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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, you 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!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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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30 Tips to Stop Procrastinating and Find Motivation to Do Homework

Updated on June 6, 2023 By Daniel Wong 44 Comments

To stop procrastinating on homework, you need to find motivation to do the homework in the first place.

But first, you have to overcome feeling too overwhelmed to even start.

You know what it feels like when everything hits you at once, right?

You have three tests to study for and a math assignment due tomorrow.

And you’ve got a history report due the day after.

You tell yourself to get down to work. But with so much to do, you feel overwhelmed.

So you procrastinate.

You check your social media feed, watch a few videos, and get yourself a drink. But you know that none of this is bringing you closer to getting the work done.

Does this sound familiar?

Don’t worry – you are not alone. Procrastination is a problem that everyone faces, but there are ways around it.

By following the tips in this article, you’ll be able to overcome procrastination and consistently find the motivation to do the homework .

So read on to discover 30 powerful tips to help you stop procrastinating on your homework.

Enter your email below to download a PDF summary of this article. The PDF contains all the tips found here, plus  3 exclusive bonus tips that you’ll only find in the PDF.

How to stop procrastinating and motivate yourself to do your homework.

Procrastination when it comes to homework isn’t just an issue of laziness or a lack of motivation .

The following tips will help you to first address the root cause of your procrastination and then implement strategies to keep your motivation levels high.

1. Take a quiz to see how much you procrastinate.

The first step to changing your behavior is to become more self-aware.

How often do you procrastinate? What kinds of tasks do you tend to put off? Is procrastination a small or big problem for you?

To answer these questions, I suggest that you take this online quiz designed by Psychology Today .

2. Figure out why you’re procrastinating.

Procrastination is a complex issue that involves multiple factors.

Stop thinking of excuses for not doing your homework , and figure out what’s keeping you from getting started.

Are you procrastinating because:

• You’re not sure you’ll be able to solve all the homework problems?
• You’re subconsciously rebelling against your teachers or parents?
• You’re not interested in the subject or topic?
• You’re physically or mentally tired?
• You’re waiting for the perfect time to start?
• You don’t know where to start?

Once you’ve identified exactly why you’re procrastinating, you can pick out the tips in this article that will get to the root of the problem.

3. Write down what you’re procrastinating on.

Students tend to procrastinate when they’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

But you might be surprised to discover that simply by writing down the specific tasks you’re putting off, the situation will feel more manageable.

It’s a quick solution, and it makes a real difference.

Give it a try and you’ll be less likely to procrastinate.

4. Put your homework on your desk.

Here’s an even simpler idea.

Many times, the hardest part of getting your homework done is getting started.

It doesn’t require a lot of willpower to take out your homework and put it on your desk.

But once it’s sitting there in front of you, you’ll be much closer to actually getting down to work.

5. Break down the task into smaller steps.

This one trick will make any task seem more manageable.

For example, if you have a history report to write, you could break it down into the following steps:

• Read the history textbook
• Do online research
• Organize the information
• Create an outline
• Write the introduction
• Write the body paragraphs
• Write the conclusion
• Edit and proofread the report

Focus on just one step at a time. This way, you won’t need to motivate yourself to write the whole report at one go.

This is an important technique to use if you want to study smart and get more done .

6. Create a detailed timeline with specific deadlines.

As a follow-up to Point #5, you can further combat procrastination by creating a timeline with specific deadlines.

Using the same example above, I’ve added deadlines to each of the steps:

• Jan 30 th : Read the history textbook
• Feb 2 nd : Do online research
• Feb 3 rd : Organize the information
• Feb 5 th : Create an outline
• Feb 8 th : Write the introduction
• Feb 12 th : Write the body paragraphs
• Feb 14 th : Write the conclusion
• Feb 16 th : Edit and proofread the report

Assigning specific dates creates a sense of urgency, which makes it more likely that you’ll keep to the deadlines.

7. Spend time with people who are focused and hardworking.

Jim Rohn famously said that you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

If you hang out with people who are motivated and hardworking, you’ll become more like them.

Likewise, if you hang out with people who continually procrastinate, you’ll become more like them too.

Motivation to do homework naturally increases when you surround yourself with the right people.

So choose your friends wisely. Find homework buddies who will influence you positively to become a straight-A student who leads a balanced life.

That doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun! It just means that you and your friends know when it’s time to get down to work and when it’s time to enjoy yourselves.

8. Tell at least two or three people about the tasks you plan to complete.

When you tell others about the tasks you intend to finish, you’ll be more likely to follow through with your plans.

This is called “accountability,” and it kicks in because you want to be seen as someone who keeps your word.

So if you know about this principle, why not use it to your advantage?

You could even ask a friend to be your accountability buddy. At the beginning of each day, you could text each other what you plan to work on that day.

Then at the end of the day, you could check in with each other to see if things went according to plan.

9. Change your environment .

Maybe it’s your environment that’s making you feel sluggish.

When you’re doing your homework, is your super-comfortable bed just two steps away? Or is your distracting computer within easy reach?

If your environment is part of your procrastination problem, then change it.

Sometimes all you need is a simple change of scenery. Bring your work to the dining room table and get it done there. Or head to a nearby café to complete your report.

10. Talk to people who have overcome their procrastination problem.

If you have friends who consistently win the battle with procrastination, learn from their experience.

What was the turning point for them? What tips and strategies do they use? What keeps them motivated?

Find all this out, and then apply the information to your own situation.

11. Decide on a reward to give yourself after you complete your task.

“Planned” rewards are a great way to motivate yourself to do your homework.

The reward doesn’t have to be something huge.

For instance, you might decide that after you finish 10 questions of your math homework, you get to watch your favorite TV show.

Or you might decide that after reading one chapter of your history textbook, you get to spend 10 minutes on Facebook.

By giving yourself a reward, you’ll feel more motivated to get through the task at hand.

12. Decide on a consequence you’ll impose on yourself if you don’t meet the deadline.

It’s important that you decide on what the consequence will be before you start working toward your goal.

As an example, you could tell your younger brother that you’ll give him $1 for every deadline you don’t meet (see Point #6).

Or you could decide that you’ll delete one game from your phone for every late homework submission.

Those consequences would probably be painful enough to help you get down to work, right?

13. Visualize success.

Take 30 seconds and imagine how you’ll feel when you finish your work.

What positive emotions will you experience?

Will you feel a sense of satisfaction from getting all your work done?

Will you relish the extra time on your hands when you get your homework done fast and ahead of time?

This simple exercise of visualizing success may be enough to inspire you to start doing your assignment.

14. Visualize the process it will take to achieve that success.

Even more important than visualizing the outcome is visualizing the process it will take to achieve that outcome.

Research shows that focusing on the process is critical to success. If you’re procrastinating on a task, take a few moments to think about what you’ll need to do to complete it.

Visualize the following:

• What resources you’ll need
• Who you can turn to for help
• How long the task will take
• Where you’ll work on the task
• The joy you’ll experience as you make progress

This kind of visualization is like practice for your mind.

Once you understand what’s necessary to achieve your goal, you’ll find that it’s much easier to get down to work with real focus. This is key to doing well in school .

15. Write down why you want to complete the task.

You’ll be more motivated when you’re clear about why you want to accomplish something.

To motivate yourself to do your homework, think about all the ways in which it’s a meaningful task.

So take a couple of minutes to write down the reasons. Here are some possible ones:

• Learn useful information
• Master the topic
• Enjoy a sense of accomplishment when you’ve completed the task
• Become a more focused student
• Learn to embrace challenges
• Fulfill your responsibility as a student
• Get a good grade on the assignment

16. Write down the negative feelings you’ll have if you don’t complete the task.

If you don’t complete the assignment, you might feel disappointed or discouraged. You might even feel as if you’ve let your parents or your teacher – or even yourself – down.

It isn’t wise to dwell on these negative emotions for too long. But by imagining how you’ll feel if you don’t finish the task, you’ll realize how important it is that you get to work.

17. Do the hardest task first.

Most students will choose to do the easiest task first, rather than the hardest one. But this approach isn’t effective because it leaves the worst for last.

It’s more difficult to find motivation to do homework in less enjoyable subjects.

As Brian Tracy says , “Eat that frog!” By this, he means that you should always get your most difficult task out of the way at the beginning of the day.

If math is your least favorite subject, force yourself to complete your math homework first.

After doing so, you’ll feel a surge of motivation from knowing it’s finished. And you won’t procrastinate on your other homework because it will seem easier in comparison.

(On a separate note, check out these tips on how to get better at math if you’re struggling.)

18. Set a timer when doing your homework.

I recommend that you use a stopwatch for every homework session. (If you prefer, you could also use this online stopwatch or the Tomato Timer .)

Start the timer at the beginning of the session, and work in 30- to 45-minute blocks.

Using a timer creates a sense of urgency, which will help you fight off your urge to procrastinate.

When you know you only have to work for a short session, it will be easier to find motivation to complete your homework.

Tell yourself that you need to work hard until the timer goes off, and then you can take a break. (And then be sure to take that break!)

19. Eliminate distractions.

Here are some suggestions on how you can do this:

• Delete all the games and social media apps on your phone
• Turn off all notifications on your phone
• Mute your group chats
• Archive your inactive chats
• Turn off your phone, or put it on airplane mode
• Put your phone at least 10 feet away from you
• Turn off the Internet access on your computer
• Use an app like Freedom to restrict your Internet usage
• Put any other distractions (like food, magazines and books unrelated to your homework) at the other end of the room
• Unplug the TV
• Use earplugs if your surroundings are noisy

20. At the start of each day, write down the two to three Most Important Tasks (MITs) you want to accomplish.

This will enable you to prioritize your tasks. As Josh Kaufman explains , a Most Important Task (MIT) is a critical task that will help you to get significant results down the road.

Not all tasks are equally important. That’s why it’s vital that you identify your MITs, so that you can complete those as early in the day as possible.

What do you most need to get done today? That’s an MIT.

Get to work on it, then feel the satisfaction that comes from knowing it’s out of the way.

21. Focus on progress instead of perfection.

Perfectionism can destroy your motivation to do homework and keep you from starting important assignments.

Some students procrastinate because they’re waiting for the perfect time to start.

Others do so because they want to get their homework done perfectly. But they know this isn’t really possible – so they put off even getting started.

What’s the solution?

To focus on progress instead of perfection.

There’s never a perfect time for anything. Nor will you ever be able to complete your homework perfectly. But you can do your best, and that’s enough.

So concentrate on learning and improving, and turn this into a habit that you implement whenever you study .

22. Get organized.

Procrastination is common among students who are disorganized.

When you can’t remember which assignment is due when or which tests you have coming up, you’ll naturally feel confused. You’ll experience school- and test-related stress .

This, in turn, will lead to procrastination.

That’s why it’s crucial that you get organized. Here are some tips for doing this:

• Don’t rely on your memory ; write everything down
• Keep a to-do list
• Use a student planner
• Use a calendar and take note of important dates like exams, project due dates, school holidays , birthdays, and family events
• At the end of each day, plan for the following day
• Use one binder or folder for each subject or course
• Do weekly filing of your loose papers, notes, and old homework
• Throw away all the papers and notes you no longer need

23. Stop saying “I have to” and start saying “I choose to.”

When you say things like “I have to write my essay” or “I have to finish my science assignment,” you’ll probably feel annoyed. You might be tempted to complain about your teachers or your school .

What’s the alternative?

To use the phrase “I choose to.”

The truth is, you don’t “have” to do anything.

You can choose not to write your essay; you’ll just run the risk of failing the class.

You can choose not to do your science assignment; you’ll just need to deal with your angry teacher.

