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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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• How to Study When You’ve Lost Motivation: 8 Sharp Tips to Get Back on Track

We asked a former Oxford Royale student ( Oxford Summer Courses alumni) about their approach to managing motivation:

In my opinion, two evils conspire to make revision-time miserable: the first is the stress of approaching exams, and the sense that there is an overwhelming amount of information to learn in an ever-dwindling period of time. Even spending time with friends, intended for relaxation, can just be a reminder of the exams you’ll be sitting together and the work you ought to be doing. The second is the boredom; the feeling of oppression that comes with the knowledge that the next week, or month, or six weeks, will be consumed entirely with the business of studying.

Of course, there will be days when revision is actually quite enjoyable – when you feel like you’re achieving a lot every day, piecing the different parts of your subjects together, and finally understanding things that have eluded you for months. But equally, the majority of us have just as many bad days, when we’re studying a particularly difficult topic, progress is slow or we just can’t focus. And on those days, the classic study tips seem totally redundant: personally, being ‘helpfully’ advised to make flash-cards or take regular breaks while struggling to understand the very first thing about differentiation has in the past made me feel positively murderous.

So, here are some quirky study tips, new ideas to boost your concentration and motivation as a last resort, when everything seems impossible and you’re dangerously close to just giving up and watching old episodes of Breaking Bad all afternoon. Of course, they won’t all work for you, but trying new things never hurts, especially when everything seems lost.

Remember, sometimes it can be helpful to have some group of peers to study with. I was fortunate enough to develop my group while at a UK summer school rather than studying everything on your own.

Concentrating and remembering

An old teacher of mine swore by a very particular (and in my opinion, totally mad) study habit. She said that if you read something through three times, then at the end of the third time, you would know all of the information it contains perfectly. For her, it worked – she could sit quietly reading a chapter of a textbook, and then after the third time through, answer pretty much any question about it. For me, this is the worst possible way to revise. My concentration span is that of a particularly dim goldfish. I can sit for hours, re-reading the same piece of text up to five, six, or seven times, without ever once taking in what it says. Sure, my eyes will be drifting over the words, but my mind will be elsewhere entirely – thinking about what I’m going to have for lunch, what happened on last night’s Made in Chelsea, what I’m going to revise next, or even how terrified I am about the exam. And even if I do manage to remember the general gist of the passage, by the next day any specific details have totally disappeared. If I’m going to have any chance of taking something in and remembering it for longer than ten minutes, I have to make learning an active process. Here are some ideas to do this:

Set yourself questions

In subjects like History, English, Religious Studies, Psychology, or Biology, where you’ve got to read and learn long swathes of text, make learning active by turning information into questions. Break a text down into chunks of one page, or roughly 500 words each, and for each part, write out five questions that you would ask if you were an examiner testing students on that part. Next, write out the answers. Take your time over this process – your questions should be careful and well thought-out, isolating the most important elements of a topic. You could even put your questions on flash cards, and use them to revise from in the future.

Teach each other

In groups of two, three, or four, break a subject (or some of a subject) down into parts, each go off and learn a part thoroughly, and then come back together and teach each other what you’ve learned. The ‘teacher’ could prepare a slide-show and a handout, explain how to answer past paper questions, and ask the other members of the group to work through some questions together. This method of revision works brilliantly for a few reasons: first, it’s active, forcing you to confront problems rather than skipping over them, and transform information into a form someone else will understand; second, it’s fun, and social, giving you a break from the solitary confines of your spot in the library. It can be adjusted to suit pretty much any subject: in Economics or History, you could each take an essay question, prepare a model answer and discuss it with the group; in a literature exam, you could provide readings and summaries of books or poems; in Maths or a science, teach a whole topic.

Ditch the books altogether

Some students do exceedingly well in exams without ever making revision notes or even reading through their books – instead, revision for them is a process of going through every past paper in existence, and answering all the questions there. Next, get hold of a mark scheme, read through the exemplary answers contained there, and work out how you’ve scored and where you’ve gone wrong. I used to use this method in subjects like Maths and Chemistry. My first efforts were always a total disaster, with scores in the forties and fifties – but I found it astonishing how many questions were repeated in slightly altered form from paper to paper, and how much I improved each time. What’s more, each time I would read through the answers on the mark scheme, I was learning information in the same way as I would from a text book, building confidence and becoming familiar with the particular demands of the paper – but it was easier to concentrate than if I’d used notes, because I was always comparing the answers there to my own efforts. What’s more, in my experience, if you puzzle over something and get it wrong, you’re likely to remember how to do it properly. Of course, with this system of revision it’s crucial to be alert to changes in the syllabus, and there is always a risk of missing out something important – but it’s a great way of livening up revision and can always be combined with other methods to make it more thorough. N.B. When practising, remember to keep to the amount of time you’ll have in an exam.

Try something new

There are radio shows and podcasts on basically everything these days. I revised for my Shakespeare exam at university by listening to a really useful podcast on iTunes – and a quick search confirms there are hundreds more geared towards IB, A-level, and GCSE exams. Don’t feel confined to those specifically for your course, though – you can learn new and interesting information that might boost your grade and give your exam an edge simply by searching for a topic you’re interested in. Downloading and listening to these will give you a fresh perspective, or a new way of understanding a topic – and in addition, is a more low-key method of revising – something you can do while you’re walking to school, sitting on the tube or relaxing in the evening.

Make something

I know a student who put everything she needed to know about Photosynthesis for IB Biology into a brilliant (but incredibly geeky) rap. And another student who made extravagant and actually quite beautiful posters, writing all the information she wanted to remember about World War Two on different parts of a map of Europe. If you’re especially creative, or learn well from seeing, speaking or doing, you can adapt this to suit how you learn – making acronyms, rhymes or posters – or even acting things out to remember them better.

Staying focused and motivated

Try working at a totally new time.

This is one for really desperate times, not to be used all year round: as you will see when you read on, if overused its natural conclusion is a descent into madness. When I’m having an essay crisis, or an exam is looming and I don’t feel prepared, I totally change my routine, and wake up at 3.30am to work or revise. I have real problems focusing in the evening – I find working after 6pm miserable and oppressive, and know that I work very slowly and inefficiently at that time. However, if I go to bed really early (say, 9pm), when I wake up in the small hours of the morning (and once I’ve had a very strong coffee) my brain is refreshed, and I can get loads done before the day has even properly started. What’s more, there are no possible distractions at that time of day – nothing to do, no one to meet for coffees, and Facebook slows to the merest of trickles. Plus, the feeling of intense smugness that being up and working while the rest of the world sleeps will only make you more productive. If you’re not a morning person, this one might not work for you – instead, try giving yourself a lie in, and then staying up a few hours later at night. And of course, make up the time you’ve missed in bed elsewhere.

Break it down

Now, many of you will undoubtedly be sick to death of being told to plan your revision. I personally don’t hold much love for study timetables: in my experience, they inevitably end up sitting over your desk, evilly mocking your ineptitude with each day that you get further and further behind the targets you set three weeks ago. On the other hand, though, without a sense of when everything will get learned, it’s easy to feel totally at sea with revision, with a creeping sense that you might not be learning things quickly or well enough, or that you may have missed something out. Unfortunately, then, they can be something of a necessary evil. However, one tip will make sure you keep pace with your timetable, and realise if you’ve set unrealistic goals, while also increasing your motivation and helping you stay in the library for that crucial extra few hours. Each day, break your revision down into chunks- say, at least ten. Once you’ve completed one chunk, give yourself a little reward: I have a friend who will buy a bag of Maltesers, and eat two after each chunk; another who watches one video on YouTube; a third who checks his Facebook for five minutes and a fourth who spends a few minutes punching a punch-bag! Make it a rule that before you leave the library at the end of the day, you’ve got to have completed the ten small tasks you have set yourself.

Plan daily exercise in groups

Annoyingly, for those of us who prefer an afternoon on the sofa with a movie to a walk or a game of tennis, it’s been proven a hundred times over: regular exercise boosts concentration. What’s more, whole days, weeks or even months spent in the library, working towards a single goal, with no distractions or social interaction are very bad for morale, efficiency and concentration. A great way to break revision up, see some human faces and get moving is to plan to do something active and fun once a day with friends. When I was revising for my IB, a group of us used to go swimming for an hour every day before dinner. This was a great social event (and a good chance to moan about all the work we were doing!), which gave us all something to plan our days around, and a chance to get outside and generally stay sane.

Have you got any unusual study tips that have helped you through desperate times?

Images: Man Climbing Mountain

Daniel Wong

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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How to Get Motivated to Study

Last Updated: April 2, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jai Flicker . Jai Flicker is an Academic Tutor and the CEO and Founder of Lifeworks Learning Center, a San Francisco Bay Area-based business focused on providing tutoring, parental support, test preparation, college essay writing help, and psychoeducational evaluations to help students transform their attitude toward learning. Jai has over 20 years of experience in the education management industry. He holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of California, San Diego. There are 24 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,604,722 times.

