Working on organization skills can help. For instance, she might use planners, calendars, and to-do lists to map out her commitments.

Homework and studying are important, but equally important is staying well and healthy . Remember to go over how your student needs sleep, exercise, and a healthy eating plan in addition to completing schoolwork as part of her organization strategy.

3. Encourage Your Student to Use Apps

Apps can make studying more fun. Here are some great tools to get your child started.

Khan Academy

This app includes tips, videos, and assignments to help your child with her schoolwork. It also has lessons for adults, so you can learn new material along with your child.

myHomework keeps students organized, allowing them to access assignments, schedules across devices.

Socratic scans the internet for solutions to complex problems and shows students the explanations. Keep in mind that using this app may require some oversight from parents to make sure students are actually reading the explanations and doing the work, not just looking for answers.

There are also many apps that provide reference tools to aid in homework completion, including:

• Dictionary.com
• National Geographic World Atlas HD
• CalcMadeEasyFree

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4. Identify Your Student’s Learning Style

Your child might be a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner. She could also learn through a combination of these learning styles and others. However your child learns best, it’s a good idea to figure it out early on. You might take note of assignments on which she performs particularly well or discuss how she approaches studying and other homework with your student and her teachers.

Figuring how your child’s best learning styles will help guide and inform her homework and studying. For instance, flash cards might work for a visual learner, but an auditory learner might want to listen to lessons.

5. Use a Mentor or Tutor

Many students use mentors to help them get into college. Mentors can also guide them through high school and help them prioritize and develop goals. If your child needs help understanding how homework relates to their future and aspirations, a mentor can help.

In our mentorship program , mentees develop personal projects, which will help them make connections between their schoolwork and the real world and their future careers.

Preparing Your Child for the Future

Homework may feel tedious to your child, but it’s an important aspect of her high school journey. Not only will working hard and honing studying habits improve your student’s GPA, but it will also allow her to develop a strong work ethic and skills that will support her in both college and her future career.

For more advice on preparing your child for the future, read:

5 Tips to Help Your Teen Get the Most Out of High School

Essential Advice for New High School Parents

8 Important Skills to Develop Before College

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Trauma-Informed Practices in Schools

Teacher well-being, cultivating diversity, equity, & inclusion, integrating technology in the classroom, social-emotional development, covid-19 resources, invest in resilience: summer toolkit, civics & resilience, all toolkits, degree programs, trauma-informed professional development, teacher licensure & certification, how to become - career information, classroom management, instructional design, lifestyle & self-care, online higher ed teaching, current events, homework helps high school students most — but it must be purposeful.

Researchers make a strong case for the value of homework for high school students.

During the high school years, many students participate in extracurricular activities or take on part-time jobs — responsibilities that leave little time for families to connect, which remains important for this age group. Advocates for less-intense homework policies maintain that students should be able to balance school, activities and family life.

Homework helps high school students — but how much do they need?

High school students are better able to manage their time, stay focused and complete complex tasks, which enables them to tap the value of homework. In high school, the 10-minute per grade level rule still applies (students should receive 10 minutes of homework per night based on the grade level they are in). This rule allows up to 120 minutes of homework in the evening for upper-level students. While students occasionally need to do more than two hours of work a night, this should be the exception rather than the rule. Research shows that completing more than this amount of homework results in no further gains.

There is, however, a larger spread in the amount of homework students do each night, even among those at the same grade level. As students get further along in high school, they can select the rigor of their curriculum. Those who pursue higher-level work, such as AP, honors or college-level courses, will do more homework each night than those who have a less-rigorous course load. Still, students shouldn’t be assigned more than two hours of homework a night on average.

High school students need real work, not busy work

Researchers agree that homework should serve a specific developmental or educational purpose. High school students should not get the impression their homework is just busy work; that increases resentment and reduces the likelihood they’ll see homework as crucial to their education.

The goal of homework, especially in the high school years, is for students to spend more time studying a subject and engaging in the curriculum — assuming the homework is designed to be meaningful and engaging rather than passive activities that don’t truly engage or promote understanding of new concepts. Purposeful homework should give students a deeper understanding of content and allow them to practice skills that they can master independently.

While some researchers suggest reducing homework for high school students, most researchers agree that homework at this age level is important because it has been positively linked to academic achievement. Yet it’s important to remember that the amount and type of homework matters, and teachers should strive to give less homework when possible so long as it promotes academic excellence.

Caitrin Blake has a BA in English and Sociology from the University of Vermont and a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Colorado Denver. She teaches composition at Arapahoe Community College.

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How to Manage Your Time Wisely As a High School Student

Last Updated: August 23, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Alyssa Chang . Alyssa Chang is a nutrition coach and trainer, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She uses her extensive background in brain-based neuroscience to work with clients on improving their connections with their brain and body to heal, reach goals, and move pain-free. She holds a BS in Kinesiology and Exercise, Nutrition and Wellness from the California State University, East Bay and is certified in Precision Nutrition, Z-health Performance and is certified by the National Council for Strength and Fitness. There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 87% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 333,136 times.

High school is a busy time, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming! Our guide will help you improve your time management so you can stay on top of your school work and feel more in control over your schedule.

Figuring out Your Priorities

• For example, you may want to become a computer programmer when you grow up. To that end, you may want to pursue computer programming electives.
• Knowing the opportunities you want to pursue will help you prioritize what you spend your time on.
• Don’t worry if you don't think you have the "right" answer. You can change or adjust your goals at any time.