When you say “I choose to do my homework,” you’ll feel empowered. This means you’ll be more motivated to study and to do what you ought to.

24. Clear your desk once a week.

Clutter can be demotivating. It also causes stress , which is often at the root of procrastination.

Hard to believe? Give it a try and see for yourself.

By clearing your desk, you’ll reduce stress and make your workspace more organized.

So set a recurring appointment to organize your workspace once a week for just 10 minutes. You’ll receive huge benefits in the long run!

25. If a task takes two minutes or less to complete, do it now.

This is a principle from David Allen’s bestselling book, Getting Things Done .

You may notice that you tend to procrastinate when many tasks pile up. The way to prevent this from happening is to take care of the small but important tasks as soon as you have time.

Here are some examples of small two-minute tasks that you should do once you have a chance:

• Replying to your project group member’s email
• Picking up anything on the floor that doesn’t belong there
• Asking your parents to sign a consent form
• Filing a graded assignment
• Making a quick phone call
• Writing a checklist
• Sending a text to schedule a meeting
• Making an online purchase that doesn’t require further research

26. Finish one task before starting on the next.

You aren’t being productive when you switch between working on your literature essay, social studies report, and physics problem set – while also intermittently checking your phone.

Research shows that multitasking is less effective than doing one thing at a time. Multitasking may even damage your brain !

When it comes to overcoming procrastination, it’s better to stick with one task all the way through before starting on the next one.

You’ll get a sense of accomplishment when you finish the first assignment, which will give you a boost of inspiration as you move on to the next one.

27. Build your focus gradually.

You can’t win the battle against procrastination overnight; it takes time. This means that you need to build your focus progressively.

If you can only focus for 10 minutes at once, that’s fine. Start with three sessions of 10 minutes a day. After a week, increase it to three sessions of 15 minutes a day, and so on.

As the weeks go by, you’ll become far more focused than when you first started. And you’ll soon see how great that makes you feel.

28. Before you start work, write down three things you’re thankful for.

Gratitude improves your psychological health and increases your mental strength .

These factors are linked to motivation. The more you practice gratitude, the easier it will be to find motivation to do your homework. As such, it’s less likely that you’ll be a serial procrastinator.

Before you get down to work for the day, write down three things you’re thankful for. These could be simple things like good health, fine weather, or a loving family.

You could even do this in a “gratitude journal,” which you can then look back on whenever you need a shot of fresh appreciation for the good things in your life.

Either way, this short exercise will get you in the right mindset to be productive.

29. Get enough sleep.

For most people, this means getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. And teenagers need 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night to function optimally.

What does sleep have to do with procrastination?

More than you might realize.

It’s almost impossible to feel motivated when you’re tired. And when you’re low on energy, your willpower is depleted too.

That’s why you give in to the temptation of Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube videos more easily when you’re sleep-deprived.

Here are ways to get more sleep , and sleep better too:

• Create a bedtime routine
• Go to sleep at around the same time every night
• Set a daily alarm as a reminder to go to bed
• Exercise regularly (but not within a few hours of bedtime)
• Make your bedroom as dark as possible
• Remove or switch off all electronic devices before bedtime
• Avoid caffeine at least six hours before bedtime
• Use an eye mask and earplugs

30. Schedule appointments with yourself to complete your homework.

These appointments are specific blocks of time reserved for working on a report, assignment, or project. Scheduling appointments is effective because it makes the task more “official,” so you’re more likely to keep the appointment.

For example, you could schedule appointments such as:

• Jan 25 th , 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm: Math assignment
• Jan 27 th , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Online research for social studies project
• Jan 28 th , 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm: Write introduction for English essay

Transform homework procrastination into homework motivation

Procrastination is a problem we all face.

But given that you’ve read all the way to here, I know you’re committed to overcoming this problem.

And now that you’re armed with these tips, you have all the tools you need to become more disciplined and focused .

By the way, please don’t feel as if you need to implement all the tips at once, because that would be too overwhelming.

Instead, I recommend that you focus on just a couple of tips a week, and make gradual progress. No rush!

Over time, you’ll realize that your habit of procrastination has been replaced by the habit of getting things done.

Now’s the time to get started on that process of transformation. 🙂

Like this article? Please share it with your friends.

Images: Student and books , Homework , Group of students , Consequences , Why , Writing a list , Organized desk , Gratitude

January 19, 2016 at 11:53 am

Ur tips are rlly helpful. Thnkyou ! 🙂

January 19, 2016 at 1:43 pm

You’re welcome 🙂

August 29, 2018 at 11:21 am

Thanks very much

February 19, 2019 at 1:38 pm

The funny thing is while I was reading the first few steps of this article I was procrastinating on my homework….

November 12, 2019 at 12:44 pm

same here! but now I actually want to get my stuff done… huh

December 4, 2022 at 11:35 pm

May 30, 2023 at 6:26 am

October 25, 2023 at 11:35 am

fr tho i totally was but now I’m actually going to get started haha

June 6, 2020 at 6:04 am

I love your articles

January 21, 2016 at 7:07 pm

Thanks soo much. It’s almost like you could read my mind- when I felt so overwhelmed with the workload heap I had created for myself by procrastination, I know feel very motivated to tackle it out completely and replace that bad habit with the wonderful tips mentioned here! 🙂

January 21, 2016 at 8:04 pm

I’m glad to help 🙂

January 25, 2016 at 3:09 pm

You have shared great tips here. I especially like the point “Write down why you want to complete the task” because it is helpful to make us more motivated when we are clear about our goals

January 25, 2016 at 4:51 pm

Glad that you found the tips useful, John!

January 29, 2016 at 1:22 am

Thank you very much for your wonderful tips!!! ☺☺☺

January 29, 2016 at 10:41 am

It’s my joy to help, Kabir 🙂

February 3, 2016 at 12:57 pm

Always love your articles. Keep them up 🙂

February 3, 2016 at 1:21 pm

Thanks, Matthew 🙂

February 4, 2016 at 1:40 pm

There are quite a lot of things that you need to do in order to come out with flying colors while studying in a university away from your homeland. Procrastinating on homework is one of the major mistakes committed by students and these tips will help you to avoid them all and make yourself more efficient during your student life.

February 4, 2016 at 1:58 pm

Completely agreed, Leong Siew.

October 5, 2018 at 12:52 am

Wow! thank you very much, I love it .

November 2, 2018 at 10:45 am

You are helping me a lot.. thank you very much….😊

November 6, 2018 at 5:19 pm

I’m procrastinating by reading this

November 29, 2018 at 10:21 am

January 8, 2021 at 3:38 am

March 3, 2019 at 9:12 am

Daniel, your amazing information and advice, has been very useful! Please keep up your excellent work!

April 12, 2019 at 11:12 am

We should stop procrastinating.

September 28, 2019 at 5:19 pm

Thank you so much for the tips:) i’ve been procrastinating since i started high schools and my grades were really bad “F” but the tips have made me a straight A student again.

January 23, 2020 at 7:43 pm

Thanks for the tips, Daniel! They’re really useful! 😁

April 10, 2020 at 2:15 pm

I have always stood first in my class. But procrastination has always been a very bad habit of mine which is why I lost marks for late submission .As an excuse for finding motivation for studying I would spend hours on the phone and I would eventually procrastinate. So I tried your tips and tricks today and they really worked.i am so glad and thankful for your help. 🇮🇳Love from India🇮🇳

April 15, 2020 at 11:16 am

Well I’m gonna give this a shot it looks and sounds very helpful thank you guys I really needed this

April 16, 2020 at 9:48 pm

Daniel, your amazing information and advice, has been very useful! keep up your excellent work! May you give more useful content to us.

May 6, 2020 at 5:03 pm

nice article thanks for your sharing.

May 20, 2020 at 4:49 am

Thank you so much this helped me so much but I was wondering about like what if you just like being lazy and stuff and don’t feel like doing anything and you don’t want to tell anyone because you might annoy them and you just don’t want to add your problems and put another burden on theirs

July 12, 2020 at 1:55 am

I’ve read many short procrastination tip articles and always thought they were stupid or overlooking the actual problem. ‘do this and this’ or that and that, and I sit there thinking I CAN’T. This article had some nice original tips that I actually followed and really did make me feel a bit better. Cheers, diving into what will probably be a 3 hour case study.

August 22, 2020 at 10:14 pm

Nicely explain each tips and those are practical thanks for sharing. Dr.Achyut More

November 11, 2020 at 12:34 pm

Thanks a lot! It was very helpful!

November 15, 2020 at 9:11 am

I keep catching myself procrastinating today. I started reading this yesterday, but then I realized I was procrastinating, so I stopped to finish it today. Thank you for all the great tips.

November 30, 2020 at 5:15 pm

Woow this is so great. Thanks so much Daniel

December 3, 2020 at 3:13 am

These tips were very helpful!

December 18, 2020 at 11:54 am

Procrastination is a major problem of mine, and this, this is very helpful. It is very motivational, now I think I can complete my work.

December 28, 2020 at 2:44 pm

Daniel Wong: When you’re doing your homework, is your super-comfortable bed just two steps away? Me: Nope, my super-comfortable bed is one step away. (But I seriously can’t study anywhere else. If I go to the dining table, my mum would be right in front of me talking loudly on the phone with colleagues and other rooms is an absolute no. My mum doesn’t allow me to go outside. Please give me some suggestions. )

September 19, 2022 at 12:14 pm

I would try and find some noise cancelling headphones to play some classical music or get some earbuds to ignore you mum lol

March 1, 2021 at 5:46 pm

Thank you very much. I highly appreciate it.

May 12, 2023 at 3:38 am

This is great advice. My little niece is now six years old and I like to use those nice cheap child friendly workbooks with her. This is done in order to help her to learn things completely on her own. I however prefer to test her on her own knowledge however. After a rather quick demonstration in the lesson I then tend to give her two simple questions to start off with. And it works a treat. Seriously. I love it. She loves it. The exam questions are for her to answer on her own on a notepad. If she can, she will receive a gold medal and a box of sweets. If not she only gets a plastic toy. We do this all the time to help her understand. Once a week we spend up to thirty minutes in a math lesson on this technique for recalling the basic facts. I have had a lot of great success with this new age technique. So I’m going to carry on with it for now.

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Why Can’t I do My Homework With Solutions

• Post author By admin
• August 30, 2023

Struggling with homework? Explore common challenges for why can’t I do my homework. From procrastination to focus issues, discover how to tackle ‘Why Can’t I Do My Homework’ head-on.

Imagine this: You’re cozied up at your desk, surrounded by textbooks, with a daunting pile of homework staring you down. Your brain feels like it’s taken a vacation, and you can’t help but wonder, “Why can’t I do my homework?”

If that scenario sounds familiar, welcome to the club! We’ve all been there, and it’s like homework has this magical power to turn us into amateur detectives trying to solve the case of the vanishing motivation.

But here’s the good news: you’re about to embark on a journey to demystify the reasons behind the “homework struggle.” Think of us as your friendly tour guides, here to unravel the mysteries, expose the culprits, and offer you some killer strategies to conquer the homework conundrum.

So, get ready to uncover why homework sometimes feels like a cryptic puzzle and learn how to transform it from a dreaded chore into a manageable mission. It’s time to dive in, have some fun, and crack the code on “Why can’t I do my homework?”

Table of Contents

Why Can’t I Do My Homework?

There are numerous reasons why someone might struggle with completing their homework. Here’s a list of common factors that can contribute to the challenge of “Why can’t I do my homework?”