When you have mountains of homework and studying ahead, getting started can seem like an impossible task. We’ll teach you how to get into the right frame of mind before you start studying and shake yourself out of a motivation slump. Read on to learn how to stop procrastinating on studying, focus even when you're tired, and get motivated to do your schoolwork!

Start with your easiest task to get the ball rolling.

• If you write a quick list of your tasks, it’ll lower the effort of making decisions, and you’ll find it easier to shift from one task to the next.

Try the Pomodoro Technique.

• With the Pomodoro Technique, each 25-minute block is called a Pomodoro, and you can set another 5-minute timer for a quick break in between Pomodoros.
• If 25 minutes seems too short, feel free to keep working past the timer; the point is to get you started.

Break down your work into smaller pieces.

• It’s easy to get overwhelmed by a huge amount of homework and seemingly endless assignments. But rather than worrying, “How will I ever finish this assignment?” ask yourself, “How much of this assignment can I accomplish in 2 hours?”
• Instead of trying to read a whole book, set a goal you can accomplish in one sitting. For instance, read 1 chapter or 50 pages at a time. [6] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source
• When prepping for a test , review your lecture notes from just the first week of the semester today, then focus your notes from the second week tomorrow.

Tidy up your workspace.

• Consider making your study space warm and inviting so you look forward to spending time there. Decorate the walls with photos of you and your friends, place a cheerful house plant on your desk, and choose a comfy chair to sit in.

Reward yourself when you complete a task.

• Have a snack , but shy away from snacking on too many sugary treats early on. Nobody likes a sugar crash! Save sweet treats until the last leg of your study marathon to give you a boost.
• If you decide to reward yourself with a quick break from studying, remember that you will eventually have to get back to work. Set a time limit for your break and don't listen to the voice in your head pleading for "just a few more minutes."

Take a break to move around.

• These activities will give you a burst of energy and will improve your mood. Plus they’ll help get your brain into a receptive state, which will make your studying more effective. [10] X Research source
• A little movement can help you build momentum that’ll lead you into a productive study session.

Look up podcasts or videos to shake up your studying.

• Set time limits to help yourself stay on track, and reward yourself by exploring interesting tangents after you’ve met your study goals.

Crank up your favorite study tunes.

• The right music will help relax your mind and sharpen your focus. [12] X Research source
• Try modern takes on classical piano or solo guitar or tune into your favorite movie soundtrack.
• Speed things up with an electro-swing playlist or chill out with a mix of lo-fi beats.
• Search your favorite music app for playlists designed to help you focus on your work, like “Songs for Studying” or “Study Beats.” You can also try "body-doubling" (working alongside someone else who is also working & letting their presence calm you) with the Lo-Fi Girl YouTube stream.

Freshen up and put on some comfortable clothing.

• Make sure your study outfits don’t feel too much like your sleepwear or you might start to doze off.

Work with your friends or a tutor.

• Look for a tutor at your school or consult a private tutoring agency.
• In a study group, each person could volunteer to tackle a different sub-topic, then you could all share your study materials with each other. [14] X Research source
• Reserve a study room, bring snacks, or gamify your studying to make the work more enjoyable.
• Start working well ahead of time in case your peers fail to meet the group goals and to make sure you have time to brush up on certain subjects independently.

Create visual aids for a fun, efficient study tool.

• Rather than skimming vocab words from a PDF or textbook, rewriting the words and definitions in your own handwriting with a fun-colored pen might help you retain the information better.

Use classic study tricks to memorize facts.

Focus on your long-term goals.

• If you’re hoping to attend college or earn a scholarship, think about how each small study session will get you 1 step closer to your dreams.
• Use your long-term goals as motivation to keep pushing yourself.

Set up your computer.

• If you’re easily distracted but need to use a computer as a reading or research tool, consider printing out the material to help you stay on task. [20] X Research source
• If you need to use the computer solely as a word processor or PDF viewer, disconnect it from Wi-Fi or station yourself in a no-Wi-Fi zone so you’re not tempted to go online.
• When computer use isn’t necessary for your studies, turn yours off and stow it away.

Silence or shut off your cell phone.

• Keep your phone out of sight so you won't be tempted to keep taking a sneak peek.

Stay hydrated and keep a snack on hand.

• Avoid studying right after a big meal; you’ll just feel drowsy and will want to relax.
• Don’t put off a meal as a reward, as your aching stomach will be distracting. Make sure you have a snack on hand to fend off your hunger.
• Avoid sugary vending machine snacks, fast food, and pastries; these foods will give you a short energy rush that quickly turns into sleepiness.

Figure out your ideal study environment and methods.

• Think back to past study sessions that went especially well, and others that didn’t go well at all, to assess which factors help and hinder your progress.
• If you’re able to develop a personalized study system, studying will be a lot less stressful for you.

Design a study guide that works for you.

• If the textbook’s section heading reads, “Anthropomorphic Themes in Fairy Tales,” your study question could be, “Can I describe the use of anthropomorphic themes in fairy tales?”
• Look online for study guide templates and examples as a starting point.

Try freewriting or journaling to identify why you procrastinate.

• If it helps to vent to a friend, just make sure they’re willing to listen and you’re not going to distract them from their own studies.

Be kind to yourself about your procrastination habits.

• Avoid comparing yourself to other classmates who seem to be doing well. Everyone learns and works differently, so focus on your own needs and capabilities!
• Using positive self-talk helps create a growth mindset that can help you overcome difficulties.

Give yourself time limits.

• Telling yourself, "I'll have to study sometime this week" will encourage procrastination, but “I’m going to study from 6 PM to 9 PM on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday” will help you stick to your plan. [32] X Research source
• Try sticking to a regular schedule, but feel free to break your usual routine if you need to shake things up. For instance, get a good night’s sleep and set your alarm for 7:00 AM to study on Sunday morning. It might be easier to get up and get started right away since you’ve planned it in advance.
• The more specific and intentional you can be about scheduling out your study tasks, the more success you’ll have with your studies and time management .

Study Schedule Template

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• Make an effort to take good notes during class and keep them in an organized notebook or binder. Use these to help you with homework, projects, and upcoming exams. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Be sure to get a good night's sleep to help you retain the information you’ve studied. Aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1
• If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask your teacher or professor. Visit during their office hours or ask if you can set up a time to speak with them about the subject. Make sure you ask questions in-class, too. If you ask questions, it will show that you’re motivated and want to do well in their class. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

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• ↑ https://graduate.rice.edu/news/six-strategies-staying-motivated-during-covid-19-pandemic
• ↑ Jai Flicker. Academic Tutor. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1901
• ↑ https://www.educationcorner.com/habits-of-successful-students.html
• ↑ https://help.open.ac.uk/study-goals
• ↑ ​​ https://hbr.org/2020/08/your-to-do-list-is-in-fact-too-long
• ↑ https://www.edology.com/blog/study-and-careers-advice/effective-study-space/
• ↑ https://health.cornell.edu/about/news/study-breaks-stress-busters
• ↑ https://healthybrains.org/pillar-physical/
• ↑ https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/tips-studying-motivation.html
• ↑ https://www.vaughn.edu/blog/best-study-music-and-benefits/
• ↑ https://www.imc.edu.au/news-archive/8-benefits-of-studying-with-friends
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5256450/
• ↑ https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02522/full
• ↑ https://opentextbc.ca/studentsuccess/chapter/memory-techniques/
• ↑ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/why-wait-the-science-behind-procrastination
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rewired-the-psychology-technology/201204/attention-alert-study-distraction-reveals-some
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5648953/
• ↑ https://share.upmc.com/2019/08/healthy-snacks-to-power-studying/
• ↑ https://www.educationcorner.com/study-location.html
• ↑ https://www.herzing.edu/blog/how-create-successful-study-guide
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/procrastination/
• ↑ https://www.stetson.edu/administration/academic-success/media/STUDY%20SCHEDULE.pdf
• ↑ http://faculty.bucks.edu/specpop/time-manage.htm

About This Article

If you’re having trouble getting motivated to study, find a quiet place where you won’t be distracted, and turn your phone on silent or place it out of sight so you won’t be tempted to look at it. Set concrete goals for each study session, like learning how to solve a specific math problem or reading and comprehending a complete chapter in your textbook. Reward yourself with a snack or a break when you meet your goal. For tips on making a study schedule, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Why Am I Feeling Unmotivated? How To Encourage Yourself To Be More Productive

There’s no one right answer to the question of how to find motivation. Many individuals express feeling motivated by happiness, money, family, fame, passion, love, compassion, necessity, and other factors. However, there may be times when it feels like nothing is motivating you and you're feeling stuck, even in the face of important tasks. There are several reasons you might feel unmotivated to do what you need or even want to do. We’ll explore some of these below, along with ideas for helping you stay motivated or increasing your willingness and readiness to get things done.

Why do I struggle with motivation? 

When you find yourself feeling like " I have no motivation to do anything ," you might consider whether this is a rare occurrence or something that you've been experiencing frequently. It’s normal to sometimes have an off day or to need some extra rest. However, if a lack of motivation is beginning to seem like a pattern in your life, it may be a symptom of a deeper concern. If you have difficulty identifying the cause behind your motivation challenges, it can be helpful to speak with a mental health professional who can help you get to the root of the problem. 