• Make your short-term goals with both high school and college in mind. Make sure that your grades and extracurriculars match the undergraduate, vocational, or other post high school programs you intend to apply for.
• If you want to be an engineer, and discover that you can take engineering electives starting in your junior year if you have a certain GPA, then an immediate short-term goal might be to earn that GPA.

• Your short term goals should be action-oriented, and precise. A good example of a short-term goal is to “earn a 90 or higher in sophomore Chemistry,” while a bad example is to “ace all my classes.”
• By thinking through and writing down what it takes to achieve your goals, you’ll have a good sense of how to manage your time appropriately.

Maximizing Your Class Time

• Not every high school has flexible seating because letting students sit where they want sometimes results in discipline problems. However, take advantage of the opportunity to sit in front if you have it. If you’ve been assigned a seat in the back row, respectfully ask your teacher for a seat closer to the front. Chances are they’ll accommodate you!

• Ask for help when you don’t understand something. Your teacher is there to help you learn but they can’t help if they don’t know that you’re struggling. And if you ask a question about a difficult subject, there’s a good chance someone else is struggling with it too.

• Keep your notes and handouts organized. Make sure to keep your notes arranged neatly in your folder or binder for easy access. Keep separate folders – one for each subject – to keep track of your class notes.
• Avoid writing down every single word. Listen for the statements the teacher repeats or indicates are important and prioritize recording that information. Also, use abbreviations when necessary. [7] X Research source

Completing Homework and Studying for Tests

• Consider keeping a wall calendar of your assignments and other projects in your study space. Cross off items that you’ve completed. Being able to visualize your progress can be tremendously motivational.

• You should focus on these assignments before longer-term assignments. Otherwise, you may spend so much time on a project that you lose track of time. You don’t want to be scrambling to complete homework due the next day when it’s time for bed.

• Breaking down assignments into smaller chunks also helps you adjust in case your week is disrupted. If you start your assignment on Monday, get some of it done on Tuesday, but lose time on Wednesday due to an emergency, you still have Thursday to make up the rest of it. If, on the other hand, you procrastinate and leave it all to Thursday night, you may be facing an all-nighter.

• The longer the period the teacher gives you to complete the assignment, the higher the quality they expect. Using weekends will give you the time you need to perfect your project.

• One way to organize your notes for easy studying is to organize them by topic. Then focus on one topic each evening.
• Many math textbooks contain the answers for some of the textbook problems in the back of the book. Practice these to prepare yourself for math tests.

Finding Time for Extracurricular and Social Activities

• When planning your weekly activities, start with your homework, studying and household chores. Plan extracurricular and recreational activities around your core responsibilities.
• When you are approaching test time, increase your study time enough to do well on your tests.

• It may be helpful to designate specific times to watch television or surf the web in your planner. Visualizing this limited block of time may help keep you focused.

• Your high school years shouldn’t just be about your schoolwork. If you’re stressing about schoolwork, you’re not enjoying yourself. So get your work out of the way early, then go have fun!

• Your friends are probably going through a similar scheduling process. Lock in some time for you all to hang out so you don’t miss out!

• Keep your goals in mind when choosing between possible extracurricular activities. High school can be very stressful at times, but keeping your goals in mind can help keep you motivated. Doing so can also help you see what you should be spending your time on – and what things you should stop doing.

• Try drawing, coloring, or journaling to relax. Meditation is another time-tested technique that can help relieve you of stress. [19] X Research source

Why Is Time Management Important? . By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube.

Expert Q&A

• Get a good night’s sleep every night. High school students typically need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep each night. [20] X Research source To maximize your time during your waking hours, prioritize sleep. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Drink coffee sparingly, as drinking too much can increase anxiety and disrupt sleeping. Also, drink plain black coffee, as the sugar and milk most people add can result in weight gain over time. [21] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Eat healthy foods. Too much junk food can sap your energy and motivation. Instead, eat junk food only in moderation. And when in doubt about your diet, just ask Mom! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Avoid energy drinks and over-the-counter stimulants as these may have adverse physical symptoms. If you need to stay up all night for a project, stick to coffee. [22] X Research source Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Watch the amount of time you spend online. Increasingly, experts are recognizing the dangers of too much screen time, including disrupted sleep, behavioral changes, and even withdrawal symptoms. [23] X Research source Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Things You’ll Need

• A Daily Planner
• Folders for Class Notes
• Paper and Pens

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.mappingyourfuture.org/collegeprep/make-high-school-count-student.cfm
• ↑ https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/tips-tools-advice/8-ways-to-increase-your-motivation-to-study/
• ↑ https://www.edutopia.org/article/high-school-flexible-seating-done-right
• ↑ https://www.collegexpress.com/articles-and-advice/majors-and-academics/blog/how-take-better-notes-high-school-and-college/
• ↑ https://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/study-and-training/help-with-study/how-to-study-better/top-10-study-tips
• ↑ https://www.oxfordlearning.com/why-do-kids-procrastinate/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/test-terror.html
• ↑ https://www.mtu.edu/counseling/resources/balancingsociallife.pdf
• ↑ https://omaha.com/momaha/blogs/asmith/for-uninterested-teens-keep-encouraging-extracurricular-activities-clubs/article_4d4cbc18-5e24-11e5-b139-77ef7c2c59b5.html
• ↑ https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/kids-need-time-to-relax/article_201c4041-4b7e-52c5-9f74-b34563331d70.html
• ↑ https://www.weareteachers.com/mind-body-skills/
• ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/teens-and-sleep
• ↑ https://www.verywellhealth.com/effects-of-caffeine-on-teenagers-4126761
• ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/26/health/energy-drinks-health-concerns-explainer/index.html
• ↑ https://www.everydayhealth.com/internet-addiction/guide/