Overwhelming Workload

A heavy workload can leave students feeling buried under a mountain of assignments. For instance, imagine a high school student juggling multiple advanced classes, each assigning substantial homework.

The sheer volume of work can be intimidating and make it difficult to manage time effectively, leading to incomplete or rushed homework.

Lack of Motivation

When a topic doesn’t spark interest, motivation can dwindle. Consider a student who loves history but dreads algebra.

The excitement for history homework may result in diligent completion, while the algebra assignment might be delayed or avoided due to lack of enthusiasm.

Procrastination

Procrastination is the art of delaying tasks until the last possible moment. Take, for instance, a college student who decides to binge-watch a TV series instead of starting their term paper.

This can result in a panic-induced rush to complete the paper, often leading to subpar work.

Distractions

An environment filled with distractions, like a noisy dorm room or a bustling café, can hinder concentration.

For example, a university student trying to study for an important exam in a crowded coffee shop may struggle to focus amidst the cacophony.

Time Management Issues

Poor time management can mean allocating too little time for homework. Consider a scenario where a student spends too much time on social media or extracurricular activities, leaving minimal time for academic tasks.

Difficulty Understanding the Material

If a student struggles to grasp concepts from class, completing homework becomes an uphill battle. For instance, a high school student may find calculus homework challenging if they don’t comprehend the underlying principles taught in class.

Fear of Failure

The fear of not meeting expectations can create anxiety around homework. Imagine a college student afraid of disappointing their parents with low grades. This fear can paralyze them, making it difficult to start or complete assignments.

Personal Problems

Personal issues such as family conflicts or relationship problems can be emotionally draining. Suppose a high school student is experiencing family troubles; their emotional distress may make it nearly impossible to focus on homework.

Health Issues

Physical or mental health problems can impact the ability to concentrate on homework. For example, a college student dealing with depression may lack the energy and motivation to complete assignments.

Perfectionism

Striving for perfection can lead to excessive time spent on a single assignment. Think of a high-achieving student who meticulously edits and revises an essay, constantly second-guessing themselves and ultimately missing deadlines.

Lack of Resources

Insufficient access to study materials or a quiet study space can hinder homework completion. Suppose a student lacks internet access at home for research purposes; this limitation can impede their ability to complete assignments that require online resources.

Language Barriers

For students learning in a non-native language, understanding and completing assignments in that language can be especially challenging.

For instance, an international student may struggle with English-language assignments, leading to slower progress.

Negative Peer Influence

Peer pressure can tempt students to prioritize social activities over homework. Imagine a high school student invited to a party on a homework-heavy night; the temptation to attend the party may lead to incomplete assignments.

Learning Disabilities

Students with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, may require specialized support to complete their homework effectively. Consider a student with dyscalculia attempting math homework without the necessary accommodations, which can result in frustration and incomplete work.

Teacher-Student Mismatch

Sometimes, a student’s learning style doesn’t align with the teaching style of a particular teacher, making homework more challenging.

For example, a student who learns best through hands-on activities may struggle with a teacher who primarily uses lectures for instruction.

Lack of Interest in the Subject

If a student lacks interest in a particular subject, they may find it hard to motivate themselves to do the associated homework.

For instance, a high school student passionate about literature may struggle to engage with physics assignments, leading to procrastination.

Lack of Support

Some students lack a support system at home or school and may not have someone to turn to for help when they’re stuck on a problem.

Imagine a middle school student without access to a tutor or supportive parents; they might struggle to complete challenging assignments independently.

Insufficient Feedback

Without timely feedback from teachers, students may struggle to understand their mistakes and improve. Consider a scenario where a college professor rarely provides feedback on assignments; students may miss the opportunity to learn from their errors, leading to repeated difficulties.

Test Anxiety

Worrying about upcoming tests can distract students from focusing on their homework. Think of a high school student with a major exam approaching; their anxiety about the test may lead to procrastination or difficulty concentrating on other assignments.

Environmental Factors

Living in a noisy or chaotic environment can make it challenging to concentrate on homework. For instance, a university student sharing a small apartment with roommates who frequently host loud gatherings may struggle to find a quiet space for focused study.

Lack of a Structured Routine

A lack of a structured routine can lead to inconsistency in homework completion. Imagine a college student without a regular schedule; their homework habits may become erratic, impacting productivity.

Financial Stress

Students facing financial stress may need to work part-time jobs, leaving less time and energy for homework.

Suppose a college student must work long hours to cover tuition costs; this can result in exhaustion and insufficient time for assignments.

Technology Addiction

Excessive use of technology for non-educational purposes can interfere with homework completion. Consider a high school student addicted to online gaming; this addiction may lead to prolonged screen time and delayed homework.

Lack of Rewards

When students don’t see rewards or benefits from doing their homework, they may question its value. Think of a middle school student who receives no feedback or recognition for completed assignments; this lack of positive reinforcement can diminish their motivation.

Excessive workload and high expectations can lead to burnout, making it impossible to approach homework with enthusiasm. Suppose a college student takes on a heavy course load, participates in extracurricular activities, and works part-time; this overwhelming schedule can result in burnout and reduced productivity.

These factors illustrate the diverse challenges students face when tackling homework. It’s essential to recognize that homework struggles are not uncommon, and they can result from a combination of these factors.

Identifying the specific obstacles at play is the first step toward finding effective strategies to overcome them and enhance the homework experience.

What to do if I can’t do my homework?

Have a close look at what to do if I can’t do my homework.

Prioritize tasks based on deadlines and difficulty. Break the workload into smaller, manageable chunks, focusing on one subject at a time.

Find ways to make the assignment more engaging. Connect it to your interests or future goals. Set rewards for completing tasks.

Set clear goals and deadlines. Use techniques like the Pomodoro method to work in short, focused intervals with breaks.

Create a dedicated study space free from distractions. Consider noise-cancelling headphones to block out external noise.

Use planners or digital tools to schedule study sessions and allocate time for each assignment. Stick to the schedule.

Seek help from teachers, tutors, or online resources. Break down complex topics into smaller, more understandable parts.

Shift your focus from perfection to learning. Remember that making mistakes is part of the learning process. Seek support from teachers or counselors.

Communicate with teachers about personal challenges. Consider counseling or therapy to manage emotional stress.

Prioritize self-care. Seek treatment if needed, and communicate with teachers about health-related limitations.

Set realistic goals and time limits for assignments. Aim for improvement rather than perfection.

Utilize online resources, libraries, and educational websites. Ask teachers for additional materials if necessary.

Seek language support resources, such as language classes or tutoring. Use language learning apps to improve proficiency.

Set boundaries with friends and communicate your homework commitments. Prioritize academic responsibilities.

Work with school counselors to access appropriate accommodations and support.

Adapt your learning style by seeking additional resources and discussing challenges with the teacher.

Find relevance in the subject by exploring real-world applications or connecting it to personal interests.

Reach out to teachers, classmates, or academic support services for assistance. Join study groups for collaborative learning .

Request feedback from teachers or peers, and actively seek ways to improve.

Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, before studying and tests. Seek test anxiety management strategies.

Create a peaceful study environment. Consider studying at a library or during quieter times at home.

Establish a daily routine that includes specific homework times. Stick to it consistently.

Balance work commitments with schoolwork. Seek support from school financial aid or scholarships.

Use apps and tools to block distracting websites during study sessions. Set screen time limits.

Set personal rewards for completing homework, such as enjoying a favorite snack or watching a short video.

Prioritize self-care, including sufficient sleep, exercise, and relaxation. Adjust your workload to prevent overexertion.

By tailoring these strategies to your specific challenges, you can significantly improve your ability to tackle homework effectively and reduce stress associated with assignments.

Remember that seeking support from teachers, counselors, or peers is a sign of strength, not weakness, and can be a valuable resource in overcoming these challenges.

Why wont my brain let me do my homework?

Ah, the age-old struggle of the brain resisting homework – we’ve all been there! Here’s why your noggin might be playing hard to get, and some tips to outsmart it:

If the homework feels about as exciting as watching paint dry, your brain’s probably hitting the snooze button. Try making it more interesting – relate it to something you’re into, or break it down into bite-sized, less yawn-inducing chunks.

If you’ve been in the procrastination party, your brain’s probably protesting your last-minute panic. Set a schedule, try the Pomodoro Technique (work for 25 minutes, break for 5), and chip away at it bit by bit.

In today’s digital circus, distractions are the headliners. Your brain might prefer cat videos to calculus. Create a study sanctuary, and consider apps that block Facebook or Instagram when you’re in study mode.

When the homework pile looks like Mount Everest, your brain’s understandably in panic mode. Prioritize your tasks, tackle them one by one, and suddenly, it feels like a series of small hills instead.

Lack of Understanding

If the material’s about as clear as mud, homework’s a no-go. Don’t hesitate to ask for help – teachers, tutors, and that nerdy friend are your allies.

Stress or Anxiety

Stress and anxiety can make your brain do a vanishing act when it’s homework time. Try some Zen techniques like deep breathing or a quick jog to shake off the nerves.

A tired brain’s like a grumpy toddler – it won’t cooperate. Ensure you’re well-rested, eating right, and staying hydrated. A happy brain is a productive brain.

Just remember, homework resistance is a universal experience. The trick is finding your unique hacks to outsmart your brain’s games and make the homework mountain a molehill. You’ve got this!

Why can’t I just do my homework ADHD?

Why is it so darn tough to buckle down and tackle homework when you’ve got ADHD in the mix? Well, let’s break it down.

Attention Difficulties

With ADHD, concentrating on a single task can feel like herding cats. Homework might seem about as interesting as watching paint dry, making it extra tough to stay focused.

Impulsivity

Your brain might hop from one thought to another like a ping-pong ball, leaving homework in the dust. This impulsivity can make starting and finishing assignments a real challenge.

Hyperactivity

Sitting still for ages? Yeah, not exactly your ADHD brain’s favorite activity. That restlessness can make homework time feel like a marathon of discomfort.

Executive Functioning Woes

ADHD can throw a wrench in your executive functions – the stuff that helps you stay organized, manage time, and prioritize tasks. These skills are like homework superheroes, and when they’re not cooperating, it’s tough.

Frustration and Anxiety

Repeated homework battles can lead to frustration and anxiety. It’s like a vicious cycle – homework is hard, so you avoid it, which makes it even harder the next time.

But hey, you’ve got some tricks up your sleeve

Break It Down

Chop your homework into bite-sized bits. Completing these mini-goals feels like winning small battles in the war against procrastination.

Routine, Routine, Routine

A structured routine can be your secret weapon. Set specific homework times and stick to ’em. It’s like training your brain to get into homework mode.

No Distractions Allowed

Clear your workspace of distractions. Shut off those pesky notifications, use website blockers, and let your family or roommates know when you’re in “focus mode.”

Visual Aids

Visual tools are your buddies. Calendars, to-do lists, and color-coding can help you wrangle your tasks and keep track of time.

Take Breathers

Short, regular breaks can help you recharge. Ever heard of the Pomodoro Technique? Work for 25 minutes, then chill for 5 – it’s science!

Treat Yourself

Reward yourself after finishing a task. It’s like giving your brain a high-five for a job well done.

Talk to the Pros

If you haven’t already, chat with a pro about ADHD treatments like medication and therapy. They can be total game-changers.

Get Support

Don’t hesitate to reach out to teachers or counselors for extra help or accommodations. You’re not in this alone.

Remember, homework and ADHD might be a challenging combo, but you’re not powerless. With these strategies and some support, you can take on the homework dragon and come out victorious!

Alright, fellow homework adventurers, we’ve journeyed deep into the realm of “Why can’t I do my homework?” and uncovered a treasure trove of challenges that can turn homework time into a real quest.