At times, the reason behind a lack of motivation in your daily life may be obvious, such as personal challenges, exhaustion, or having lost sight of medium-term goals or long-term objectives. Other times, you might not understand why you no longer feel motivated. If you're having trouble pinpointing the problem, there are a few common causes that could be impacting you.

Feeling unmotivated is a common sign of depression. However, feeling unmotivated on its own is not enough for a diagnosis of this mental illness to be considered. Instead, a lack of motivation would need to appear as one of several symptoms over a period of fourteen days or more for clinical depression to be a possibility. Other common depression symptoms in adults can include:

• Trouble concentrating
• Irritability
• Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
• Excessive feelings of guilt
• A lack of interest in activities once enjoyed
• Significant changes in eating patterns
• Significant changes in sleeping patterns

Depression is a serious illness, but it can be treated with the help of a mental health professional. If you don’t feel motivated and are also experiencing other symptoms of this condition , it’s recommended that you seek professional support.

Feeling overwhelmed

A lack of motivation may coexist with the sense that whatever important things you are responsible for are too overwhelming, and that you don’t know where to begin in trying to accomplish them. You might experience this when trying to address a significant task, like a long-term work project or a long research paper for school. Or, you might experience it while tackling several minor problems that combine to form a long list of more important tasks. In any case, if “analysis paralysis” sets in, every way of approaching the problem could seem insufficient or incorrect.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, handling the situation with patience, self-compassion, and self-empathy may be beneficial. You might do this by practicing positive affirmations, taking regular breaks to focus on self-care, engaging in deep breathing exercises, splitting the tasks into manageable chunks, and/or delegating or reaching out for help. 

Mental burnout

Mental burnout refers to the feeling of having reached the end of your energy supply and needing to spend time doing nothing but resting for a while. It may happen if you've had a busy week or worked long hours without a break. Students or employees who have worked in a demanding, stressful field or environment for a significant amount of time may also experience burnout. For caregivers, burnout might occur after caring for another person's mental and physical needs for a long time.

Burnout has become a worldwide health concern , since it can lead to mental and physical health challenges over time. Rest, self-care, and therapy are typical strategies for addressing it so you can feel motivated again in the future.

How can I be more productive? 

The levels of productivity expected at work, in school, or at home may not always be reasonable. That said, we’ll all always have responsibilities that we need to take care of, so finding ways to help yourself feel more motivated as needed can be valuable for daily functioning and the accomplishment of certain long-term goals. The strategies below represent actionable steps for boosting motivation that could be worth trying.

Be aware of and avoid distractions

To get started in becoming more motivated by eliminating distractions, it may help to identify what typically distracts you personally. If you check social media on your phone every few minutes or habitually turn on a TV show in the background, you may want to put your phone in another room and work where there’s no TV nearby. If you find yourself distracted by the conversations of people around you, using headphones or working from a quieter place could help you stay focused.

Choose your space wisely

Think critically about how your work environment may affect your productivity. You may not be able to choose your workspace, but there could be changeable factors. Sprucing up your work area and wearing clothing that’s more professional, more comfortable, or keeps you warmer or cooler, for example, could help you feel more motivated, depending on your unique preferences and situation. Studies of productive workspaces suggest that seemingly minor factors, like bringing green plants into your workspace , may help increase happiness and productivity. If you're unsure of where to start, feel free to experiment. Not everyone will have the same ideal workspace, so you might take the time to figure out what's best for you. 

Write down your goals

Writing your goals down may make them feel more achievable and help you stay on track in terms of being motivated. At times, the abstract nature of problems in our heads could make them more challenging to pin down and work on. By committing your thoughts to a piece of paper, you may be able to hone your focus and reduce distractions from other thoughts and ideas. Seeing your thoughts in black and white can also help you recognize any unrealistic goals so you can adjust them accordingly. In one study on the effectiveness of writing down goals, researchers suggested based on their experiments that people who wrote their goals down on paper were 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to achieve them than those who didn't. 

Work in bite-sized chunks

A common culprit of lack of motivation is the feeling that the task ahead is so large or unmanageable that there's no point in even considering it. If this sounds familiar, you might consider breaking your tasks into more manageable subtasks and then working on them one at a time and taking regular breaks in between. Using certain, specific techniques like the Pomodoro Method , where you work for 25-minute increments followed by five-minute breaks, may be helpful in putting this tip into practice.

Learn to accept unproductive periods

Lastly, try not to pressure yourself into constantly feeling motivated. Feeling unmotivated may be your body or mind signaling that it's time to take a needed break from your work. In cases like these, the best course of action may be to step back, take a breath, and decide how to proceed in a manner that balances productivity with your mental well-being. Do your best to be kind and gentle with yourself and to take breaks often enough to preserve your well-being.

Therapy may help you address motivation challenges

Talking to a therapist might help you figure out why you may be having trouble with motivation and learn to build habits that could improve your productivity. If there’s a deeper issue at play, such as low self-esteem, perfectionism, or a mental health condition like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or depression, they may be able to help you address your symptoms to improve your daily functioning.

Some people who could benefit from therapy may not have made an appointment yet because a busy schedule makes taking the time to travel to and from in-person sessions difficult. If this sounds familiar, you might explore online therapy instead. With a platform like BetterHelp , you can attend therapy from home or anywhere you have an internet connection. You’ll first be matched with a licensed therapist according to your needs and preferences, and then you’ll be given the choice of whether to meet with them via phone, video call, and/or in-app messaging.

Online therapy may be able to help you address some underlying causes of motivation issues, such as burnout or depression. Research suggests that it can be “a viable alternative” to in-person sessions for those who prefer this format. See below for reviews of BetterHelp counselors from clients who have sought their support for similar challenges.

Counselor reviews

“I don't know if I would have been able to overcome the hurdles I needed to, if I didn't have Leslie asking all of the right questions. She helped ME come to my own conclusions, and that is priceless. Thank you, Leslie!”

“Ben has been a huge help for me. He listens to me and provides valuable insight into my behavior and helps me to understand the why behind the problematic behaviors I have.”

You likely won’t feel motivated all the time, and most people experience regular fluctuations in their ability to stay driven. However, a lack of motivation may cause significant stress in your daily life. Understanding the source of your motivation challenges and finding strategies to cope with them can help you focus on the most important things in your life. Managing distractions, taking regular breaks and time for rest, and speaking with a therapist could all be helpful in addressing challenges related to motivation.

What to do if someone is feeling unmotivated? What are the signs of being unmotivated? What is another word for unmotivated? How do you keep motivated? Does unmotivated mean lazy? Why motivation is important in our life? What happens if you are unmotivated? How do I stay motivated every day? What motivates people the most?

Is motivation a key to success is it normal to have no motivation who motivates people to give their best does motivation lead to happiness what are the top 3 things that motivate you which type of motivation is powerful.

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Home / Expert Articles / Child Behavior Problems / Laziness & Motivation

Motivating the Unmotivated Child

By james lehman, msw.

Over the years, many parents have asked me why their kids aren’t motivated and what they can do about it. How can you get your child to be more motivated? To do better in school? To even go to school?

The important thing to remember is this: your child is motivated. They’re just motivated to resist you and others when they do not want to do something. The key is to learn how to turn their negative motivation into a positive one.

Lack of Motivation is a Form of Resistance

When kids won’t get out of bed, won’t do their homework or school assignments, or won’t get involved in activities, it’s important for parents to realize that there is motivation in the child. But the motivation is to resist . The motivation is to do things their way, not yours. The motivation is to retain power.

When kids feel powerless, they try to feel powerful by withholding. A child or teenager who feels very powerless will stay in bed, not go to school, avoid homework, sit on the couch, and withhold overall involvement because it gives her a sense of being in control.

To the parent, the behavior looks completely out of control. But the child sees it as the only way to have control over what’s going on around him.

You’ll see it when you ask your child a question and he doesn’t answer, but you know he heard you. What’s that all about? That’s a child withholding an answer to feel powerful. When he says, “I don’t have to answer you if I don’t want to,” you see it as a lack of motivation. He sees it as a way to win control over you.

All Kids are Motivated by Something

I want to be clear about this point: everyone is motivated. The question is, motivated to do what? If a child looks like he’s not motivated, you have to look at what he’s accomplishing and assume that this is what he’s motivated to do.

So part of the solution is getting him to be motivated to do something else. To assume that the child is unmotivated is an ineffective way of looking at it. He is motivated. He’s simply motivated to do nothing. In this case, doing nothing means resisting and holding back to exercise control over you.

Kids Resist Because They Lack Problem-Solving Skills

The child who uses resistance as a form of control lacks both social skills and problem-solving skills.

They don’t have the social skills to know how to talk to other people, how to be friendly, and how to feel comfortable with themselves. Also, they don’t have the problem-solving skills to figure out what people want from them, how to deal with other people’s behavior, and how to meet expectations and demands.

These are basic skills we all have to learn in order to be successful as adults.