About This Article

Managing your time wisely as a high school student is key to getting good grades and maintaining a good work-home balance. Pay attention and take notes in class so you don’t need to go back and re-learn the material. Get a daily planner and schedule all your school work, extra curriculars, and chores in it so you can keep track of everything you need to do. Don’t forget to schedule time to just relax and unwind every day. When you get assignments, break them down into individual study sessions so it’s easier to handle. Do a few hours of school work over the weekend too. It’ll be much easier to do a couple of hours every day than try and cram all your homework into one day. For more tips from our Life Coach, including how to set goals for your school work and personal life, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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9 Smart Tips for Homework Success

Help kids manage their homework load with these strategies..

Even children who enjoy doing homework can lose their enthusiasm for it over the course of the school year, and find ways to stall or avoid doing it. But after-school study time is important, both for reinforcing the day’s learning and for lending structure to your child’s day.

“Homework isn’t just about academics,” says Karen Burke, SVP of Data Analysis and Academic Planning, Scholastic Education Solutions. “It can help students create routines and build responsible behaviors.”

Playing cop rarely works — micromanaging and nagging only make kids feel incapable or frustrated. Instead, think of yourself as a coach and cheerleader. 

“Generally, the idea of homework should be to help students set goals, build independence, and practice applying the knowledge they are gaining,” says Burke.

To help you get there, we asked teachers and parents to share their strategies for solving the most common homework struggles. These 10 tips will bring harmony back into your homework routine, whether your child is a kindergartner or 5th grader, perfectionist or procrastinator.

1. Do It Early

Give your child a time frame in which to get down to business. In your household, this may be before or after extracurriculars.

Work with your child to identify the time when their energy and focus are at their peak. This gives your child some control over their schedule. (Some kids need a longer break after school, and others need to start right away to keep the momentum going.) 

However, plan on 5 p.m. being the latest they can start their homework.

2. Phone a Friend

From kindergarten onward, kids should have a list of three or four classmates they can call on when they forget an assignment, or even just to ask a question. Study buddies can provide motivation for each other to get the work done. 

3. Collaborate to Build Confidence

When kids don’t understand a concept right away, they may feel like they’re not smart enough and start to shut down, says Sigrid Grace, a 2nd grade teacher in Michigan. 

Short-circuit negative thinking by sitting down with your child and figuring out the first problem in the assignment together. This should help jog their memory to complete the rest. Then, heap on the praise: “You did a great job on that one! Try the next one now.”

4. Change the Scenery

Sometimes something as simple as changing up their workspace can boost a child’s motivation and, in turn, their confidence. If your child has been working alone at a desk or designated study nook, perhaps they’d be more comfortable doing their homework in a public area, like the kitchen table while you’re preparing dinner. 

Conversely, if they’ve been working in a high-traffic part of the house, they might need a more private space in which to focus. 

5. Keep the Positive Feedback Coming

Younger kids need instant feedback, so it’s okay for parents of young grade-schoolers to correct mistakes, says Grace, the 2nd grade teacher. Follow this up with specific praise about what your child has done well.

6. Leave the Room

“Kids who drag things out are often doing so for your attention — they’re enjoying the interaction on some level,” explains Grace. “Avoid joining in.”

If you must stay in the room, have your child work in a spot that’s farther away from whatever you’re doing.

7. Beat the Clock

Sometimes procrastinators just need a jump-start. If that’s true for your child, try this: 

Set a timer for five minutes and have your child work as quickly and steadily as they can until the timer goes off. At that point, they can choose to take a short break or keep going — many kids continue.

“Racing against a timer gives kids an external sense of urgency if they don’t have an internal one,” says Ann Dolin, a former educator. 

However, a timed work session is not an excuse for sloppy work. Make sure your child reviews theirs before submitting it.

8. Plan, Plan, Plan

To get the most out of your days, include every appointment — from sports practice to meals to reading time — on a big calendar or schedule log and stick it in a central place where every member of the household can see it. 

If you know that certain nights present a conflict with your child’s homework schedule, you can ask for the week’s assignments upfront and work with your child to decide the best times to complete them, says Cathy Vatterott, a professor of education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. 

“Teachers will often work with you on this, but most parents are afraid to ask,” she says.

9. Let ’Em Vent 

If your child is resisting doing their homework — or worse, is tearing up over it in frustration — soothe any pent-up worries by letting them complain. Listen, empathize (“Wow, that is a lot of work”), and state their feelings back to them (“You sound upset”). 

Once your child feels understood, they’ll be more likely to accept your suggestions, says Dolin — and better able to focus on what needs to be done.

You can also help by talking to your child about what they remember from class and steering them to the textbook. If they’re still lost, have them write a note to the teacher explaining that they don’t understand.

Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide — it's full of recommended books, tips to help if your child is struggling with homework , and more resources for starting the year off right . 