But here’s the secret sauce: every challenge we explored has a potential solution. From taming procrastination monsters to battling the distractions dragon and seeking the wisdom of mentors (a.k.a. teachers), we’ve armed ourselves with knowledge and strategies to conquer these homework foes.

So, the next time you’re stuck with a tricky assignment and that question pops up, remember this journey. Homework isn’t an unsolvable riddle; it’s a puzzle waiting for you to unlock. With determination, a pinch of motivation, and a dash of support, you can transform homework into a rewarding adventure.

Now, go forth, young scholar, armed with newfound wisdom, and may your homework quests be filled with curiosity, growth, and the sweet taste of victory!

Frequently Asked Questions

What can i do to overcome homework procrastination.

Procrastination can be overcome by breaking tasks into smaller, manageable parts and setting realistic deadlines. Creating a quiet, organized study space can also help.

How Can I Improve My Time Management for Homework?

To improve time management, use tools like planners or apps to schedule study sessions. Prioritize tasks and avoid multitasking to stay focused.

Is Getting Homework Help Considered Cheating?

Getting help with understanding homework concepts or solving difficult problems is not cheating. It’s a valuable part of the learning process. However, copying someone else’s work is unethical.

What Should I Do If I Don’t Understand My Homework?

If you don’t understand your homework, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Reach out to your teacher, a tutor, or classmates for clarification.

How Can Parents Support Their Children with Homework?

Parents can support their children by creating a conducive study environment, setting a regular homework routine, and offering assistance when needed. Encouragement and positive reinforcement are also crucial.

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Homework Struggles May Not Be a Behavior Problem

Exploring some options to understand and help..

Posted August 2, 2022 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• Mental health challenges and neurodevelopmental differences directly affect children's ability to do homework.
• Understanding what difficulties are getting in the way—beyond the usual explanation of a behavior problem—is key.
• Sleep and mental health needs can take priority over homework completion.

Chelsea was in 10th grade the first time I told her directly to stop doing her homework and get some sleep. I had been working with her since she was in middle school, treating her anxiety disorder. She deeply feared disappointing anyone—especially her teachers—and spent hours trying to finish homework perfectly. The more tired and anxious she got, the harder it got for her to finish the assignments.

One night Chelsea called me in despair, feeling hopeless. She was exhausted and couldn’t think straight. She felt like a failure and that she was a burden to everyone because she couldn’t finish her homework.

She was shocked when I told her that my prescription for her was to go to sleep now—not to figure out how to finish her work. I told her to leave her homework incomplete and go to sleep. We briefly discussed how we would figure it out the next day, with her mom and her teachers. At that moment, it clicked for her that it was futile to keep working—because nothing was getting done.

This was an inflection point for her awareness of when she was emotionally over-cooked and when she needed to stop and take a break or get some sleep. We repeated versions of this phone call several times over the course of her high school and college years, but she got much better at being able to do this for herself most of the time.

When Mental Health Symptoms Interfere with Homework

Kids with mental health or neurodevelopmental challenges often struggle mightily with homework. Challenges can come up in every step of the homework process, including, but not limited to:

• Remembering and tracking assignments and materials
• Getting the mental energy/organization to start homework
• Filtering distractions enough to persist with assignments
• Understanding unspoken or implied parts of the homework
• Remembering to bring finished homework to class
• Being in class long enough to know the material
• Tolerating the fear of not knowing or failing
• Not giving up the assignment because of a panic attack
• Tolerating frustration—such as not understanding—without emotional dysregulation
• Being able to ask for help—from a peer or a teacher and not being afraid to reach out

This list is hardly comprehensive. ADHD , autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety , generalized anxiety, panic disorder, depression , dysregulation, and a range of other neurodevelopmental and mental health challenges cause numerous learning differences and symptoms that can specifically and frequently interfere with getting homework done.

The Usual Diagnosis for Homework Problems is "Not Trying Hard Enough"

Unfortunately, when kids frequently struggle to meet homework demands, teachers and parents typically default to one explanation of the problem: The child is making a choice not to do their homework. That is the default “diagnosis” in classrooms and living rooms. And once this framework is drawn, the student is often seen as not trying hard enough, disrespectful, manipulative, or just plain lazy.

The fundamental disconnect here is that the diagnosis of homework struggles as a behavioral choice is, in fact, only one explanation, while there are so many other diagnoses and differences that impair children's ability to consistently do their homework. If we are trying to create solutions based on only one understanding of the problem, the solutions will not work. More devastatingly, the wrong solutions can worsen the child’s mental health and their long-term engagement with school and learning.

To be clear, we aren’t talking about children who sometimes struggle with or skip homework—kids who can change and adapt their behaviors and patterns in response to the outcomes of that struggle. For this discussion, we are talking about children with mental health and/or neurodevelopmental symptoms and challenges that create chronic difficulties with meeting homework demands.

How Can You Help a Child Who Struggles with Homework?

How can you help your child who is struggling to meet homework demands because of their ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD , school avoidance, or any other neurodevelopmental or mental health differences? Let’s break this down into two broad areas—things you can do at home, and things you can do in communication with the school.

Helping at Home

The following suggestions for managing school demands at home can feel counterintuitive to parents—because we usually focus on helping our kids to complete their tasks. But mental health needs jump the line ahead of task completion. And starting at home will be key to developing an idea of what needs to change at school.

• Set an end time in the evening after which no more homework will be attempted. Kids need time to decompress and they need sleep—and pushing homework too close to or past bedtime doesn’t serve their educational needs. Even if your child hasn’t been able to approach the homework at all, even if they have avoided and argued the whole evening, it is still important for everyone to have a predictable time to shut down the whole process.
• If there are arguments almost every night about homework, if your child isn’t starting homework or finishing it, reframe it from failure into information. It’s data to put into problem-solving. We need to consider other possible explanations besides “behavioral choice” when trying to understand the problem and create effective solutions. What problems are getting in the way of our child’s meeting homework demands that their peers are meeting most of the time?
• Try not to argue about homework. If you can check your own anxiety and frustration, it can be more productive to ally with your child and be curious with them. Kids usually can’t tell you a clear “why” but maybe they can tell you how they are feeling and what they are thinking. And if your child can’t talk about it or just keeps saying “I don't know,” try not to push. Come back another time. Rushing, forcing, yelling, and threatening will predictably not help kids do homework.

Helping at School

The second area to explore when your neurodiverse child struggles frequently with homework is building communication and connections with school and teachers. Some places to focus on include the following.

• Label your child’s diagnoses and break down specific symptoms for the teachers and school team. Nonjudgmental, but specific language is essential for teachers to understand your child’s struggles. Breaking their challenges down into the problems specific to homework can help with building solutions. As your child gets older, help them identify their difficulties and communicate them to teachers.
• Let teachers and the school team know that your child’s mental health needs—including sleep—take priority over finishing homework. If your child is always struggling to complete homework and get enough sleep, or if completing homework is leading to emotional meltdowns every night, adjusting their homework demands will be more successful than continuing to push them into sleep deprivation or meltdowns.
• Request a child study team evaluation to determine if your child qualifies for services under special education law such as an IEP, or accommodations through section 504—and be sure that homework adjustments are included in any plan. Or if such a plan is already in place, be clear that modification of homework expectations needs to be part of it.

The Long-Term Story

I still work with Chelsea and she recently mentioned how those conversations so many years ago are still part of how she approaches work tasks or other demands that are spiking her anxiety when she finds herself in a vortex of distress. She stops what she is doing and prioritizes reducing her anxiety—whether it’s a break during her day or an ending to the task for the evening. She sees that this is crucial to managing her anxiety in her life and still succeeding at what she is doing.

Task completion at all costs is not a solution for kids with emotional needs. Her story (and the story of many of my patients) make this crystal clear.

Candida Fink, M.D. , is board certified in child/adolescent and general psychiatry. She practices in New York and has co-authored two books— The Ups and Downs of Raising a Bipolar Child and Bipolar Disorder for Dummies.

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At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that could derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face triggers with less reactivity and get on with our lives.

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9 Ways to Finish Homework in College Even When You Don't Feel Like It

• Student Success

Do you put the “pro” in procrastinate?

In truth, we’ve all experienced how difficult it feels just to start. So we tend to ignore it and focus on something more fun instead. But then, before we realize, a project that at first seemed manageable now appears next to impossible to complete. 

So we go into a deadline-induced panic. 

Even if you think you work well under stress and pressure in college, you probably still feel the overwhelming sense of anxiety that accompanies procrastination, whether or not you meet that looming deadline.

But if you want to break your procrastination habit, you can. It’s fixable. All you need is a solid support system and a few clever productivity tactics to keep your self-discipline and focus in check.

So instead of falling into the frantic last-minute cycle again , use this list of tools and strategies to push ahead and finish what needs to be done.  

1. Play That Music

Music boosts your energy and keeps you alert. So if you are distracted by the slightest of sounds in a usually quiet atmosphere, music can drown out any spontaneous interruptions. It also has a powerful effect on your mood and recall. When you select the right song to play while studying, writing a paper or posting in the discussion board, the tune can trigger your memory.

2. Find a Study Buddy

If you find it difficult to sit down and create a study guide for your next exam, team up with a few classmates to draft a master study guide. Assign each person a section to work on. Perhaps one of your teammates has a better understanding of the material in a specific section and can help you better grasp the concepts. Then, combine everyone’s work for a complete and comprehensive guide.  

3. Grab Your Phone

Use your smartphone to your advantage. Make use of those awkward segments of time throughout the day when you may have a 10-minute opening. Waiting for your kid to finish soccer practice? Have a couple minutes before your meeting starts? Study anytime by loading your notes onto your phone or turning them into digital, on-the-go flashcards.

4. Make It Fun

It’s ok to face it - we avoid tasks because they seem boring. The easiest way to fix this is to make those tasks fun. For example, if you are writing a paper, invite a friend who might have their own work to do to join you at a coffee shop. Or recruit your kids to quiz you on your study material. Your kids will love helping (and they’ll learn something too!).

5. Take Advantage of Web Apps

Writing apps like Hemingway and Grammarly can ease the process of writing papers by helping you write more clearly. Think of these apps as your own personal writing coach. As you write, the app identifies hard to read sentences, as well as awkward phrasing, and promotes better word choices.

6. Set an Alarm

Not just any alarm. One programmed to tell you what you need to do and how it will impact your day. Think, “start working on your paper now and you’ll be able to go to a movie.” If you ignore that one, then set another saying, “if you start your paper now, you can watch an hourlong drama,” and so on. This type of self-reward system can help you better manage your time and still fulfill your wants later on.   

7. Recruit a Supervisor

Being accountable to someone is often the drive we need to kick us into gear. Use a similar tactic to ensure your schoolwork is done on time. Ask someone to check on your progress periodically to assure you’re staying on task. This someone can be your spouse, a friend or even your children. Choose wisely, though. You want someone who is serious about helping and won’t try to bother you while you are working. Your teenaged son or daughter will probably be very good at checking up on you and keeping you on task. Maybe even too good.

8. Do Your Least Favorite Work First

When you do your least favorite work first, you will increase your confidence and decrease your stress levels. And, naturally, avoid procrastination later on. Finishing the largest item on your to-do list will give you the productivity boost you need to do other assignments you may have pushed aside.

9. Change Your Perspective

Are things just not right in your usual study space ? Or do you just not like it anymore? Maybe it’s too loud, too quiet, too dark or just too hot. Consider making a change. Try working in your local coffee shop, in a community library or a nearby park. The change in scenery and perspective will impact your productivity for the better.