If continually resisting is how a child tries to solve problems, then parents will have a hard time until they teach the child how to solve problems appropriately.

The first step in teaching kids problem-solving skills is to understand that these kids are not helpless victims. Instead, they’re simply trying to solve problems in an ineffective manner.

Don’t Argue or Fight With Your Child About Motivation

Very often these kids are motivated by the power struggle. They find different ways to have that struggle with their parents. The job of the parents, therefore, is to find other ways for the child to solve the problem that’s causing the power struggle.

But if parents don’t have those other ways then the power struggle continues with no end in sight.

If you’re fighting day after day with a kid who won’t get out of bed, you’re never going to solve that problem. Because even if he gets out of bed then he won’t brush his teeth. And even if he brushes his teeth then he won’t comb his hair. Or he won’t wear clean clothes, or he won’t do his homework.

Understand that when you yell at your child for lack of motivation, you’re giving their resisting behavior power. So don’t yell. Don’t argue. Don’t give their resisting behavior power.

I understand that parents get frustrated—that’s normal. And sometimes you will lose your calm, even when you know better.

The point I want to make here is that yelling and fighting won’t solve the problem. If you’re yelling and fighting over these issues, you’re giving him more power in the struggle, and you don’t want to do that. Here’s what to do instead.

Be Clear, Calm, and Give Consequences for Your Child’s Behavior

Make the situation clear for the child. Use “I” words. Say the following:

“I want you to get up out of bed and get ready for school.”

“I want you to do your homework now.”

Then leave the bedroom. If the kid doesn’t do it, then there should be consequences. There should be accountability.

If your child says, “I don’t care about the consequences,” ignore her. She will tell you she doesn’t care just as a way to feel in control. Or, she may not care now, but as consequences get applied consistently, she will eventually see compliance as a better alternative to consequences.

Therefore, give consequences. And don’t worry if the kid doesn’t like it. You are not your child’s friend, you’re their parent.

Related content: Unmotivated Child? 6 Ways to Get Your Child Going

By the way, if your child doesn’t get out of bed, he shouldn’t be doing anything else. He shouldn’t get to play video games. He shouldn’t spend four hours in front of the TV. If he’s too sick to go to school, he shouldn’t be going out of the house. These rules should be set and enforced consistently.

Give Effective Consequences

Understanding what is and what is not an effective consequence is critical. The right consequences actually motivate your child to good behavior. They put you back in control and teach your child how to problem-solve, giving your child the skills needed to be a successful adult.

Know that effective consequences are not punishments. Indeed, I say all the time that you can’t punish your child into behaving better.

All parents should read my article on how to give kids consequences that work . And take a look at my sample video from The Complete Guide to Consequences .

Let Your Child Experience Natural Consequences

I would always tell parents in my office that you have to have the courage to let her experience the consequences of her behavior. It takes a lot of courage for a parent to step back and say:

“Okay, you’re not going to do your homework, and you’re going to get the grades that reflect that.”

But in these cases, it can help to let the child experience the natural consequences of resistance. You don’t let the kid watch TV. You say:

“Homework time is from six to eight. And if you don’t want to do your homework during that time, that’s fine. But you can’t go on the computer, you can’t play games, and you can’t watch TV. If you choose not to do your homework, that’s your choice. And if you fail, that’s your choice too.”

Remember, natural consequences are an important part of life. That’s why we have speeding tickets. A speeding ticket is a natural consequence. If you go too fast, the policeman stops you and gives you a ticket. He doesn’t follow you home to make sure you don’t speed anymore. He lets you go. It’s your job to stop and take responsibility. If you don’t, you’re going to get another ticket fifteen minutes later.

Natural consequences help people take responsibility, and they can be used to help kids take responsibility for things like going to school, participating in class, and doing homework.

Don’t Forget to Use Rewards

Along with the plan to let her experience the natural consequences of her decisions, build in rewards for success if she does make the right decision.

For example, if my son failed a test, there was no punishment. But if he passed, there was a reward. It was very simple. We rewarded A’s and B’s. We didn’t take anything away for C, we just didn’t reward it.

So my son eventually strived to have A’s all the time. So with kids who resist, it’s important to have a rewards system as well as a consequence system.

Be Patient and Persistent

Calmly and consistently using effective consequences is your fastest and best way to get your child motivated. Just be patient and persistent as consequences do their job and your child begins to learn better problem-solving skills. And know that the vast majority of kids come around and get motivated once they are held accountable in a meaningful way.

Related content: Motivating Underachievers: 9 Steps to Take When Your Child Says “I Don’t Care”

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About James Lehman, MSW

James Lehman, who dedicated his life to behaviorally troubled youth, created The Total Transformation® , The Complete Guide to Consequences™ , Getting Through To Your Child™ , and Two Parents One Plan™ , from a place of professional and personal experience. Having had severe behavioral problems himself as a child, he was inspired to focus on behavioral management professionally. Together with his wife, Janet Lehman, he developed an approach to managing children and teens that challenges them to solve their own problems without hiding behind disrespectful, obnoxious or abusive behavior. Empowering Parents now brings this insightful and impactful program directly to homes around the globe.

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I wish it was this easy. It's not that simple I've read what you wrote here and I don't think you have teenager's because it's eazy as you say

Sandra Sometimes the lack of motivation is a sign of something deeper - fear and shame felt because of failing grades - and so the child enters denial and resistance mode.

Emma Same here. I hate that the school requires the use of the laptop. It is nothing but a distraction and you can't take it away because they need it for school. The closest we've come to a solution is parental control software.

Tracy I have the same situation with my son. Ignores homework or any other responsibilities, bedroom is a disaster. Can't babysit all day, I am a single mom and I work full time. He knows how much this upsets me yet he does nothing to fix it. I take xbox, pc More power cords away, NOTHING motivates this kid.

Dad.com The issue with parents right now is that they have the same issue of all assuming their child’s goal is to fight them and be rebellious. A lot of kids who are struggling right now would love to pass and work hard and get good grades, but there are many More factors such as depression, low self-esteem and confidence, and the reaction, the relationship, and the treatment from the parents that greatly effect a child's motivation and perspective. Stop using punishment as a way to help your kid, use positive re-enforcement, and let then understand that what they’re going through isn’t their fault, they didn’t choose to be depressed, stressed, or have little to no motivation. Try and be helpful and realize that they are the ones carrying more emotional baggage then you can imagine.

Hyporeal Agree with some other comments here re consequences - they made difficult situations much much worse. No tv? She turned it on anyway. Confiscated phone/guitar - ransacked the house & took my keys in order to find them. Eventually, at age 24 she was diagnosed with severe ADHD, & More I realised those consequences would have produced anxiety in her worse than the original requests.

This. I'm already late for work every day (I take him to school) I can't sit at home with him all day every day.

He does have underlying issues (depression, anxiety), but 'nothing works' so he won't even try anything anymore - medication, therapy, exercise.

I'm at my wits' end and it's to the point that by the time he gets dropped off, I'm practically in tears, but have to get it together so that I can go to work and do what I need to do.

Emma Certainly it's important to rule out clinical anxiety and depression. But it appears to me that absolutely everything these days is being blamed on anxiety and depression and we are too quick to medicate and relieve children of their responsibilities.

Melissa382 Thank you for this I hope more parents see this.

Emma Agree 100%.

Janelle383 Maybe your child is depressed or something. You never know what really goes on in a teen’s mind.

Thanks for taking the time to put this article together to support parents. This is something I spend a lot of time also doing. I would love to be able to use your work as a reference for the families I come in contact with. The above article leaves me with a question that I feel would come up if I used it; "If the key is to avoid the power struggle, how do I then avoid the power struggle that would ensue from implementing the consequence?" Many of the struggles people have result from the secondary behaviour that follows the logical (as opposed to natural) consequence implementation. I look forward to hearing your strategies for this next step. Kindest Regards

Emma Same question here. And how can natural consequences work when they are not immediate? A 14-year-old has trouble understanding that missing homework assignments, being lazy with schoolwork, and not studying will impact his future. His immediate natural consequence is lower grades, but what if he doesn't care because he can't More see how this affects him in the future?

Txmomma Yes I have the same issue. In response to a consequence he break things, slams stuff, locks me out screams and yells. He doesn’t care if he gets bad grades. He doesn’t care if he fails or has to repeat a grade.

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• 1. Unmotivated Child? 6 Ways to Get Your Child Going
• 2. How to Motivate Teenagers
• 3. Motivating Underachievers: 9 Steps to Take When Your Child Says "I Don't Care"
• 4. Life Skills: 5 Tips To Help Your Child Make It in the Real World
• 5. 5 Ways to Help Kids Who Procrastinate
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Disrespect... defiance... backtalk... lack of motivation...

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How to Motivate Yourself to Do Homework

We all know the drill: homework can be a real drag sometimes. It’s tough staring down a mountain of assignments and not knowing where to even start. And let’s not even talk about those last minute all-nighters just to hit ‘submit’ right before class starts.

Feeling stuck and uninspired to do your homework? Get scrolling for quick and easy strategies to motivate yourself to do homework!

