Education is crucial to being successful later in life. Every subject has a purpose in your educational journey, giving you more knowledge and tools to use in the future. Even if you enjoy studying a subject, the amount of homework can quickly becoming overwhelming. To keep you stress free with an excellent GPA, follow a few simple tips.

For Students:

1.     Pay attention in class: Taking notes and reading along with the teacher can help you drown out other distractions and engage your brain to absorb the material quickly. By paying attention, you are more prepared at home to quickly make connections to complete your homework assignments easily. Studying won’t be as daunting as a task because it will be more of a review rather than looking at information for the first time.
2.     Write down assignments: Being successful in school has a lot to do with staying organized. Have a specific planner or notebook that is solely for keeping track of homework assignments. Write down each subject and the required material and when it is due.
3.     When you get home, work on the assignments that are due the earliest. Don’t procrastinate and do the assignment the day of. This will only cause you more stress, and poor grades. For large projects, set aside 30-60 mins a day to begin working on it. This can help you break up the workload so that it doesn’t become too much to handle the day before it is due.
4.     You can check off the assignment as it is completed. When it is done, make sure to put it in your bookbag to turn in.
5.     Turn off distractions: Our brains are amazing things, but they aren’t very good at multitasking. Take your homework to a quiet room where there is little distraction so you can completely focus on the work in front of you. By turning off the TV and radio, you’ll finish your work faster and retain it better so that you can do the other fun activities that you want to do.
6.     Take breaks: It may seem counterintuitive, but short breaks in between working can help you finish your work faster. After working for about an hour, stand up, stretch, and walk away from the work for about 5-10 minutes. Make sure to get the blood pumping. Take a walk, or get a snack, but don’t let your breaks linger for too long. You want to stick to your homework schedule so you can finish up your work.
7.     Find a study group: Some projects or classes may require more help from others. It can be helpful to stay on task by joining a study group of friends who can keep each other accountable. Some students may understand something that you don’t, and they can help you remember the material that you’re struggling with. If you are falling behind in the material, a tutor may be a better option. Schoolwork builds on itself, so don’t wait to find a tutor if you see you’re beginning to fall behind. The longer you wait, the harder it will become.

For Parents: We love our kids, and we want them to succeed, but kids have to take charge of their own education. Your child may need more assistance depending on their age, but ultimately, they are the ones who must put in the work. The best way to encourage your child is to sit alongside them and complete the task with them. Don’t feed them the answers, but you can ask probing questions to help lead them to the correct answer. The older your child becomes, the less involved you should become in their schoolwork. This doesn’t mean that you should be completely hands-off. Check their grades to make sure they are staying on target, and talk with them if they are struggling in a subject. By talking with them, you can figure out where the problem is, and how to help them pick up their grades again.

Schoolwork doesn’t have to be an overwhelming chore. All it takes to tackle all of that schoolwork is a positive attitude and a little planning!