Written by Thomas Edison State University

Subscribe to the Thomas Edison State University Blog and get the latest updates delivered straight to your inbox.

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How to Avoid Getting in Trouble for Not Doing Your Homework

Last Updated: April 9, 2024

This article was co-authored by Alicia Oglesby . Alicia Oglesby is a Professional School Counselor and the Director of School and College Counseling at Bishop McNamara High School outside of Washington DC. With over ten years of experience in counseling, Alicia specializes in academic advising, social-emotional skills, and career counseling. Alicia holds a BS in Psychology from Howard University and a Master’s in Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology from Chestnut Hill College. She also studied Race and Mental Health at Virginia Tech. Alicia holds Professional School Counseling Certifications in both Washington DC and Pennsylvania. She has created a college counseling program in its entirety and developed five programs focused on application workshops, parent information workshops, essay writing collaborative, peer-reviewed application activities, and financial aid literacy events. This article has been viewed 100,007 times.

Homework generally isn’t that much fun. But it generally is a requirement that has a pretty decent-sized impact on your grade, so if you want (or need) to do well in a class, getting the homework done is a big deal. So what happens if you forget to do one of the assignments? You have a few options; the first and best is, of course, to not to forget to do it in the first place. But if that’s not an option, there are a few other measures you can take to try to get out of a homework scrape. Read on to find out more.

Using Good Judgment

• Explain why you didn’t do the homework--maybe you forgot about the assignment, got home late, fell asleep, etc. Don’t sugarcoat your reason, but do use some discretion; if you didn’t do your homework because you were at an all-night kegger, keep your reason general (ie, “I didn’t get home until late”) rather than overly specific (ie, “I was too busy doing keg stands”).
• Apologize. After giving your reason, sincerely apologize. Don’t gloss over this part--the sincerity of your apology will impact how likely your teacher is to want to help you. If you don't feel comfortable talking to the teacher directly, feel free to send them an email or leave them a note.
• Explain that it won’t happen again--and make sure it doesn’t. Let your teacher know that this was a rare instance of you lapsing on a responsibility and that you’ll be careful that it doesn’t happen again. And--this part is important--keep your word. If you make forgetting your homework habitual, your teacher will not only stop believing your excuses, they’ll rapidly become less sympathetic to your apologies.
• Ask for another day to finish the assignment. The best case scenario here is that your teacher will grant you extra time to complete the assignment and won’t penalize you for turning it in past the original deadline. More likely, though, your teacher will offer to let you turn in the assignment late, for partial credit. Don’t gripe about or be ungrateful for partial-credit--it will make it less likely that your teacher will extend you a similar opportunity in the future.

• Ask the teacher to help you understand the assignment and to let you have another chance at completing it. This both buys you more time and has the added benefit of getting you one-on-one homework help as well.

• If the story’s creative or amusing enough, your teacher might cut you some slack simply because you didn’t give them one of the same boring excuses they always hear.
• For example, maybe it just so happened that your parents went out last night and left you with a family friend who turned out to be a clairvoyant and burned all of your homework because he looked into the future and saw that if he didn’t destroy it all your cat would rip your homework to shreds while you slept and you would breathe in a fatal amount of air-borne paper bits and choke to death.

Avoiding Bad Excuses

• It should be obvious, but don’t use “the dog ate my homework.” You might as well not even bother coming up with an excuse at all.
• Don’t just say “I lost it” unless you can come up with a believable set of extenuating circumstances to explain how it got lost. Saying it just got lost randomly is pretty transparent.

• Instead of blaming the printer or your laptop, etc., explain that you had trouble when you were trying to print (or whatever) the homework right before class but that you’ll email it to your teacher by the end of the day. You can buy more time with that, and quickly type it up.
• Just be sure you actually do send it to them by the end of the day--preferably by 5 pm. [2] X Research source

• First, since it’s your responsibility, not theirs, to make sure you’re up-to-date on assignments, this excuse is pretty much like telling the teacher that it was your own fault.
• Second, because, from your teacher’s point of view, an entire classroom of other students managed to find out about and do the homework, so it clearly isn’t as hard as you’re making it out to be. [3] X Research source
• And finally, the ignorance excuse won’t work because when you’re absent, your teacher expects that you’ll find out everything you missed. If didn’t, your teacher will again see it as your own fault.

Avoiding the Situation in the First Place

• Start by writing down every assignment and its due date as soon as it’s assigned.
• Be sure to write all of your assignments down in the same place so you don’t miss any or have to go on a desperate search every time you want to know what’s due. A day planner, dedicated homework notebook, or scheduling app are all good options.

• Whenever you get an assignment, estimate how long it will take to complete and set aside the necessary time accordingly.
• If it’s an assignment that will take several days or even several weeks, set aside as many blocks of time as you’ll need to complete it over that span of time.

• Don’t procrastinate on homework--don’t let yourself play video games or chat on Facebook until you’ve finished your night’s assignments.
• Do the harder assignments first. Getting the harder work out of the way first is a more efficient and rewarding use of your time.
• Reader Poll: We asked 214 wikiHow readers how to avoid making the same mistake, and 9% said they would ask loved ones to hold them accountable. [Take Poll] While this may not be the best strategy according to our readers, try making a routine for yourself.

• If you have a study-hall period, a free period, a few minutes between classes, a 10-15 minute bus ride home, etc., use that time to work on homework. Sure, you’d rather be talking to friends or playing on your phone, but if you want to have your homework done, you’ll need to actually take the time to do it. [4] X Research source

• Start by approaching the teacher. Explain your difficulties and ask for their help. That’s what your teachers are there for, after all--to help you learn. (And if they show any reluctance to help, remind them of this fact.) They’re the best source of help since they’re the ones making and grading the homework, and having the help of an insider is often invaluable.
• Get help from a classmate. If your teacher isn’t able to give as much help as you need, supplement their help with help from a classmate who understands the material and is doing well in the class. If you aren’t sure who that might be, ask your teacher for suggestions.
• Get a tutor. Many schools offer free peer-tutoring services that can be a significant help. Ask your teacher or an administrator whether such services are available. If not, consider looking into hiring a tutor. There are a number of professional tutoring services to choose from, or you might try hiring a local college student for tutoring help.

• Even if you think you’re a great multi-tasker, trying to do homework while also texting, catching up on Facebook, and tweeting about how much you hate homework is actually hurting you more than helping you get through the process.
• Moreover, though multitasking can be an asset for some activities, it isn’t an asset when studying. When you’re multitasking, your mind leaves your current train of thought (like, say, trigonometry) and takes up a new train (maybe texting a friend about tomorrow’s plans), and the result is that you end up doing worse on both.
• Find a quiet, distraction-free space to do your studying. The better you’re able to concentrate, the better you’ll do on your work and the more quickly you’ll get through it. Put away or turn off anything you know will distract you (your phone, Facebook alerts, whatever). [6] X Research source
• If you find yourself being distracted by thoughts of other things you should or want to be doing, keep a piece of paper next to you where you can write down those thoughts as they come up. Don’t dwell on them, just write them down and know you can get back to them later. [7] X Research source
• Set small goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. For example, set a goal to study for 15-20 minutes straight and then reward yourself with a small treat when you do so. [8] X Research source

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.brighthubeducation.com/study-and-learning-tips/51078-10-most-common-homework-excuses/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html?view=ptr
• ↑ http://success.oregonstate.edu/learning-corner/learning-college/concentration-distractions

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I Hate Myself for Not Doing My Homework

Reader’s Question

I’m in high school and would consider myself to have above average intellect. Still, I’m getting Ds and Es in school.

I seem to do well on all of the tests, but when I get home from school and I have to do my homework, I just can’t make myself do it. My teachers ask me why I don’t do my homework and I tell them I just don’t care anymore. But in reality I do care — I hate myself for not doing the work. Still, when I get home from school I just can’t make myself do the work. Then, when I get my report card, I look at the grades and just cry myself to sleep. I want to do better but I just can’t seem to make myself work harder. Is this just me being lazy or is there something more?

Psychologist’s Reply

Because there could be so many underlying reasons for your quandary, it’s not possible to make an accurate assessment from such a distance. That’s why it would be in your and your family’s best interest to seek out an evaluation by a mental health professional experienced in such issues.

Some of the possible reasons for your difficulties can include:

The aforementioned are just a few of the many possible explanations for your difficulties other than pure laziness. Your problems might be related to some very different causes other than a deficiency of character. My best suggestion: talk openly with your parents and school counselor about your concerns, and seek a professional opinion about the best ways to address the issues.

Please read our Important Disclaimer .

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All clinical material on this site is peer reviewed by one or more clinical psychologists or other qualified mental health professionals. Originally published by Dr George Simon, PhD on July 29, 2010 and last reviewed or updated by Dr Greg Mulhauser, Managing Editor on July 29, 2010 .

https://askthepsych.com/atp/2010/07/29/i-hate-myself-for-not-doing-my-homework/

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How can I politely refuse to help classmates with their work?

I am the smart guy at school and people always want my help. I don't want to be rude, but they pester me and I try to escape but I can't -- I end up spending a lot of time helping them to do a homework task that they were supposed to do themselves, so I just make things quick (as in 2-word answers or something like "It's in the worksheet we have").

But it doesn't end there. Say we had to make a PowerPoint presentation or something, and the guys realize I finished it but they have not. They then tell me to e-mail them and say "Oh, we'll change the fonts and some of the words...". It is not even getting caught that bothers me (they're actually good at changing things up) it's that I don't want to give it to them.

I could just man up and say "No," but then these guys help me out when I need them (not in the same way; sometimes it's a problem or a question I can't answer I don't ask for everything and then "change it") so I don't want to rat them out.

How do I politely get them to stay away?

So someone wants a cultural tag, there it is. Also, the problem gets repeatedly when people get extended due dates, in which case I can't say "I'm not done" because I am supposed to have handed in the assignment.

• conflict-aversion

• Related; not sure about duplicate: How to refuse someone asking for additional help “while you're at it”? –  A J ♦ Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 9:10
• There is a big difference between asking for help or working with someone to learn how to do a problem and outright sharing the answers or doing the work for them. Are you sure your friends won't see the difference? –  syntonicC Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 20:21
• A note to the answerers: Remember, not every asker is too lazy to do it. Others are honestly overwhelmed -- some because they just don't understand the work, some because they have a lot of other homework and no time to do it, and some because of pressure they feel to get better grades. So whatever you do, OP, please be sympathetic towards these poor souls. –  Shawn V. Wilson Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 17:14
• Are you willing to help if there's something in it for you (so it's not a waste of your time), or do you want to shut down their requests completely and permanently? –  Kat Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 23:05

13 Answers 13

I had to face the same problem with my classmates in my university often. After 2 years I decided to be clear about it. What I did was:

• Do my work without telling them that I have already done it.
• Helped them with combined studies, with the intention of helping them learning what we missed.
• Sometimes telling them that they need to do it themselves because they will not be able to learn anything if they copied my homework.

It is pretty clear that if we don't make them realize the problem with this behavior, it will always result in resentment.

There will be times, when you may need to tell people to just NO or go away. Try to understand it with this video

Realize that you are also saying no for their own sake.

To me, it seems that you are not at all unwilling to help. You will definitely help them if they face an actual difficulty. What you are trying to avoid is being exploited. Letting them exploit you is not going to earn you any thanks and not going to teach them anything useful for life.

You can decide in which situations you want to help out (for example if they have actual questions and ask for some kind of tutoring, or even if they had a family emergency and just didn't manage to finish the presentation). In other situations remember you are doing them no favor in the long run by supporting their laziness and letting them exploit you.