Looking for more student productivity tips? Subscribe to The Flow — our free quick, snappy, value-packed focus and recharge newsletter:

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1. Break It Down

If your to-do list seems too large, try breaking it down into smaller, more manageable chunks.

Have 10 chapters of your textbook to read? Try reading the first paragraph only. Need to write a 1000-word paper? Start by writing the first sentence. Treat each chunk as a mini-goal that can be easily achieved. Soon enough, you’ll be surprised by how much work you’re able to accomplish already, and the momentum will keep you going.

Looking for a way to stay on top of your workload? Here are some of the best Notion assignment trackers to help you out.

2. Develop Routine & Structure

When motivation fails, discipline takes over. By making doing homework a habit, it’s easier to jump back into your study routine and get your tasks done. Start by creating a daily schedule that works for you and do your best to stick with it. Make use of digital planners, grade calculators, and assignment trackers to make doing homework streamlined and more efficient.

Check out some of the best Notion templates for students that you can incorporate into your work routine!

3. Elevate Your Study Space with Aesthetic Tools

The right visuals can be game-changers for your work sessions. A captivating background or well-designed tool can make the difference between slogging through your work and truly enjoying it. When your workspace is a feast for the eyes, you’re naturally more inclined to hunker down and get things done.

Whether it’s a Pomodoro timer set against a Parisian café backdrop or a virtual escape to Mount Fuji, aesthetics can turn your study grind into something you actually look forward to.

If you’re on the hunt for a one-stop-shop for all your study aesthetics, give Flocus a try. It’s a free browser-based productivity dashboard with customizable Pomodoro timers, inspiring quotes, and personalized greetings. Flocus brings a bit of romance to your daily grind. For more options, check out our full round-up of aesthetic study websites .

4. Form a Study Group

Sometimes, all we need is that extra push from our classmates who are doing the same thing to keep us motivated to finish our homework. Share your concerns, bounce ideas off each other, and lean on one another for support. That said, forming a strong support group early on in your school life can really make all the difference.

Not in the mood to meet up with friends at the library? Join the Flocus Discord server with thousands of productivity lovers and students to help you stay accountable and motivated.

5. Connect to Your “Why”

If you’re feeling unmotivated while sitting on a pile of math problems, why not try thinking about the bigger picture? Reflect on how mastering this specific topic can contribute to larger goals that you might have. The homework you’re doing might seem insignificant right now, but it’s slowly building the way for future successes in life.

6. Progress over Perfection

One of the main reasons why students usually procrastinate doing homework is the desire to do it perfectly — but this unhealthy need for perfection might be what’s killing your productivity and motivation. If you’ve spent the last three hours trying to curate the perfect plan to do your assignment, you’re probably doing it wrong. Just get started, and let the momentum guide you! You can always come back and improve later on.

7. Look for Inspiration

Reading self help books, watching study vlogs, or listening to podcasts are all effective means to learn how to stay motivated and boost your productivity. Don’t worry, motivation also often comes from the most unexpected places — a random sticky note, an unexpected text message, or a line from your favorite TV show character.

Check out our curated list of the best study motivation movies to get going with a dose of inspiration!

8. Rest When Needed

Knowing you have loads of schoolwork coming is stressful enough. Maximize the long breaks between Pomodoro sessions by grabbing a snack, doing breathing exercises , stretching, or taking a nap. Having a good amount of rest is a part of being productive and staying motivated.

That wraps up some of our best homework motivation strategies! With these techniques at your disposal, we can only hope that those long overdue assignments will become a thing of the past.

Did we miss any strategies to stay motivated while doing homework? Which strategy is your favorite to use? Let us know in the comments below!

Gridfiti is supported by its audience – when you buy something using the retail links in our posts, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.  Read more  about our affiliate disclaimer.

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How to Stop Being Lazy

Jodi Clarke, LPC/MHSP is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice. She specializes in relationships, anxiety, trauma and grief.

What to Ditch: Old Habits

What to start doing: new approaches, make good food choices, incorporate exercise, prioritize sleep, practice stress management, set boundaries, avoid comparisons.

Feeling lazy and unproductive is normal sometimes, but problems can arise when it happens often. The list of tasks still undone and issues not addressed can eventually affect self-image and confidence, which in turn can feed a lack of motivation. Here are a few tips and strategies to break the cycle and overcome laziness.

Press Play for Advice On Staying Motivated

This episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares how to stay motivated and focused even when you don't want to. Click below to listen now.

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What you might think of as "lazy" may just be a matter of switching your approach and getting rid of old, unhelpful habits that have kept you from feeling productive and achieving your goals. Here are several such habits:

• Making your goals too big or complicated . If you give up before completing a task, it might not be laziness. Instead, you might have underestimated how much effort and time it will take to reach your goals.
• Expecting yourself to be perfect . Instead, understand that the path toward your goal is most likely going to be full of twists, turns, and setbacks.
• Listening to your inner critic . If the term "lazy" is part of your self-talk, many more negative and critical statements are probably coming from your inner critic , too. You may even bring out your inner critic in an attempt to motivate yourself. What happens then: Your critical voice focuses on your flaws and shortcomings, rather than strengths and positive attributes that could help you move forward.
• Listening to criticism from others . Feedback from others helps shape your self-concept . Being called "lazy" can affect how you see yourself. Similarly, criticism of your efforts can cause self-doubt or discouragement.
• Not creating a plan . When excited about a new goal, you might forget the importance of creating a plan. Without a roadmap to your goal, you might become overwhelmed and begin to feel aimless.

Here are achievable steps that can help you turn things around or stay on track with your goals:

• Create small, attainable goals . Break that huge goal into smaller goals that will help you feel accomplished and motivated. As you consider the big picture, remember the key steps that will be needed to get there and write them down. If needed, break those down into even smaller or shorter-term goals. 
• Take time to develop a plan . Reflect on your desires and goals, considering those small, attainable steps to get there. Be realistic about the amount of effort, time, money, help, or other factors involved in meeting this goal. Going into the process with an action plan will help you feel more confident and peaceful, as well as give you something to refer to when you feel discouraged or have a setback.
• Focus on your strengths . If you're used to an inner critic that focuses on your flaws and shortcomings, take inventory of your strengths. Consider challenges you have faced and reflect on the personal strengths you used to get through them. If you still struggle to identify character strengths , ask friends or family what they see as your greatest strengths.
• Celebrate small victories . Celebrate your victories as you accomplish small goals and overcome setbacks so you continue moving forward. The pride in meeting goals can help reinforce positive self-talk. Your sense of self-efficacy will increase with each accomplishment, which can help you find long-term success.
• Recruit support . It's OK to ask for help. Connect with others in a positive, healthy way and share your experience; their encouragement and support can help you develop resiliency .

Taking care of our physical health can help set the stage for increased energy which, in turn, can allow us to put these other positive changes into action.  

Diet plays a significant role in energy levels. Processed convenience foods are quick to grab on the go, but they usually don't offer enough nutrition to keep your metabolic fires burning well.

Instead, go for protein to maintain stable blood sugar levels and avoid energy crashes throughout the day. Nosh on these:

• Dark leafy greens

But avoid these:

• French fries
• Sugary drinks

Eating small meals throughout the day can help you maintain steady energy levels, whereas large, heavy meals can cause sluggishness.

Research has shown that even just low to moderate levels of exercise can have a significant impact on energy, helping to reduce fatigue. Ways to incorporate more exercise include:

• Walking your dog
• Jogging with a friend
• Hiking with a group
• Attending a group fitness class
• Trying a yoga class

When It's Not Simple Laziness

Sometimes, a lack of motivation can signal an underlying condition such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or depression . Consult your healthcare provider if you're feeling less productive than usual for an extended period to rule out (or address) any physical or psychological problems.

If you tend to feel lazy, you might think you're getting too much sleep or napping too much. Create and stick to a consistent sleep care routine . It can help you stick to your daytime schedule and, in turn, help you feel more balanced and energized to take on tasks and feel more productive.

Being constantly overscheduled, with demands in multiple areas of life, can leave you physically and emotionally drained. This exhaustion can make you seem lazy when you're actually stressed and overwhelmed.

A significant element of stress management is using time wisely. Saying "yes" to your coworkers, partner, children, and friends is easy, but fulfilling commitments can be difficult.

Look at how you spend your time. Take stock of unfinished tasks on your to-do list. Consider where you can politely say "no" so that you can use that time for things that need your attention and energy.

If the idea of setting boundaries is new to you, start by giving yourself permission to do it. Then, start with small things.

Being afraid of how people will respond to you is OK. Your goal is to improve self-care, increase energy, and feel empowered to tackle the tasks and goals that are important to you. Creating time for yourself is key, and setting small boundaries around your time will help you do just that.

It's natural to look around and think everyone else is getting it right except you. Don't allow yourself to get caught in the destructive, distracting habit of comparing yourself to others .

A Word From Verywell

Taking small steps toward better self-care, increased energy, improved goals, and healthy boundary-setting can help you stop feeling lazy in no time. Prioritizing your progress and moving forward consistently are the keys to long-term change, and you can begin right now with the ideas here.