Shop workbooks and learning kits to support good homework habits. You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store .

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8 Tricks To Manage Your Homework In High School

by Christian | Jun 22, 2016 | Student Success , Time Management | 0 comments

This post is part of a series focusing on Time Management for Teens, Students, and High Schoolers.  Get the complete online course here or order the book here !

8 Homework-Management Tricks for Busy High Schoolers

Welcome to my article on eight additional, advanced, and bonus high school homework tricks - one of many articles I’ve written about improving time management skills for busy high schoolers .

The point of this post is to include a few more advanced homework-management tips that might not deserve a whole article to themselves, but definitely deserve a mention.

Homework Tip #1: Get Good at Prioritizing

High school homework trick #1 is to develop your ability to juggle competing priorities wisely.

Each year in high school you’ll have higher and lower priorities, but as always, the central time management rule of “Know Yourself” applies and helps you sort things out.

If you first know your most important life priorities , you’ll have a much easier time establishing what’s IMPORTANT and what’s merely URGENT in high school.

If you don’t  feel like you know exactly what you want to do yet, then at least know your strong and weak subjects, know your teachers, and establish these strong and weak points early in the year.

Then, as the year goes on, continually develop your ability to rank your assignments by priority in terms of which will have the biggest impact on the things you care about.

It’s all about your personal system of ranking important work vs busy work, complex projects vs simple ones, difficult goals vs easy ones, and important long-term dreams with urgent daily concerns.

By this way, this is just one MORE reason for daily productivity-journaling - to reflect on how you’re doing and whether or not you could do a better job.

With time, you’ll naturally figure out what goes where.

Homework Tip #2: Sometimes You’ll Be Late

My high school homework trick #2 is that sometimes you’re going to come up late.

From homework assignments to SAT prep  and ACT prep - sometimes you might just not be ready on time.

It happens to all of us! And, it’s ok, but what are you going to do about it when it happens?

If you’re going to be late with an assignment, I’ve learned that it’s best to A) be HONEST and B) let people know as SOON as you’ll be late.

The worst they can say is, “No mercy, the original deadline and penalties still apply.”

See, you’re no worse off than before!

And if you’re lucky , they’ll find a way to bend the deadline for you.

Don’t spend a bunch of time weighing bad options or making up schemes if you’re already late on an important assignment.

You need every moment to catch up, so just suck it up, take the small penalties that may be involved, and let your teacher know right away with full honesty because they may  be willing to help you or give advice.

After all, your teacher WANTS you to succeed in their class - I promise.

Treat them with honesty, and give them advance notice and you may be very surprised how well they may react to bent or broken deadlines.

By the way, this is one of many little moments where making friends with the teacher beforehand  can really help out –

They’ll be more inclined to stretch the rules and deadlines on your behalf.

Homework Tip #3: Use Study Halls And Free Periods

My 3rd high school homework trick is to maximize the benefits of your study halls and free periods.

Never forget the impact a free period can have on your schedule.

This ESPECIALLY applies at the beginning of each school year when you’re signing up for classes.

It can be a really smart move NOT to over-cram your high school schedule , and instead leave ONE free period in there for flexibility and backup homework time.

On the OTHER hand, PLEASE do not fall for the age-old trap of thinking that hanging out with friends on campus is more important than school - otherwise known as “more free periods equals better.”

Colleges will NOTICE your slacking attitude and you’ll pay for the lazy approach to education LATER when you’re trying to get into your favorite college …

Please - make wise use of the majority of your study halls and free periods to get ahead on schoolwork.

Also - if any of your teachers have an off period at the same time, it’s the perfect time to get to know them a little better.

Check the faculty schedules, ask around and see if you can help out any of your favorite teachers or coaches while you’re on campus during your free periods.

This kind of stuff pays off in unexpected ways, from the previously-mentioned deadline extensions, to teacher recommendations for college and so on.

Homework Tip #4: Make Friends With Your Teachers

High school homework trick #4 is to make friends with as many teachers as possible.

Being friends with teachers plus gathering a great reputation as a dependable, personable, on-time student will win you MUCH greater chances at leniency when you REALLY need it.

I’m going to tell you a REALLY hush-hush secret - as someone who has spent 6 years as a full-time teacher:

Even though teachers KNOW when students are kind of “trying” to impress us in class, we still love it - because it reminds us of why we love to teach and makes us feel like we’re doing a good job.

And that’s something EVERYONE wants to feel when they’re at work!

So, as long as you don’t overdo it too much, it’s definitely  a good thing to be an active and friendly participant in classes and to make friends with your teachers.

Homework Tip #5: Realize When It’s Time To Panic

My fifth high school homework trick is “Realize when it’s time to panic” (at least a little bit!)

This tip, while a bit more dramatic, definitely has the ring of truth to it.

There are some times in life when you just have to drop everything, shut the door to your work area, and not do anything fun until your important work is complete.

I say “panic” half-jokingly, because it’s never good to just freak out and freeze up like a deer in the headlights,

But what I mean is, if you’re getting that tight-chested, adrenaline-rush feeling of fear, anxiety and panic that you’re NOT doing something you should be doing…

…Then my honest, well-considered advice is  get off your butt and do it!

Also, don’t tell yourself that it’s too late to start. It’s NEVER too late to make a difference.