Basically, help them in the same situation and way as they would help you (giving them tips, instead of the full presentation, answering specific questions instead of doing their homework for them,...) This does not mean you are letting them down, instead, you are helping them in a more sustainable long-term useful way.

And you can tell them that. If they ask for your help, offer them the help you are willing to give. If they are disappointed to not get the "easy way out", explain to them why you are doing this. Explain how it is helping them in the long run. Explain that you will still be there in an emergency situation, but this is not one.

• 4 Strongly depends on the setting. If it's high school, they will most likely not care as they just dont want to work hard. If it's university it might work as they are most likely there to learn something. –  MansNotHot Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 12:37
• It's their problem if they want to learn the lesson or not. The question was about a polite way to get this to stop. Even primary school students will stop putting in the effort to ask when they realize it is not getting them what they want any more. –  skymningen Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 12:40
• 1 No what i mean is, if you tell someone that it's for their own good, they wont listen and continue pestering. At least this is how it was in my schooltime. Noone will easily stop pestering if he needs the homework till next class and has no time to properly finish it, for example –  MansNotHot Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 12:42
• 1 There is, of course, some time where you would need to "sit through it" and endure some pestering. People very rarely change in an instant. –  skymningen Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 12:49
• Agreed. And did not mean that this is a bad answer. Just wanted to note that the intelligent way might not work for some kids. –  MansNotHot Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 12:51

You are smart. Now, you need to act smarter. Apart from the answers given here which state that you mention that have not yet completed your work, you can be a little more diplomatic.

For e.g., X comes for help.

X : Hey, I need your help in this presentation. I would like to borrow yours and make changes. You : Hi. I have not yet completed mine. This one seems to be a little tough. Why don't we sit together and complete it.

Offer them to come to your place, have a small chit chat, eat cool stuff, have fun. This way you are also building a rapport with the other person and ensuring that the work gets done. Once the work is done, you could go to a near by pub or watch a movie and celebrate your small win.

This strategy might not always work. Other time, it could be delegation.

X : Hey, I need your help in this presentation. I would like to borrow yours and make changes. You : Hi. I have not yet completed mine. But, I have helped 'Y' with similar problem sometime back. Let's call him up and see if he is available. You could take his help.

Call Y immediately, put him on the speaker phone and engage in a simple talk and then tell him that X needs his help. And let X take it up from there.

This way, you are delegating the work without any negative connotation.

These strategies could vary from person to person and situation to situation. But, once you start acting, you'll come across a few ideas on your own.

Also, remember, you are just in school. May be here you are smart. Once you go to some other place, you might need help from others too. So, it is okay to give your peers the benefit of doubt and help them.

• 31 It's not that these are bad solutions, but you're thrusting the OP into the role of academic coach for these other people. Sometimes, when you've done your work, you just want to be left alone, not help others get their stuff done. –  AndreiROM Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 13:51
• @AndreiROM Yes, I do agree that we want to be left alone sometimes. Unless the OP devices his own techniques to keep people at bay, a blunt no will always sound rude. Once delegation comes into the picture, gradually people would understand how requesting for help with the OP works. This won't happen overnight. But, it would work. –  WonderWoman Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 13:55
• 4 You also assume the OP is old enough to drink in his/her native country. –  mbomb007 Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 19:47
• @AndreiROM I agree with it, but teaching others is the best way to learn –  Ooker Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 1:10
• 2 @mbomb007 In no way is there such an assumption. "you could go to a near by pub or watch a movie" explicitly acknowledges that going to a pub may not be an option. –  pipe Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 12:49

I've been in the exact same boat as you, and it's no fun at all. It's always awkward when your friends ask you for work they know you've done but that you don't particularly want to share. First, let me be clear, you do not owe them your answers .

Yes, they're your friends, but it took you a lot of time and effort to finish that assignment. When your friends ask you for work you've already done, they're asking you to dip into your own time further so that they don't have to dip into theirs. Frankly, that's not very nice. Obviously if it's once in a while that's different, but it doesn't sound like that's the case. Here's what I did to reduce the number of requests.

1) Drag your heels. It's 8:00 on Thursday night and your assignment's due next morning. Just like clockwork, you get your weekly text, "Hey, are you finished with the ____ assignment?" Ugh, of course you are. You've always finished it by now. The problem is, your friends know this, and that makes you a guaranteed source.

The next time you get that text, don't answer it right away. Give it half an hour or so. Then once you answer and they text you back, wait again. The idea is to break the mindset that you're sitting there ready to help whenever they want you to. If you all of a sudden become a slow source of information, they may look for a faster one. Or even better, they might even solve a lot of their work on their own waiting for you to get back to them!

Just be sure not to apologize for responding slowly (I wouldn't even bring it up). If you give them the impression you're supposed to be getting back to them right away, they'll keep expecting it.

2) Ask them exactly what they're looking for. Most of the time, if I let my friends describe what they needed help with, they'd end up asking for the whole assignment. So I pretty quickly started asking for specifics. When they'd say "I need help with this assignment," instead of asking "what do you need help with?" I'd ask "which questions do you need help with?"

This forces them to describe up front what they expect from you, in a bit of detail too. Usually, I'd get "we're having trouble solving questions blah and blah." or something similar (if you find you're still being asked for most of the assignment, look at part 4).

When you're giving them arbitrary amounts of help, it's easy for them to say "oh, I'm also stuck on problem 4" after you've solved 1-3. Asking them to lay it all out upfront makes it much more awkward for them to tack another problem on. Don't forget you're only in this position because they're asking you something that's awkward to decline. Don't be afraid to put them in an awkward spot too.

3) Be less certain of your answers. Yeah, this one's a little underhanded. If I just simply didn't want to give an answer (if I worked particularly hard on it, or if they'd already asked me for too much), I'd tell them I wasn't sure about it. The more they pushed, the "more certain" I was it was probably wrong. This does 2 things.

First, it gives some natural sense of pushback against their request. Making up an excuse and using it over and over forces them to ask you repeatedly for your work. I've found it's already kind of awkward to ask in the first place; sometimes they'll just give up instead of ask 3 or 4 times.

Second, you can't pass off wrong work as your own. If I make a stupid math mistake and they make it too, someone plainly cheated. Telling them your answer's probably wrong translates to it being a higher risk answer. There's always a chance that means it's not worth it to them.

4) Don't be afraid to draw a line. This one's a little tough, but you're going to have to do it sometimes. Sometimes step 2 doesn't work. They'll answer "what problems do you need help with" with "I just don't understand this assignment at all," or something similar. At that point, it's ok to say "I can't just give you the whole thing!"

Hopefully, your friends know they're putting you in an awkward spot to begin with. Drawing a line helps remind them you're not completely comfortable with their request. It also helps remind them that you aren't going to give them every answer they ask for.

If they continued asking me for more than I was willing to help, I'd start dragging my heels a little more. Don't be afraid to hold your help a little hostage. I know it feels mean, but once they realize that being too demanding translates to no help, they'll hopefully start requesting help at a more reasonable rate. Often I'd wait a little while then get a text saying "ok, we've worked out most of them, but we still can't work out numers 11 or 16," which is a request I'm more than happy to help out with!

• 1 "Yes, they're your friends" They don't seem much like friends to me when they are pestering the OP to let them benefit from his knowledge and hard work for free. –  Lightness Races in Orbit Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 20:31
• Pretty good advice but being direct and more assertive is a much better approach to save time for both parties. +1 for 4th point. –  Muhammad Ahsan Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 13:56

You are looking to qualify your statement of "NO", but I really don't think anything you say will make them take it any differently.

You have done it for them in the past, any way that you say "NO" now will be interpreted as a withdrawal of help.

As they are willing to help you out in other ways it doesn't sound like the classic scenario of the smart guy being taken advantage of at school. The likely reason they make these requests of you is because they don't think they are putting you to any trouble. You finish the work before them, so you are making it seem effortless.

You need to teach them some self-reliance. If you make it obvious you are doing this, they won't appreciate it. But if you don't reveal that you have finished your work, they can't expect the finished article.

Why not save an early version of your work (say, one-third complete) and when they ask for it say:

I haven't finished it myself. You can see my work in progress if you like?

If they ask for a more complete version just say you are snowed under with work and you are hoping to complete it the night before.

Again, if they persist as late as the night before or even the morning the work is due, tell them you are still working on it.

You may need to say:

I'm really struggling to finish all this on time. I haven't got time to discuss it, sorry.

This hopefully won't give them enough time to carefully edit your work as they have been.

Although this may not seem like an interpersonal solution because it involves a degree of deception, you are communicating to them that the work is not without effort. You are also still helping them to a degree, giving them a head start - but they will have to do more of the work themselves. Hopefully this will show them that you are willing to help but that they cannot rely on you doing it all for them. It may also suggest to them that the work is getting harder (as school terms progress it often does) and that they need to step up!

I had some similar situations while I was in school in the US, and I would encourage you to remember people are creatures of habit:

If you do their work for them now, next week they are presented with an option:

• Do it themselves
• Have you do it for them

That's a pretty easy choice if you're looking for the easy way out: they'll let you do it every time.

So, how do we fix this?

Set boundaries and stick to them: for me, there were two parts, which I held very firmly:

I will help them learn how to do their work, I will not provide answers or do their work for them.

For example:

I need to write a MySQL statement to get all the rows where the user last name is "Murphy".

I can answer this question, and I may be tempted to do so, but that doesn't help them (or me, in the long run). It just increases their reliance on me and I don't want them to rely on me for their homework.

So instead, I would guide them to discovering the answer. Usually after helping them through 3 or 4 problems they can then complete the rest of the homework themselves.

If they are unable to continue on their own, it's not my job to be their teacher : while I'm perfectly willing to help in many cases, I would also frequently suggest they go to office hours, seek out the TA, or go to the study center for help, as they needed more help than I was willing to provide.

I don't cheat/share answers/allow copying/etc...

You don't have to stick to this very long before people stop bothering to ask... but this also means don't expect them to let you copy a homework you stalled on. It's a two-way street, so be prepared for that.

I've had to have the hard conversation before of: "Even if I did your work for you, I might not finish in the time you have left. In the future, don't wait until 11pm for a 2 hour project due at midnight." And yes, they may blame you for their poor time management, but ultimately they aren't entitled to your help.

I'd also make deals like: I'll help you if you buy pizza. Then at least I'm getting "paid".

• 1 I had the OP's problem back in school; this is the technique that I tried that finally worked. It worked better for me than you suggest; most of them gave up before I helped them through one problem; they wanted a gimme or nothing. It also helped me more to do this, because later on I got a job as an official tutor - and this was exactly how we were supposed to do it, except with much more patience for them since we were being paid. –  Ed Grimm Commented Nov 13, 2019 at 6:08

I like your two-word strategy – a good step in the right directon. It seems that you really want to do the right thing, which in this case will also give you your lunch back too.

Helping the power-point copiers is truly not doing them any favors. Even if what they are asking to copy isn't difficult work, time management is a big part of school. Of course, saying that to their face may not be an option for you so, here is a little plan I use for many similar situations:

• Plan on telling (whomever) the truth, but include the good with the bad (I know, I know, hang on for a moment.)
• Figure out what that truth is , and how you are comfortable expressing it. Here are some guesses at what your truth might be, probably a combination:

You really do want to help them. You would feel bad in a way about not doing it. But you end up spending you entire lunch hour doing everyone else's work. You're hungry and don't want to work through lunch hour! (And if you really want to "man up") "You know I would not be really helping you if I would do this" (with humor and an eyebrow raised) (Get a little mad?) You did this work last night so you could have your lunch hour free today. You don't want to be a but you are not comfortable with that. You're sorry, but you can't deal with it today. (On days – or months, you can't deal with it.)