Ntoumanis N, Healy LC, Sedikides C, Smith AL, Duda JL. Self-regulatory responses to unattainable goals: the role of goal motives . Self Identity . 2014;13(5):594-612. doi:10.1080/15298868.2014.889033

Kelly JD. Your best life: perfectionism--the bane of happiness . Clin Orthop Relat Res . 2015;473(10):3108-11. doi:10.1007/s11999-015-4279-9

Wright S. Silence your inner critic . Nurs Stand . 2014;28(44):28-9. doi:10.7748/ns.28.44.28.s31

Hardavella G, Aamli-gaagnat A, Saad N, Rousalova I, Sreter KB. How to give and receive feedback effectively . Breathe (Sheff). 2017;13(4):327-333. doi:10.1183/20734735.009917

Lenzen SA, Daniëls R, Van bokhoven MA, Van der weijden T, Beurskens A. Disentangling self-management goal setting and action planning: A scoping review . PLoS ONE . 2017;12(11):e0188822. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0188822

Proyer RT, Gander F, Wellenzohn S, Ruch W. Strengths-based positive psychology interventions: a randomized placebo-controlled online trial on long-term effects for a signature strengths- vs. a lesser strengths-intervention . Front Psychol . 2015;6:456. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00456

Zlomuzica A, Preusser F, Schneider S, Margraf J. Increased perceived self-efficacy facilitates the extinction of fear in healthy participants . Front Behav Neurosci . 2015;9:270. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00270

Sjøgaard G, Christensen JR, Justesen JB, et al. Exercise is more than medicine: The working age population's well-being and productivity . J Sport Health Sci . 2016;5(2):159-165. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2016.04.004

Harvard Health Publishing. Eating to boost energy .

Cleveland Clinic. How small, frequent meals can help athletes keep energy high . Published June 4, 2018.

Puetz TW, Flowers SS, O'connor PJ. A randomized controlled trial of the effect of aerobic exercise training on feelings of energy and fatigue in sedentary young adults with persistent fatigue . Psychother Psychosom . 2008;77(3):167-74. doi:10.5312/wjo.v6.i10.762

Takahashi M. Prioritizing sleep for healthy work schedules . J Physiol Anthropol . 2012;31:6. doi:10.1159/000116610

Williams-Nickelson C. Avoiding overcommitment . American Psychological Association.

Bergagna E, Tartaglia S. Self-esteem, social comparison, and Facebook use . Eur J Psychol . 2018;14(4):831-845. doi:10.5964/ejop.v14i4.1592

By Jodi Clarke, MA, LPC/MHSP Jodi Clarke, LPC/MHSP is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice. She specializes in relationships, anxiety, trauma and grief.

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What’s My Motivation? (No, Seriously, I Need to Get Started.)

No one enjoys cleaning bathrooms or paying bills, but most people can ‘suck it up’ and get the job done. however, when a person with adhd lacks interest in or motivation to complete a job, it is painful (if not impossible) to tackle it. here, learn how to trick your brain into doing what you need it to do..

Tackling a to-do list when you lack motivation is not impossible, but it takes a lot of energy, and, for some, it actually feels physically painful. Spending our days trying to complete tasks we are not motivated to do makes us feel bad. It’s a feeling that knocks many of us back to the couch, raising the white flag and surrendering ourselves to failure once again.

An ADDitude reader recently wrote to me: “I know that I’m supposed to do the things on my to-do list each day, but I don’t. I have no motivation — and I feel down on myself because of the mistakes and missteps I have made due to my attention deficit disorder ( ADHD ) symptoms. How do I get motivated to do what I’m supposed to do when I’m not feeling good about myself and my abilities?”

You Can Conquer Your Lack of Motivation

Not being able to get things done when we feel unmotivated ranks up there with other things humans can’t do — breathing underwater, licking our elbows, or sneezing with our eyes open. Granted, there are a few people out there who can manage to-do lists without any inspiration, but not many of us can pull off getting started.

So, how can we get rid of those negative feelings? How can we get motivated? What gets our juices flowing so we can get up and do what we want or need to do? Simple — doing something that feels good or pleasurable to us. People with ADHD need to learn to tap into the meaning, importance, or worth of the task at hand.

6 Expert Strategies for Overcoming Lack of Motivation

Motivation hack #1: celebrate small successes.

First, to feel less down on yourself, plan to do something that feels rewarding to you several times a day. This is not an option. It is essential. Do something creative or pleasurable. It will recharge your battery. It’s like making sure you have your oxygen mask on first before putting on someone else’s.

[ Take This Self-Test: How Badly Do You Procrastinate? ]

Maybe you’d enjoy listening to upbeat music, talking to a friend, going outside, spending 15 minutes working on a hobby. Make a list of 10 things you enjoy, and refer to it when you are feeling down. Make sure you have little successes, no matter how small, every day.

Motivation Hack #2: Remove the “Shoulds” or “Supposed to’s” in Your Life

You will notice that you use these words only when you are trying to do something that someone else considers important. “Should” and “supposed to” are motivation killers and need to be eliminated from your vocabulary. You can minimize “shoulds” by turning them into “wants.” Think about the “un-motivating” task before you. Ask yourself, “What, if anything, about this task is OK with me? What piece of it might I enjoy?”

A common “should” is doing the laundry. Seeing this tedious chore as a “want” might mean noticing how you enjoy the scent of your favorite detergent as you put it in the washer. You don’t look forward to doing the laundry, but you like the smell of the fabric softener sheet. Or maybe you enjoy the warmth of the laundry coming out of the dryer. Or maybe you love that sense of accomplishment when the laundry baskets are momentarily empty. Focusing on the “want to” changes the “should” into “I want to do the laundry because I like the way it smells right out of the dryer!”

Motivation Hack #3: Tap into Your Creativity

When you face a difficult task, tap into your creative ADHD brain for inspiration. Ask yourself: Is this something I have to do…or is there someone else who could do this easier, or who would actually find it rewarding?

[ Download This Free Resource: 19 Ways to Meet Deadlines and Get Things Done ]

Motivation Hack #4: Give Yourself Permission to Delegate

Another person might actually enjoy doing a task you find dreary. Give yourself permission to let go of what you don’t do well, and let someone else do the chore or task. For instance, dry cleaners are brilliant at doing laundry, and grocery shopping can be turned into a new experience when done online or completed by a spouse, teen, or neighbor in exchange for your doing something for them that they don’t enjoy and that you do. Maybe working in the back yard in the fresh air turns you on.

Motivation Hack #5: Tailor Tasks to Your Interests

If the task cannot be eliminated as a “should,” and you are the only person who can complete it, make it more bearable by asking, “How can I do this in a way that works for me? What might make it feel worthwhile?” People with ADHD do things differently. Going grocery shopping with a friend would be fun if you get to spend time socializing. Shopping late at night, when there are fewer people, minimizes the agony of waiting in lines. Shopping at a different store might turn picking up groceries into an adventure.

Motivation Hack #6: Turn Your Boring Tasks Exciting Games

Ask, “How can I make this boring task fun or rewarding for me?” Make it into a new game: Challenge yourself to get the best deal by using coupons; time yourself to get in and out of the store in under 30 minutes. Treat yourself to a new fruit, bakery item, bouquet of flowers, or beverage when you are done. Use your ADHD imagination.

Feeling unmotivated is a big obstacle for adults with ADHD. You can’t change that by trying harder or “just doing it.” We don’t work that way. Nobody works that way. I like to look at obstacles as opportunities to enlist our creative problem-solving abilities.

The key to putting the meaning back in motivation is to let go of the way it works for everybody else. Use your out-of-the-box thinking to come up with a fun, interesting, and rewarding way to make it work for you. I have no doubt you can do it.

Bust Your Lack of Motivation by Asking the Right Questions

When I work with a client who has motivation challenges, I ask the following questions. You or your coach can do the same.

• What excites or reenergizes you? What recharges your batteries?
• What old beliefs about what you “should” do might not be true?
• Who else can do this task more easily than you?
• Think about a time in your past when completing a similar type of task wasn’t so hard. What was different? Can you bring some of those elements into the situation now?
• How can you break this task down into three pieces so it feels more manageable?
• How will you reward yourself when you complete this task?
• What would you need to let go of to allow someone else to take it over?
• What needs to change to turn this “should” into a “want”?
• What are you good at?
• What self-talk do you notice that you can let go of?
• What about this task is important or meaningful to you?
• When is the best time for you to do this task?
• What support do you have to get this task done?
• What obstacles are preventing you from completing this task? Which of these can you eliminate now?
• How can you make this task fun, interesting, or enjoyable?

[ Get Unstuck Now: Adults with ADHD Share Their Procrastination Fixes ]

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10 Reasons Why You Feel So Lazy and Unmotivated 

You are drained – physically and mentally. And sometimes for no reason too.

You wake up to start the day on a productive note, but it slips from your hands. As each hour passes, you still haven’t gotten up from the couch to do something.

You might even have a project planned out, but you have no desire or energy to act on it.

And this feeling doesn’t pass. It just grows bigger as the days go by. 