Homework Tip #6: Master The Many Uses Of Flashcards

Homework trick #6 is to master your use of flashcards as a study tool.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…

No matter what technology we devise on our phones and personal computers, the process of making and drilling your own flashcards on key concepts is going to be the FASTEST way to study in virtually any class.

Until we can directly inject knowledge into our brains, I expect handmade flashcards to remain in the top three most effective speed-studying methods.

Homework Tip #7: Handwritten Notes Have Many Uses

High school homework trick #7 is that  your own handwritten notes have a billion uses.

Taking notes on your classes and reading assignments will increase your memory, save time on your study sessions, improve your grades on tests and finals, minimize stress from pop quizzes, make you look good to teachers and win favors with fellow students.

Notes might SEEM to take more effort now than just passively following along, but you’ll save huge  amounts of time later since you won’t have to review as much plus  you’ll perform better, so it’s a two-for-one win and that’s what it’s all about.

Homework Tip #8: Review Time Management Methods

Speaking of notes, my eighth and final high school homework trick is…

Review and take notes on my high school time-management online course (or the book version ) once or twice a year since you have lifetime access  to it.

Your perspective on this material will continually change as you grow up and go through more years of high school (and college).

Make sure to come back and review to make sure you’re not only staying on track, but also doing better and better each year.

What Are YOUR Secret High School Homework Tricks?

So, those are 8 of my top “quick tips” for homework, school, and time management in high school.

None of them will completely change your life on their own, but taken all together they make a large impact in a wide variety of situations.

What extra homework-management tricks do YOU think belong on this list?

I REALLY want to know your best suggestions for other high school homework tricks and tactics that could go with these eight tips.

Leave your ideas in the comments section below , and check out what other students have come up with!

When you’re ready, I’ll see you in the next article!

Make this year your most productive year ever! G et the complete Time Management for Teens Online Course or order the book on Amazon today.

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Take Control of Homework

Don't let it control you..

Although very few students love homework, it does serve a purpose. Homework helps you:

• Reinforce what you've learned during the day.
• Build study habits that are essential in college.
• Prepare for your classes.
• Get a sense of progress.

College life involves a lot of adjustments for students. Will you have homework in college? Yes. And it can be one of the most daunting tasks you face there. Out-of-the-classroom learning is part of the college experience and essential for academic success. The good news is that learning some homework tips now will make it easier to do college homework later.

Set the Mood.

Create a good study area with everything you need (e.g., a calculator). If you don't have a quiet place at home, try your local library.

Know Where to Begin.

Make a list of everything you need to do. Note all deadlines. Do the more challenging assignments first so you don't have to face them at the end.

Study at the Same Time Every Day.

Even if you don't have homework every night, use the time to review notes. If sitting down to work is part of your everyday routine, you'll approach it with less dread. Also, you'll become a pro at using time productively.

Keep Things in Perspective.

Know how much weight each assignment or test carries. Use your time accordingly.

Get More Involved.

Keep your mind from wandering by taking notes, underlining sections, discussing topics with others, or relating your homework to something you're studying in another class.

Organize the Information.

People process information in different ways. Some people like to draw pictures or charts to digest information, while others prefer to read aloud or make detailed outlines. Try to find the methods that work best for you. Ask your teacher for recommendations if you're having trouble.

Take Advantage of Any Free Time.

If you have a study period or a long bus ride, use the time to review notes, prepare for an upcoming class, or start your homework.

Study with a Friend.

Get together with friends and classmates to quiz each other, compare notes, and predict test questions. Consider joining a study group.

Communicate.

If you have concerns about the amount or type of homework, talk to your family, teachers, or counselor. They can help you understand how much time you need to allot for homework and how to manage your tasks.

Celebrate Your Achievements.

Reward yourself for hitting milestones or doing something unusually well.

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How to use Google Sheets for project management

Google sheets is great for calculations and data analysis, but it also offers several built-in tools for basic tracking of team projects..

By Howard Wen

Computerworld |

1. Start with a project management template

2. create or customize dropdown lists, 3. tag people you’re working with, 4. share and collaborate on a project management spreadsheet.

Most people think of Google Sheets as a web app for creating and viewing spreadsheets for data analysis, but it can also be used for basic project management. While Sheets lacks the advanced features of full-blown task-management software , you can create a spreadsheet to track the progress you and your co-workers make on a team project.

This guide goes over the elements in Google Sheets that you can use to help with project tracking. This includes using templates designed for project management, adding dropdown menus with preset status options that you and your co-workers can update as tasks are completed; and tagging co-workers to assign tasks to them.

Google Sheets includes several templates for project management. You don’t have to use a template, of course, but it can give you a head start on designing your spreadsheet. Then you can customize it according to your project.

From Google Sheets: At the top of your Google Sheets home page , you’ll see a “Start a new spreadsheet” header with a row of thumbnails underneath. These thumbnails are templates. Click Template gallery to the upper right of the thumbnails, and you’ll be taken to a full page with template thumbnails.

From Google Drive: On your Drive home page , click the New button at upper left. On the menu that appears, hold your pointer over the arrow to the right of Google Sheets and select From a template . You’ll see a page with template thumbnails.

Save time by starting with a project management template, then adapting it for your project’s needs. (Click any image in this story to enlarge it.)

On the “Template gallery” page, scroll down until you see the “Project management” header. There are four templates to choose from: Gantt chart , Project timeline , Project tracking , and Event marketing timeline . Click a thumbnail to start a new spreadsheet using that template.