Now, these truths/wordings may not be right for you (I am just a bit older than you are.) What is your truth about the situation? When you find that, I think you will know what to say to stand up for yourself,

Some possible crutches:

Do it one last time, and warn them, in whatever language you find useful. For example, You really want to help you out, but you are not comfortable doing this regularly, so after they are on their own.

Make a "rule" a "policy": You really want to help, but you end up not having time to eat – or, you have your own stuff to take care of today. (that can include having lunch, and socializing. We all need a break.) This has just gone too far, you can't help everyone, so you are not helping anyone for a while. You did your work last night/too many are asking for help/etc., so you made it a rule to not help during lunch hour.

By making a "policy", or "rule" (and you don't have to call it that necessarily, you can just say the rule), you sort of make it a general condition rather than a personal rejection. By saying "not during lunch hour," you are not closing the door, but you are limiting access.

If people drop you as friends for this, they were never true friends to begin with. I know that is a cheesy line but it is very true. There's a way to shake up one's thinking on a problem like this: Would you ever go up to a respected friend during their lunch hour and ask them to copy their work for you and miss their lunch hour? Repeatedly ? Sounds pretty presumptious, doesn't it? Your real friends will get over it. Those that don't may have been using you, which may hurt, but at least you will know. Would you be offended and drop the person if a person who had been doing you favors said that they couldn't do a particular one anymore?

If you have asked for a less-the-ethical favor in the past, you may need to deal with that truth too. Turn over a new leaf? Or pay your "debt" and then stop. Know too that many instructors will give you an extension of you are a generally a responsible student, and if something bad has happened. If a student broke up with their boy/girlfriend, and asked for an extension, many would give it. Stuff happens.

Setting boundaries like this is not easy. If you are able to do it, you will learn some important things about yourself. When I can't seem to be able to do something I want to do, I think about what is missing, what conditions, help, experiences, anything, would help make me "ready" to leap that fence. What conditions would make you ready to do so?

And, if you are worried about friendships, know that his is probably the most difficult time – in college, there are many more people, and you will find those who are a bit more like you, and probably thoroughly enjoy yourself. You are not there yet, but you sure seem to be on the right track. LF PhD

Clearly your priorities are in the right place and your friends aren't. What I would do is inform them when you plan to work on the assignments. If your friends do not take this opportunity to work on their homework with you then they are the ones who are deciding not to take your help when they could have. Then if they decide to try and ask for your homework at the last minute you can tell them,

"No, I gave you the chance to work on the assignment with me earlier and you refused."

This puts all the blame on them and they can only get upset with themselves for not taking your help when you offered it to them.

How about selling your help instead?

I had this exact problem while getting my graduate degree. After some time, I had started charging for every homework I helped.

I didn't just start doing this without telling people, I told a few people in class who wanted my help previously and then they just spread it to others.

This stopped most people from asking and it made others pay for the help. I had more time to myself and more money.

• But this won't work in my case. "Come on don't be a rat! O my God why are you such a scavenger?..." So this looks out of place –  user8979192 Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 7:01
• 2 Handing people your answers to claim as their own is bad. Selling them is even worse. This is grounds for immediately dismissal from the educational institution, and good luck getting a job in your chosen profession after that. –  Lightness Races in Orbit Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 20:32
• @LightnessRacesinOrbit How is selling your help grounds for dismissal? I'm not saying he should be selling his homework I'm saying he should be selling his help . Also, even if he was selling or giving away his homework, how is that grounds for dismissal? Maybe, if the teacher is really strict, he'll immediately fail his class but a dismissal? Hardly. –  John Hamilton Commented Mar 21, 2018 at 6:41
• 2 @JohnHamilton The type of "help" described in the question was literally handing them the OP's work for only minor obfuscating modifications then passing off as their own. If you mean some other kind of help perhaps clarify that in your answer :) And, yes, doing other people's homework for them, for a fee, is obviously and absolutely grounds for expulsion. –  Lightness Races in Orbit Commented Mar 21, 2018 at 10:54

While some people here are saying you can learn to say no, I would personally find this difficult, probably because the people asking for help are my friends and I don't want to ever be the cause of tension between my friends and I. I suspect this is the same for you, and you're asking how to say no, or how to get out of it, without making your friends feel like you're not helping/dont care etc and that you're the cause for a bit of tension.

It so happened that my friend came to me once with the exact same problem you have while I was at university. My friend, and also my housemate, being on another course to me, was asking how she can tell a girl in her course 'no' aswell. My housemate was very smart, always studied, stayed in to study while others went out, and thus always got her work completed with plenty of time before the deadline. In the other girls case, she was late to class, didn't spend much time studying, had a part time job, and found herself with not much time before the deadline, and very little work completed. She had asked my housemate for help. But my housemate found that her definition of 'help' was to pretty much do the whole thing, or atleast be the brains behind the work.

My friend wasn't the kind of person to tell people 'no', as she was always shy and scared of confrontation. In the end she made up a lie and told the girl that she was stuggling to understand the material herself, and she didn't feel her input would be useful. She suggested to her friend that she contact the teacher/lecturer for advice as she 'did the same thing'. She may have given a small bit of advice such as "I think the lecturer wants us to explore [this] area of literature to find the answer" but not much else.

This did work for her, and the girl never asked for help again.

While some people may say that this answer is not useful because it may not be a true reflection of the original girls personality (not understanding criteria is not something that happened). However, it is a resolution that worked in this case. Perhaps her friend could see this probably isn't the case and figured out for herself that she was deliberately not telling her everything. But she never said anything.

And at the end of the day, it is still an easy possibility. Perhaps you could try something like that.

Try to get involve in some sports or other activities in your school/college. This will occupy some of your time in your school/college. So when someone tries to get their work done by you, You can refer them some authors or sites which will help them complete their work. If they insist you to do their work, tell them that you are involved in some other activity and you have more commitments. If they want you to mail your work to them, just say I'll do it after going home but don't do it. If they asks, simply say that you have poor internet connection at home.

• Making up excuses instead of helping them understand it’s the wrong thing to do is not being a friend. –  WGroleau Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 9:17
• A good friend helps you to do your work on your own, and a bad friend will do your work without explaining it to you. –  Aruna Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 10:01

I used to simply repeat (over and over), "I don't know," which worked each time until finally one of them laughed sarcastically and said, "Right, you don't know..." (shaking his head and giving me a look of desperation, as he backed away clutching his worksheet in sweaty palms).

But he knew it was a lost cause and they all stopped bothering from then on, for some reason. It didn't damage our friendship, because he continued to treated me with respect outside of that particularly challenging class (organic chemistry Lab, which was a 3-4 hour ordeal once or twice a week for 2-3 months).

And thereafter I never heard another peep out of the others, which was fine with me. It's possible that either he or the professor may have warned them, but I don't know for sure. Something happened, though, which relieved me of the burden of their demands.

And I wasn't lying when I said, "I don't know," because truthfully I had them on ignore , completely refusing to listen to their questions. I felt that was only fair, since they were interrupting my work and it was rude for them to make it more difficult for me, for their own selfish reasons. I often had to give them the shoulder and turn my back toward them, positioning my body between me and my paperwork -- so that they would see that I was busy and not interested, and that no, they could not look at it .

Because they were breaking the rules, and could have caused me serious trouble if I'd been more of a people-pleaser. Then again, they were doing that in class in the presence of the professor. This was years ago, long before I ever had eMail.

But the same principle applies, even today:

You should just politely tell your friends why you don't want to engage in that sort of activity -- I'm sure they'll respect your courage and your strength of character. And it will be a great opportunity to see who your real friends are.

Or you could simply ignore their demanding eMails. There is no law that you have to answer them. And ignoring them is about like saying, "I don't know." They don't need to know what you know. They need to develop some character instead, by obtaining the necessary knowledge on their own, with considerable effort on their part. Think of it this way: helping them cheat would do them more harm than good.

How about: "I'm sorry, I'd really like to help, but I'm really busy with a lot of things right now. Maybe later." You're still being friendly, and at the same time non-committal.

Frankly, it might be valuable to actually learn to say No. It might be one of the most important lessons you'll ever learn. I'm not talking about saying No all the time.. but well, try reading this: Say No without feeling Guilty

• 4 "Maybe later" can sound like a "yes" to someone who is looking for a yes. It may not help the OP in this situation, but rather just defer the problem. –  Sam Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 16:40
• 1 This is the opposite of strong refusal skills. If it's about feeling guilty, then your motives are wrong. You have to realize that it's not just about how you feel, it's also about helping them learn to learn . They have to be able to figure it out on their own and learn the material. –  mbomb007 Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 19:49

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Why Can’t I Do My Homework? (10 Possible Reasons)

There’s nothing worse than sitting in front of your computer, with an empty Word document blinding you with an all-white screen.

It’s almost as if the empty page is taunting your inability to get your homework done.

The blank screen serves as a reminder that you can’t do anything else until you get this assignment finished.

This is a common problem that will plague you throughout your entire educational career.

Why Can’t I Do My Homework?

There will be many things trying to leach your attention away from the project at hand.

Whether you’ve got friends messaging you about the latest game release or music that is impossible to not rock out to, you need to consider your environment.

Sometimes, the distraction isn’t coming from an outside force, but rather something that is going on inside you.

Lack of food and sleep can impair your ability to function more than you may realize at first.

Medical problems can be massive, inescapable issues.

Whether you’re in physical, mental, or emotional pain, it is easy to let these things consume your mind.

These are distractions that must be dealt with immediately.

When there is too much going on with your schedule or too much going on around you, it can cause your mind to run in circles.

The exhaustion that comes with a busy schedule is enough to wipe out any student’s focus.

Whatever is causing you to be distracted should be dealt with if at all possible.

During this period in your life, your education is the most important thing going on. Your education is the foundation for your future.

Don’t let distractions stop you from being able to get your work done.

Even if you’re worried that you may not be able to get your work done well, it is better to turn something in than nothing at all.

Late work may be acceptable in middle school and high school, but the majority of college professors won’t even look at your late work.

They won’t accept excuses like “I didn’t have the time” or “I couldn’t focus”.

That’s why it is so important to get into the habit of never having late work.

Late work won’t be allowed in your future career, either.

1. Lack Of Nutrition

One of the reasons that you may be feeling distracted is that your brain doesn’t have the proper nutrients it needs to function.

Doing your homework requires a lot of brainpower, so you need to feed your brain.

In order to support healthy brain function , you’re going to need protein, antioxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids, dietary cholesterol, monounsaturated fats, water, and small amounts of caffeine.

Each nutrient serves your brain in a different way.

Protein is extremely important for your bones, muscles, and brain.

It helps your brain tell the rest of your body what to do and helps improve your mood.

You can find protein in foods like meat, eggs, fish, nuts, beans, dairy, and soy products.

Antioxidants are going to help stop your brain from aging and can help when you’re feeling mentally fatigued.

Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of antioxidants, with berries being especially packed with these superior nutrients.

Omega-3 fatty acids help your brain work even harder than normal and have been shown to slightly improve your mental health.

Chicken, eggs, beef, and oily fish are great sources of Omega-3.

Typically, you’re taught to avoid cholesterol, but not all cholesterol is bad.

Your brain needs dietary cholesterol in order to form the cells that it uses to communicate with the rest of your body.

You can find dietary cholesterol in egg yolks and dairy products.

Fats are another type of nutrient that is misunderstood.

Monounsaturated fats improve your memory, making it easier to recall information for your homework assignment.