At this point, you’ve likely asked yourself the questions,

“What’s wrong with me?

“Why can’t I do the things I want to do?

“Why am I in a slump?

“Why do I have zero motivation to do anything?”

Don’t despair.

This blog post will answer the question of why you feel lazy and unmotivated and will give you tips on how to feel reenergized so you can achieve your goals. 

Table of Contents

10 Reasons Why You Feel So Lazy and Unmotivated

1. you have a purpose, but can’t take action .

You already have a goal or purpose in life, and you probably have a plan to fulfill it. 

But when it’s time for you to take action, you freeze. It’s almost as if you’re paralyzed, and you tell yourself, “Tomorrow.” 

But when tomorrow comes, you’re still stuck in place. 

I’m so familiar with this emotion, and this happens because we’re either scared of failure and rejection or doubt ourselves. 

Because our goal means so much to us, it becomes overwhelming, and all these baseless fears hinder our progress.

Here’s what you can do to change this: 

• Understand your mind’s fear response: Your brain never wants you to step out of your comfort zone. Unfortunately, all the good things happen out of it. So, recognize when you’re making excuses and be brave enough to take the plunge. 
• Accept failure and rejection: Both are inevitable and the greatest teachers. Start viewing failure as a mentor for success and rejection as redirection to something better. 
• Trust yourself before you doubt yourself: In how many situations have you doubted yourself but still managed to survive and thrive? Believe that you know what you’re doing, and if you don’t, then you’ll learn. But don’t stand in your own way. 
• Fear regret more: The best way to move forward is to fear something far scarier than failure and rejection — regret. Imagine all the regrets you’ll face if you never work on this goal/purpose.
• Take super small steps: Stop thinking that you need to knock out your goals/tasks in one go. Instead, do something small every day and be consistent. 

2. You Don’t Have a Purpose or Passion

On the flip side, you feel lazy and unmotivated because you don’t have a purpose.

Just the mere act of thinking about what you would like to do is exhausting, and it’s the type of exhaustion that makes your soul tired. 

• Journal: Contrary to popular belief, journaling isn’t just an outlet for emotions or a way to document your life. Journaling also encourages self-reflection. It’ll help you come up with answers about what feeds your soul. 
• Forget about what other people think: Most of the time, we have an idea about our purpose, but our family, friends, and society make us think twice. Never accept a purpose or goal that someone else chose for you. Study if you want to and not because your family said you should. Start a business if you want to and not because your friends are doing it. 
• Try everything that makes you curious: The best way to figure out what you want is first to understand what you don’t want. And the only way you can do that is to try a bunch of things. You never know what will strike a chord with you. 
• Make personal growth your purpose: If you adopt continuous improvement ( Kaizen ) as your life’s purpose, then success will inevitably find you. Commit to becoming a better version of yourself. 

3. You Have an Unhealthy Lifestyle

Sometimes, the only plausible answer as to why you’re feeling lazy and unmotivated is because you have an unhealthy lifestyle. 

If you don’t eat the right foods, do enough exercise, or get an adequate amount of sleep — you will crash and burn. 

• Draw up a meal plan for the week.
• Consume what your body needs, not what it wants. 
• Use an app that reminds you to drink water if you forget.
• Eat more healthy sugars from fruit rather than from candy or cookies.
• Snack on nuts instead of candy. 
• Get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, I recommend reading the book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. Matthew’s research studies will scare you into creating a healthy sleep schedule.  

4. You Spend Too Much Time On Your Phone

Phones are great distractions because they overstimulate us and provide instant gratification. They can even trick you into thinking that you’re doing something productive. 

But really, they’re just a massive time-suck and can make you feel even more lethargic. 

Moreover, social media makes us play the comparison game. We see our peers doing so much better than us, and we feel worse about our lives. 

• Mute your notifications and place your phone far away: Out of sight, out of mind. When I have my phone near my workstation, it’s an involuntary response to want to check it. However, when I don’t have it close to me, it’s amazing how easy it is to forget about it. 
• Make reading your escape: If you really need an escape, try reading — it’s much healthier, and your creativity and productivity will improve. 
• Delete a few apps: Do you really need more than two social media accounts? Since I quit social media (I only use Whatsapp now), I’ve felt free, more secure in my skin, and clear-headed. 

Related Post: How to Successfully Do a Social Media Detox

5. You’re Doing Work That’s Not Meaningful To You

You’re going to feel lazy and unmotivated if you’re engaged in work that’s not fulfilling to you. 

Two years ago, I had the most mind-numbing job. It was repetitive and unchallenging, and I felt like I didn’t make an impact. 

As a result, I became lazy and unmotivated. I didn’t want to go the extra mile; I hated waking up every day, and honestly, I wanted to die. 

But all that changed when I discovered how writing could positively change my life and others. 

I still have my normal “lazy” days, but I don’t feel empty like I used to before. 

Here’s what you can do: 

• Figure out what “meaningful work” means to you: Everyone has a different definition of what they find fulfilling. Somebody who owns a cleaning company has a different idea of what impact he’d like to make on the world than a writer or coder. What does it mean to you? 
• Learn new things: I studied accounting in college. When I got my degree, I learned almost everything about digital marketing, e-commerce, freelance writing, and blogging. If I had never explored these areas, I probably would’ve stayed stuck in some boring accounting job. 
• Find joy in your current job: It’s difficult, but even supposedly “meaningless” work has pros. For example, it gives you an income, teaches you new things, helps you become a better team player, etc. Be grateful for the work you have and look for something better in the meantime. 

6. You Severely Lack Discipline

Discipline is what separates the dreamers from the successful.

The reason why you’re lazy and unmotivated might not be because you’re fatigued or have no purpose. It could be because you haven’t learned self-discipline — and it really is a skill that can be learned. 

Here’s what you can do to practice self-discipline: 

• Stop relying on motivation to work on your goals: Motivation is fickle — it comes and goes. If you aren’t feeling motivated to do a task, tell yourself that you’ll only do it for 2 minutes. I guarantee that once those 2 minutes are up, you’ll want to continue with it. 
• Forget instant gratification: Instant gratification, like watching a YouTube video instead of doing a work task, is a temporary high. And after that high, an extreme low sets in because you realize you still haven’t completed your task. Therefore, create a habit of “work now, and reward later.” You’ll be more prone to getting the task done, and you can relax without any pressure later.
• Develop systems and keep at them every day: James Clear very famously highlighted the importance of creating systems rather than goals in his book Atomic Habits . Systems or habits are small steps you take every day that will lead you in the direction of your dreams. For example, writing 300 words a day if you want to become a writer. James says that your systems have to be simple to stick with them in the long-term. Over time, when you become accustomed to writing 300 words every day, you can increase that word count to 700, and so forth. 
• Take responsibility for your actions: Your success is in your hands. Even God doesn’t help those who don’t help themselves. Write things down, stick to your plan, and question why something didn’t get done. Your best accountability partner is yourself. 

7. You Lack Inspiration

Inspiration is hope. It can keep you going even on the toughest of days. 

If you’re feeling lazy and unmotivated, it could be because you need to fuel your inspiration tank. 

The easiest ways to get inspired are to listen to a TedTalk, watch a great YouTube video, or read a thoughtful blog post. Sometimes, all you need is a change in perspective to get going again. 

Additionally, make sure you follow the right people on social media, from thought leaders in self-improvement to successful people who positively influence you. 

Who you surround yourself with online and offline matters.

8. You Have Limiting Beliefs

You might be telling yourself you’re lazy and unmotivated because that’s what you believe. This could be due to low self-esteem or something a parent instilled in you. 

For example, if your parents repeatedly told you you’re lazy and up to no good since you were young, you’ll be inclined to believe that even when you’re older. 

Or perhaps you’re the one telling yourself that you aren’t good enough and destined for great things. 

• Stop sabotaging yourself: Get out of your head and prove yourself wrong.
• Stop letting others’ perceptions of you shape who you are: I’ve been called stupid, useless, worthless, and lazy at some point in my life. I used to believe it, but I consciously changed how I viewed myself. Remember that people only know 1% of you — only you know the 99%. 

9. You Might Be Depressed

Laziness and lack of motivation are significant signs of depression. If you’ve been feeling this way for a long time, then you might be depressed and not know it. 

• Heal and be kind to yourself: Take your time to heal and get down to the bones of your grief. Journal, self-reflect, and carve out alone time. 
• Ask for help: Speak to close family and friends about what you’re going through. You can also get professional help. Sometimes, we need others to ask us the questions we’re too scared to ask ourselves. 

10. You Don’t Have a Balanced Lifestyle 

It’s common for laziness and demotivation to set in when you’re burnt out from working too much. 

In fact, burnout is a safety response of the body to force you to get some rest. The only issue is that it can last a long time, and it can make you feel lazy. 

• Do the things you enjoy regularly: In life, there should always be a balance to keep things working in harmony. Stop waiting for a vacation after 6 months of working to take a break. Schedule time for your hobbies every week or even every day. 
• Rest enough: Take mid-day naps if you have to, or just sit outside and stare at the trees. Rest is necessary to sustain productivity in the long run. 