The “Project tracking” template, for example, includes areas where you can track one or more stages of a project. Within each project or stage, you can enter specific tasks necessary to complete the project, along with a status, priority, start and end date, assignee, estimated hours, and more for each task.

The Project tracking template gives your team a quick leg up on keeping track of all the tasks to complete a project.

Click anywhere in the spreadsheet to start adjusting it for your own project.

To change any text field: Simply select it and start typing.

To change a date field: Type in a new date or double-click to bring up a mini-calendar where you can select a date.

To select a different option from a dropdown list: Dropdown lists have a small down arrow to the right of the cell. Double-click the cell (or click its down arrow) to see other options to choose from. Select one of the options and it will appear in the cell. (More on dropdowns in a moment.)

To delete any columns or rows you don’t need: Select the column or row, right-click, and select Delete column or Delete row .

To add a column or row: Do the same thing and select Insert 1 column left , Insert 1 column right , Insert 1 row above , or Insert 1 row below .

In this way, you can tweak the template to suit your project perfectly.

You can create a dropdown that lists specific numbers or words that you’ve entered as preset choices. Or, if you’re working from a template that already includes dropdown lists, you can add, edit, or remove options in any dropdown.

In a project management spreadsheet, it’s useful to have a status dropdown for each task, with options such as On Hold, Not Yet Started, In Progress, and Complete, as in the “Project tracking” template we looked at earlier. You can enhance these dropdowns with background colors that denote status at a glance.

Dropdown lists provide a great way for your team to track the status of various tasks that are part of a project.

We won’t go into all the details of creating a dropdown list from scratch here. See our tutorial on using dropdown lists in Google Sheets for full instructions. Instead, we’ll focus on editing an existing dropdown list, including adding background colors.

To edit a dropdown list: Click the small down arrow at the right edge of the cell that contains the list, then click the pencil icon at the bottom of the menu that appears.  The “Data validation rules” sidebar opens to the right of your spreadsheet, showing the rules for this dropdown.

You can edit the options that appear in a dropdown, or change their background colors.

Each option that appears in the dropdown is in a separate text box in the sidebar. You can edit any item by clicking it and typing in new text or numbers. To change the color of an item in the dropdown, click the circle icon to its left and select a color.

If the dropdown is one you created yourself, you can further edit it by adding more options or dragging-and-dropping the options to reorder them. (See our dropdowns tutorial for details.) If you’re working with a dropdown that’s part of a template, you can’t add or rearrange options.

To remove a dropdown list from a cell: Click the small down arrow at the right edge of the cell that contains the list, then click the pencil icon in the menu. At the bottom of the “Data validation rules” sidebar, click the Remove rule button.

There’s lots more you can do with dropdowns that could be useful for project management, such as applying conditional formatting based on values. For example, you could assign a color scale that ranges from red for a project that’s 10% completed to green when it’s 100% completed. Our dropdowns tutorial has full instructions.

Typing the @ symbol inside a cell in Google Sheets will open a panel that lists a few suggested people in your contacts — or you can type the person’s name or email address to pull them up. Click the person’s name, and it’ll be inserted into the cell as a smart chip .

You can assign a task to a co-worker by inserting a smart chip.

When you hover the pointer over this cell, a mini profile card for them will pop up. On it, you and others you’ve shared the spreadsheet with can click icons to email this person, start a text message or video chat with them, or add them to an event on your calendar.

This is particularly handy in a project management scenario, because you can insert a co-worker’s smart chip to assign a task to them. If other collaborators need to find out more information about that task, they’ll be able to contact the assignee from directly within the project-tracking spreadsheet.

You can use a spreadsheet to track your own personal projects, but the real value comes when multiple people are able to view and collaborate on a spreadsheet to collectively track a group project. To do that, you first need to share the spreadsheet with them.

When you’re viewing your spreadsheet, click the Share button at the upper right. Or, from your Google Drive homepage, click to highlight the spreadsheet that you want to share. Then, toward the upper right, click the Share icon (a head-and-shoulders silhouette with a +).

Through either method, a Share panel will open.

Sharing a spreadsheet with collaborators.

In the entry box, enter the email addresses (or names in your Google Contacts) of the people with whom you want to share. By default, the people you invite to your spreadsheet can edit it and reshare it with others.

To change access permissions for your invitees: Click Editor to the right of the entry box and choose either Viewer or Commenter from the dropdown menu. Viewers can see all the data in the spreadsheet but can’t edit or comment on it. Commenters can attach comments to specific cells, but their comments won’t interfere with your spreadsheet’s data.

For a project management spreadsheet, you mostly like do want some co-workers to be able to edit the spreadsheet — for instance, to change the status dropdowns as tasks are completed and update other fields with additional information. But allowing anyone who views the spreadsheet to change all aspects of it could lead to chaos, so it’s wise to limit Editor permissions to a small group of core collaborators and then assign anyone else either Viewer or Commenter permissions.

The easiest way to assign different permission levels to different groups of people is to send different invitations. First invite the people you want to have Editor status: add their names or email addresses in the entry box, type a message to them, and click Send . Next, click the Share button again, add a different group of names or email addresses in the entry box, change Editor to Viewer or Commenter , type a message. and click Send .