Avocados and nuts are filled with monounsaturated fats.

Water is crucial to every single part of your life, including your education.

Your brain is 73% water, which means your body needs plenty of it to function.

Make sure to keep a glass of water with you while you are studying.

2. Too Little Sleep

Nobody feels their best after a rough night of sleep, but a frequent lack of proper sleep has disastrous effects on your ability to think straight or function.

Although some may believe that sleep isn’t as necessary as doctors and teachers make it out to be, your doctors and teachers are right about this fact.

Sleep contributes to how well you can focus and how well you can remember things, which are the two things that you need to do to get your homework done.

Without sleep, students are prone to having a hard time creating thoughts, remembering details, and staying focused.

Your brain takes in information in three parts: acquisition, consolidation, and recall.

The acquisition of information is when it is introduced to you.

The consolidation of information is how well it holds in your mind once it has been taught.

Recall refers to how well you can remember the information that you learned.

Without proper sleep, you will not be able to take information as well, which affects the acquisition step.

Information that isn’t acquired efficiently won’t consolidate in your mind, which makes it nearly impossible to recall accurately.

If you notice that you’re having a hard time remembering things or having a hard time focusing, try going to sleep earlier than you normally do.

It can be difficult for students to go to sleep early because many students feel that after school is the only time they have available to do what they want to do.

However, you will need to give up at least a couple of extra hours during the school week in order to help you focus and remember things better.

If you’ve tried going to sleep earlier and find that you just lie awake instead, speak with your doctor.

3. Trying To Multitask

Multitasking is a skill that everyone should learn, but that doesn’t mean that it needs to be used all of the time.

When doing mentally strenuous work, it is best to avoid doing any type of multitasking.

Other tasks will only be a distraction to you.

In the modern age, people are wired to constantly multitask, whether they know it or not.

Many people feel that they can’t get things done unless they’re multitasking.

In those situations, you may want to speak to a doctor about why you need as much stimulation as you do.

You may be multitasking without even noticing it.

Trying to keep up with group chats and working on homework assignments will divide your attention, making it harder to focus on one thing or another.

The more that you try to do at once, the more likely you are to make mistakes.

Watching a show and working on homework could cause you to cross the two things and write down something you didn’t mean to write.

When you multitask, you put more pressure on your brain to run more functions at once.

This can lead to you getting anxious.

An increase in anxiety means a decrease in emotional control.

Multitasking will cause your brain to tire itself faster than focusing on a single task.

You’ll also want to avoid trying to have conversations while working on your homework, even if you never have to look away from the screen.

Talking and listening to what the other person has to say is taking away from your brain’s ability to recall information it has learned in the past.

4. Mental Health

Mental health can have a greater effect on your life than many physical ailments.

Your brain is the organ that you use to perceive the world.

When your brain isn’t working right, you’re not going to be as effective or efficient.

It doesn’t take much time for your mental health to get the best of you.

As soon as you believe you may be having mental health problems, you will want to speak with a counselor, therapist, doctor, teacher, or another trustworthy adult in your life.

There are a few mental health problems that could be causing you to have a difficult time focusing.

Some of the most common mental health problems that cause people to have shorter attention spans are ADHD and depression.

ADHD is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder that can develop during early childhood.

If you notice that you are incredibly forgettable, lose things often, and are frequently daydreaming, you may have ADHD.

No one knows for certain what causes ADHD, but scientists are currently looking into potential causes such as brain injury, the use of alcohol or tobacco during pregnancy, premature births, and low birth weight.

Depression is more than a deep sadness or teenage blues.

It is a mental health disorder that can impair your attention span and your ability to recall information.

This is due to a low amount of serotonin or dopamine in your brain.

Depression also reduces your cognitive flexibility, which means you have a harder time with change.

It also damages your executive functioning which is responsible for guiding your brain through all the steps in a process, even if you’ve done it countless times before.

Don’t underestimate the ability of a mental health disorder to disrupt your ability to think and function.

5. No Passion About The Subject

Passion can play a massive role in your ability to get things done.

You may notice that some subjects of homework are easier for you to get through than others.

This is because you may like one subject more than another.

Some students aren’t academics at heart, which often results in them having lower grades despite being just as bright as some of the top students in their class.

The key is to muster up enough passion or motivation to get yourself through your assignment.

You will want to take note of what you like and dislike about school, even if they’re small aspects of school like working outside or preferring quiet spaces.

This will help you find a career that you can be passionate about and help you avoid jobs that are everything you hate.

Unlike being able to choose what job you’re going to take, you can’t always choose the type of homework you have to do either.

That’s why you may want to evaluate the order in which you do your homework.

If you have homework in multiple subjects, start with the ones that you don’t like or have a harder time with.

This gives you more time to patiently go through your notes or figure out what you don’t understand.

By starting with the harder homework, you will breeze through the rest of your homework because it won’t be nearly as hard in comparison to what you were just doing.

6. Inability To Prioritize

Being able to properly prioritize what you need to do in the short-term and long-term is a skill that takes many students until their final years of education to master, and some never do.

Students who are able to prioritize their duties will experience vastly less stress.

Prioritizing doesn’t mean being able to do everything that you want to do in a day, but rather, choosing the right activities to fill your day.

You may find that you have to put your education above your hobbies and occasional time with loved ones, but it’s what’s best for you and your future.

When you get better at prioritizing, you may find rare situations where you need to have a hobby or time with a loved one above your education.

These moments aren’t often, but they may be what you need when you feel like you’re running out of stream or self-care.

7. Poor Time Management Skills

As you get better at prioritizing, you will learn the crucial lesson of the importance of time management skills.

The sooner you learn this lesson, the more likely you’ll get through your educational career without major mistakes.

When you don’t manage your time well, you might spend the hours that you had after school doing your homework mindlessly scrolling through social media instead.

After you’ve lost a couple of hours to your favorite platform, you may remember that you have a lot of homework to do.

This means that you have to rush through your homework, and the results will most likely be sloppy.

To avoid the lecture you’ll get for your sloppy work from your teacher, start doing your homework earlier to give yourself time to do better work.

The best time to do your homework is right after you get home because your brain will still be in learning mode.

The only thing you should do before your homework is have a light snack to help improve your brain function.

8. Physical Pain

You may not need to move many muscles in order to do your homework, but there are many pains that you don’t even have to move to trigger.

The more pain you’re in, the harder it is to focus.

If you ever feel pain that is distracting you from being able to do daily tasks, like homework or chores, you should tell your doctor, parents, or legal guardian.

Pain that keeps you from being able to function isn’t normal.

It doesn’t take much pain to be distracting.

There are few things harder than trying to write an essay while you also have a headache.

Throbbing pain, like headaches or toothaches, can be especially distracting.

If your pain is so bad that you are having a difficult time getting your homework done, contact your teacher to see if they can give you additional time to get the work done.

You may need a doctor’s note, but many teachers understand that not every student can go to the doctor over every bump and bruise.

9. Overwhelmed

When you’re trying to do a lot of homework and balance the rest of your life, it can be incredibly overwhelming.

The stress of trying to understand difficult concepts because you know you’re going to be graded on your ability to understand the topics is anxiety-inducing.

Students deal with a lot of things outside of school as well, such as trying to figure out what they want to do with their life, social development, family problems, and other life problems that many people go through.

Sometimes, all it takes is the wrong math question to send you into tears and almost have a total meltdown.

During these moments, try to remember not to let yourself get worked up.

It’s okay if you don’t understand a topic while you’re doing homework.

As long as you keep trying over a long time, you’ll eventually understand the topic enough to pass your class.

There is a lot of pressure to do the best and get perfect grades, but you also have to remember that you can’t be that good at everything.

10. Too Many Stimuli

Stimuli are anything that cause you to react, whether you notice the reaction or not.

Stimuli can include the temperature of a room, the texture of your clothes, flashing lights, or music playing in the background.

Your brain is picking up on each of these stimuli that your body is feeling.

To keep it focused on the task at hand, make yourself as comfortable as possible.

Put on some comfortable clothes, make sure you’re not too hot or too cold, and find somewhere to do your homework where there’s not a lot going on.

Don’t let your homework go unfinished just because you were distracted, and don’t fall into the habit of having unfinished work.

Your future depends on how well you are able to get things done, even if you don’t want to and would rather be doing something else.

Reader Interactions

October 17, 2021 at 7:07 am

I hate everything.

October 21, 2021 at 5:20 pm

October 29, 2021 at 1:15 am

November 2, 2021 at 4:56 pm

November 2, 2021 at 11:15 pm

November 6, 2021 at 11:15 pm

November 16, 2021 at 9:17 pm

January 13, 2022 at 1:39 pm

March 18, 2022 at 10:54 am

May 16, 2022 at 6:48 pm

June 26, 2022 at 12:24 pm

December 2, 2022 at 7:38 pm

September 8, 2022 at 7:46 pm

September 14, 2022 at 11:12 am

November 21, 2022 at 4:24 pm

November 30, 2022 at 7:08 pm

i feel the same

November 8, 2021 at 7:55 pm

I have so much homework and I’m back in online learning as of today. I freaking hate life right now.

November 14, 2021 at 11:28 am

November 22, 2021 at 10:39 pm

Please, and let me give you some extra advice and please listen to me. Do your homework daily and early! Also, it is best if you see your homework not as work but as something enjoyable, find something about school you really like and make that as something you need to chase for. Include your homeworks as a routine every single day you have to do 1-2 homeworks that’s it. Start off small, and don’t stress yourself. The more you do, you do less work so if you can’t finish 1-2 homeworks in that day then finish what you can and move on and keep on having a good mood, if you feel too stressed out then take a break and play something. I don’t recommend playing games or looking through social media, instead I recommend something productive like taking a walk, running, working out, or playing musical instruments is a good way to ease your brain from stress and you’ll forget all about it. Then when you feel good again, go back to doing homework and if you do feel stressed at least you got some work done and progress. It also doesn’t matter if you didn’t finish the work because what matters is the progress you’ve done during the time. Don’t force yourself to do homework but do it when you feel you want to do it, just don’t neglect it for days or even a week because that will stack up, and try listening to your classes because that will also make things a lot easier for you. Probably one of the things why you say homework is hard is because you do not listen at all. You do know if you just try and listen to your teacher, you can understand the situation a lot better because they explain it to you. Keep staying healthy with good mental health, that way you’d enjoy homework the same way as you enjoy your passions

January 1, 2022 at 3:33 pm

October 2, 2022 at 8:52 pm

Totally helpful. Another mother advice.

November 28, 2021 at 11:26 pm

January 13, 2022 at 1:37 pm

school brings me so much pain

February 6, 2022 at 11:08 pm

i keep telling myself i just need to do it and its not that hard but yall this AP calc class is kicking my buTT i feel so overwhelmed

February 22, 2022 at 10:26 pm

The work isn’t even that hard. It takes me forever to do any assignment and i just don’t car. I couldn’t care even if i wanted to.

December 5, 2022 at 8:25 am

March 13, 2022 at 8:21 pm

i cant start or do my work and everyone is yelling at me to get it done but i always seem to find somthing better to do like go on my phone,laptop,ps4 when i could be doing my work and constanly staying up late until 3:00 max and always overracting and when i finally get motivation to do my work i just do like 5 asiginments and then not do anymore assinments for a while and that time is used on my electronicts.

April 7, 2022 at 3:49 am

What do I do when I’m experiencing all of the above?

November 1, 2022 at 9:04 pm

idk why i feel the same but same.

September 8, 2022 at 7:47 pm

i feeel the same

“anti spam thingy

November 28, 2022 at 7:31 pm

life is sad

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