To manage access permissions at any time: When you’re viewing your spreadsheet, click the Share button at the upper-right. Or, from your Google Drive homepage, click to highlight your spreadsheet and click the silhouette headshot icon. the panel that opens lists all the people who have access to the spreadsheet. Click the down arrow to the right of any person’s name, and on the dropdown menu that opens, change their access to Viewer , Commenter , Editor , or Remove access .

Changing access permissions for a Google Sheet.

For more information about sharing on a spreadsheet, including how to prevent it from being downloaded, printed, or reshared, see our Google Sheets cheat sheet . And for details about collaborating on a spreadsheet, including what it’s like to collaborate in real time, see “How to collaborate on a document” in our Google Drive cheat sheet .

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Howard Wen is a longtime contributor to Computerworld . He specializes in explainer guides, how-tos, and reviews of office applications and productivity tools.

Copyright © 2023 IDG Communications, Inc.

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Md. education officials discuss how high school students’ college readiness should be assessed

Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters

November 16, 2023, 10:17 AM

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This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters . Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.

At a Wednesday meeting of Maryland Higher Education Commission, officials discussed how the implementation of Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, an education overhaul passed by the 2021 Maryland General Assembly, may drastically change how students are assessed for college and career readiness, among other topics.

Emily Dow, assistant secretary of Academic Affairs provided updates on where MHEC stands in the implementation of the Blueprint, which includes goals of increasing access to higher education and career training as well as supporting the education of future public school teachers.

The Blueprint requires that education-focused state agencies to submit a plan for implementation, which MHEC submitted in March. The plan includes providing a teaching fellows scholarship and loan assistance programs for public school teachers.

The Blueprint also prompts MHEC to work alongside other state and local education agencies to create alternative teacher certification pathways and college readiness standards.

Part of Wednesday’s discussion focused on how to adequately determine if high school students are ready for colleges or career opportunities after graduation.

The Blueprint’s Accountability & Implementation Board proposed new standards that would measure a student’s college and career readiness. If students have a grade point average of at least 3.0 and a passing grade in algebra 1 by the end of 10th grade, they would meet the standard.

If a student did not reach those criteria, they could still demonstrate proficiency and readiness through standardized testing like the MCAP assessments. If a student struggles to pass those exams, they would receive additional services to reach those metrics by the end of high school.

But Commissioner Chike Aguh raised a concern that the current proposed metrics mostly focus on whether a child is “college ready” but may not adequately determine if a student is “career ready.”

“Usually when we talk about CCR, college and career standards, we end up talking about college readiness. We generally hear very little about career readiness,” Aguh said.

Dow responded that she was not quite sure.

“At least in the meetings with AIB (Accountability and Implementation Board), it is on their radar. I do not know how that is getting addressed with specificity…But just know that there have been opportunities, when it is appropriate, to speak up and say ‘let’s recognize that these are academic metrics that are designed for academic outcomes.’ And you are absolutely right that we are missing a piece to this definition, to this this concept of college and career readiness.”

The committee also discussed some challenges for students transferring from a community college to a four-year institution.

“A student starts off at a community college, and they transfer to a four-year institution, with or without an associates degree… and the four-year institution may say ‘yes, some of your courses can transfer, but some of your courses can’t. And you’re going to have to retake something slightly different because it’s not exactly what we want.’ And then the sending institution would never be the wiser … that they have designed a course that is not transferring or is not well aligned for a student to be successful at a four-year institution,” Dow said.

In 2021, the General Assembly passed the Transfer with Success Act attempting to resolve that issue, and MHEC is still working on implementation of an overhaul on the credit transfer process.

Maryland’s institutions of higher education submitted implementation plans in January describing how they were going to improve credit transfers among institutions.

Dow noted that the plans varied. Some institutions said they were going to focus on improving credit transfers between their immediate partnering institutions, while other indicated that they were going to focus on credit transfers for their most popular majors that receive transfer students.

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How USC's Apple Authorized Campus Store is expanding student opportunities

"Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been interested in technology and computers and I've always loved Apple," says Emili Revis.

As a retailing major at the University of South Carolina, Revis' passions are coming together through an internship opportunity with the USC Apple® Authorized Campus Store, Gamecock iHub . The experience is bringing lessons to life and opening new doors for her career.

The Gamecock iHub Apple Authorized Campus Store has unique experiential learning at the heart of its business model — giving students the chance to run the store under guidance of experienced faculty and staff. Managed by USC's Department of Retailing , the store prepares students to lead in a tech-driven and ever-evolving retail industry.

Through the internship, Revis and her classmates work and learn under the direction of store manager Saundra Koesters and store director and faculty liaison Michael Watson . The students gain lessons in retail management, merchandising, team building, inventory and more — and practice each concept via real-world scenarios in the store.

The students also get specialized Apple product training and customer service training. The training gives participants access to the latest versions of products, apps and operating systems, helping students to become knowledgeable customer service and sales professionals.

"At the Gamecock iHub, we purposefully created a retail store that is also a learning hub. In this safe space we intentionally craft experiences in support of our interns and their passion," Watson says. "Emili is an example of how individual goals, when aligned with our store core values and purpose, serve to elevate learning and help the person not only meet their goals but exceed them."

Revis has excelled in her internship which led to her next level of training, the Apple Excellence program. The program encourages her to share her learnings with team members on new releases of Apple products.

The opportunity to gain career experience is what excited Revis coming into her internship at iHub, but she has found learning retail management from Koesters and Watson to be equally as valuable.

"She {Koesters} is such a humble and understanding boss, and I've learned so much from her. I feel like I'm spoiled now. Having her and Dr. Watson as managers is an experience like no other," Revis says. "I came in immediately wanting to do the Apple Excellence program, but Ms. Saundra said, 'Let's learn how to work in the store first: understand the inventory management, the planning and buying, all the logistics of running the store.' That came first and foremost because this is my retailing internship."

Revis' combined experience in learning all aspects of the business as well as applying lessons from her classes has paid off with another big opportunity. She applied for an Apple graduate internship program and was matched with a position working in Cork, Ireland. 

"Just to get this far is absolutely amazing, and I know for a fact I would not have if it wasn't for the iHub," she says.

Gamecock iHub accepts applications for internships each semester.

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Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

Milwaukee Brewers’ Pat Murphy grateful for opportunity to return to managing

Murphy, who turns 65 on nov. 28, has three decades of experience running teams at the college and minor-league level.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Pat Murphy didn’t know if he would ever get the chance to manage again.

He certainly never thought it would happen in Milwaukee.

Yet here he was putting on a Brewers jersey Thursday during the introductory news conference for his first managerial opportunity since 2015. The media session came one day after the Brewers announced they had signed Murphy to a three-year contract and had made former second baseman Rickie Weeks their associate manager.

“You realize how lucky you are to be part of something,” Murphy said. “What we have growing here was unbelievable. I never thought it would be here. These things happen, and all of a sudden I’m here.”

Murphy, who turns 65 on Nov. 28, has three decades of experience running teams at the college and minor-league level. His only previous stint managing in the majors came in 2015, when he went 42-54 as the San Diego Padres’ interim manager after the firing of Bud Black.

When the Padres hired Andy Green as their full-time manager after the 2015 season, Murphy joined Milwaukee’s staff as a bench coach. With Craig Counsell entrenched in Milwaukee as the National League’s longest-tenured manager, Murphy wasn’t expecting that job to open up anytime soon.

“Do the math,” Murphy said. “You’re thinking it’s probably not going to happen here.”

Things changed in a hurry over the last week or so. Counsell left his hometown team to become the Chicago Cubs’ manager for a five-year deal worth over $40 million . The Brewers selected Murphy to take over.

The chain of events adds a wrinkle to the long working relationship between these two men.

Murphy coached Notre Dame when Counsell was an infielder for the Fighting Irish from 1989-1992. Murphy then spent the last eight seasons working for Counsell as his bench coach.

Now they will be competing with each other as NL Central rivals.

“I’ve had a 37-year relationship with Craig, and it takes on many different dimensions,” Murphy said. “It’s now going to take on a different form of competing against.”

Regarding his managerial strategy, Murphy made one bold prediction. “I bet I don’t bunt one time this year,” he said.

The audacity of the Murphy-Weeks pairing was evident Thursday when Weeks finished up his opening statement by saying, “Let’s go,” while including an expletive between those two words.

While searching for Counsell’s replacement, Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said he emphasized the importance of maintaining the continuity and culture that has helped the team earn five playoff appearances over the last six years while playing in Major League Baseball’s smallest market.

Arnold called Murphy a “glue” to that culture.

“He just connects with everybody,” Arnold said. “He connects in every way, with our young players, our veterans. He challenges guys in great ways, and he makes us all better.”

Murphy believes that culture can help the Brewers continue to win even as they enter a transition period with Counsell heading to Chicago.

“You don’t necessarily win championships with resources,” Murphy said. “You win championships with people. We want to get the players to play at the high end of their value. That creates a culture of responsibility., That creates a culture of ‘Hey, the expectation is to win’. That’s what we’ve tried to do, and I think that’s what we’ve had here, regardless of the roster turning over and regardless of moves or whatever.”

Murphy has instilled that culture in part by using his sense of humor and capitalizing on his knack for needling people around the clubhouse. Murphy, who missed much of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season to recover from a heart attack , also knows when it’s time to get serious.

“I believe in love and discipline — in that order,” Murphy said. “Love. Discipline. Sometimes it gets close, and not everybody understands it. I know my kids don’t always understand it. But love and discipline is what this is about, and with that, I think you can accomplish some things and it still can be fun.”

Weeks’ tenure as a Brewers player didn’t intersect with Murphy’s stint as bench coach. But he knows Murphy well after spending the last two years with the Brewers organization as an assistant to player development.

“Being around him, what you see is what you get, and that’s what I like,” said Weeks, who played for the Brewers in 2003 and 2005-2014. “A lot of times you go through life or sport trying to figure out what someone is like. But when you talk to him one time, you’re like, ‘OK, he means what he means,’ but he also has the love and discipline like he says.”

Murphy’s experience includes a combined 947-400-2 coaching record at Notre Dame (1988-94) and Arizona State (1995-2009). After leaving Arizona State in the fall of 2009 amid an NCAA investigation into a variety of alleged violations, Murphy managed at the Single-A and Triple-A levels in the Padres organization from 2011-2015 and posted a combined record of 273-230.

Murphy says his last eight seasons working as a major league bench coach gave him a new perspective that should help him in this long-awaited opportunity.

“It really is an honor,” Murphy said. “I understand how coveted these jobs are. I’ve had my eyes wide open for the last eight years here. It’s a great challenge.”

Copyright 2023 WBAY. All rights reserved.

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