Final Thoughts 

Laziness and lack of motivation are two feelings that can make us feel physically and mentally ill. However, they can be beaten if you figure out the reasons you’re feeling that way.

I hope this post answered your question, “Why am I so lazy and unmotivated?”

Let me know your thoughts on this post. Thanks for reading :). 

Other posts you might like: 

How to Finish What You Start (And Make Yourself Proud) 

22 effortless sunday habits for a less overwhelming week, 20 habits that drain your energy (yet we still do them), how to simplify your morning routine for a happier, healthier you , why personal growth is so painful , 13 compelling reasons to quit social media, you may also like, how to reclaim your time: the top 10 time stealers to avoid, 50 ways to take a break to recharge and refresh for the day ahead, how to stop hitting the snooze button in the morning, how to balance your career and passion: 11 helpful tips.

I started this blog to guide myself through tough times. I hope it will act as a beacon of inspiration for you too. Thanks for being here. 

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How to Get Motivated to Do Homework: Tips and Tricks From Experts

Students all around the world are facing a serious problem almost every day. They need to complete their homework. And in many cases, they need to complete quite a few assignments every day. Many students don’t manage to complete their school assignments on time, even if these assignments are interesting. These people would probably really enjoy working on their homework if they were motivated.

So, to be more productive and more efficient, you need to learn how to get motivated to do homework in college. In fact, learning how to get motivated is important for students of any age. With the right state of mind, a few tips and tricks, and a bit of planning, you will quickly be able to greatly increase your productivity even on less interesting projects.

Table of Contents

How do you do homework when you don’t want to, a good state of mind – how to make yourself do homework and love it, how do i regain motivation for school, how do you do homework fast and fun, tips and tricks on how to motivate yourself to do homework, how do you do homework when you can’t focus, does it really work, what is the best time to do homework.

“Every kid goes through puberty. They wonder what to do about girls and struggling with homework, and every adult has been through that.” Tom Holland

Here is what to do in case you feel unmotivated in school to do your homework:

• Recall all the past embarrassments as a result of your failure. Let that act as a motivation to get down and do your homework.
• Keep yourself busy with reading motivation to do homework quotes. It will boost your morale and compel you to do it.
• Associate yourself with people who love to do their homework. You will be challenged to get motivated to study.
• Develop a positive mindset towards homework. The mentality you have towards something will determine whether you do it or not.

As with all things, it is important to be in a good state of mind when you start doing your homework. In fact, the right state of mind is the first thing you need to learn if you are wondering how to motivate yourself to do homework quickly and efficiently. When you have a good state of mind – when you think positive – you immediately become a lot more productive. You start liking what you do and don’t consider the homework a chore anymore.

Think of it this way; is there anything you would do with pleasure when you are sad and depressed? Probably not; and this applies to homework as well. Also, it really helps to not consider the homework a chore you need to do because you would get punished otherwise. If you want to learn how to motivate yourself to do homework, you need to be able to think about homework as a necessary thing that will help you advance and that will help you become better in class and in life.

“You don’t drown by simply falling in the water. You drown by staying there.” Louis Cole.

One can, therefore, get motivated for school once again by:

• Loving your teachers or tutors . It is a determinant of the coziness of students in school.
• Getting involved in school activities . You will be able to feel a sense of belonging to the school and therefore feel an urge to stand by it.
• Relating well with other students . A school is like a community in which peaceful coexistence is necessary for the motivation to study.
• Finding pride in everything about your school .

As you may already know, most students hate homework because they associate it with a chore. Why don’t you associate homework with something interesting? You love interesting projects and would love to work with your fellow students on them. Why don’t you think about homework as an interesting project? Yes, you work alone on your school assignments, but nobody says you can’t call a friend or two and collaborate with them. One or two “colleagues” may be all the motivation to do homework you need. There are also a few tips and tricks that will help you with this quite a bit.

Everybody wants to get done with that homework fast and tune in to that favorite TV show as soon as possible. The trick is simple:

• Gather all you need for your homework
• Ensure the internet is at its best
• Get rid of any distractions
• Turn off your phone (for just that little while)

Here are some of the best tips and tricks you need to know when you want to learn how to make yourself do homework:

• Listen to music, but not just any music . Calming, relaxing music is recommended for students who are working on their homework. Keep the volume low so that the music doesn’t bother you or those around you. Of course, you are free to use headphones if you wish. Instrumental music works best because there are no lyrics to pay attention to. Symphonies from Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Bach are great choices.
• Set goals and establish a reward system. Write the goals down so you don’t forget about them. Split complex assignments into smaller parts and set a goal for each part. Give yourself a reward after you finish every part, like 10 minutes off, a cookie, or even a quick video game. You will quickly learn how to be motivated to do homework with rewards.
• Take regular breaks. If you work several hours without taking any breaks, you will quickly tire and your motivation will dwindle away. You should take a 10- to 15-minute break every hour or so. Stretch for a bit, drink some water and disconnect from your work. You’ll return to the homework refreshed and a lot more motivated.
• Keep the consequences in mind. If you want to learn how to get motivated to do homework, you need to learn how to think about the consequences of your actions. Do you want a couple of low grades? Do you want your classmates to make jokes about you? Do you want to lose your self-esteem? Probably not; this is why you need to dedicate some time and effort to doing your homework every day. You’ll get plenty of free time after you finish it.
• Get some rest, if needed. You won’t be in the right state of mind to do your homework with pleasure if you are tired. This means that it is a very good idea to get a good night’s sleep before you start on a complex assignment. If you feel tired, get one or two hours of rest (also known as a power nap) and you will instantly feel refreshed and ready to tackle even the most difficult project. It doesn’t take much to get motivation to do homework.

If you can’t focus , you will keep on asking yourself, “why am I bad at doing homework?” Nevertheless, this shouldn’t be the case at all. The solution lies herein:

• Take a cup of coffee to stimulate your mind.
• Have a change of environment for a moment.
• A cold shower would do some good (really)
• Listen to that favorite song for a while then get back to the homework.
• A rest, probably 30-minute nap is recommended
• Go to a quiet room and settle there

Yes, you can learn how to get motivated to do homework. There is no question about it that the tips listed above work for most students. However, you also need to be able to put yourself into the right state of mind to work on your school assignments. It’s never a good idea to work on them when you are depressed or very tired. Get a bit of rest instead of struggling with the homework; it will help you a lot in the long run. Also, making sure you organize your workload and plan ahead is very important. Start working on more complex project early to avoid having to rush the assignment. As you already know, rush jobs will never get you the good grades you need and deserve.

I remember one thing that motivated me to finish my homework on time ; the fact that I would never do it again as I advanced. Every day I would say to myself, “just a little bit more; everything has an end.” Verily I say to you, the trick worked, and never did I see homework as an enemy, but rather, a best friend. One with whom I knew would guarantee a bright future for me.

Another interesting tip is to enlist the support of your friends and family. Ask your friends about how they manage to do their homework on time every day. Ask your parents about how difficult homework was in their college days. You will get the motivation you need to finish all your school assignments quickly and get a lot more spare time.

How do you see it waking up at dawn when your mind is fresh and alert and then doing all your homework? Wouldn’t it augur well if you just did your homework after refreshing your mind from all the day’s work in a school?

Still can’t find enough motivation to deal with homework? Good news! Enter promo “ homework20 ” and grab your writing assignment with 20% discount!

2 comments on “ How to Get Motivated to Do Homework: Tips and Tricks From Experts ”

THX so much for this!!!

This was a simple, short, and sweet article. On this note, you may want to include how to not get distracted while working on a computer or laptop or any other electronic device for that matter. I am guilty of this myself; whenever I have been assigned to do homework on my laptop, I like to play games and open other tabs on Google.If you could add this bit to this article, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for all the useful tips you have provided, and I can’t wait to see this portion in your article that I have suggested above!

Kaelyn Wilkins <3

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Adolescence

5 ways to help teens stop procrastinating and get things done, shifting responsibility from parents to teenager can be a good first step..

Posted September 14, 2022 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

• Teenagers don't always work on our schedules. It's important for adults to make clear what's expected of them.
• Shifting responsibility from the adult to the teenager can help empower the adolescent and build self-esteem.
• Showing an adolescent the importance of being responsible and meeting deadlines without prompting is a valuable skill to learn.

If you have teenagers in your house, chances are they don’t always “jump to it” when you have something you’d like them to do. Whether it’s getting their homework done, helping with chores around the house, or getting up at a decent hour on weekends, they’re most likely on their own schedule, which may be much, much slower than yours. As a result, there are conflicts that most likely occur between family members as you try to get teens to adhere to a schedule you find more reasonable.

One of the problems parents face is that teenagers don’t have the same priorities as adults. They don’t particularly care if they do their homework promptly and responsibly. They’ll get around to it. Chores are no fun, and often they wait until parents are at their wit’s end before complying. If you’ve had to raise your voice repeatedly to get anything done around the house by your teen, you know the reality of this situation.

The good news is that, developmentally, teens are in a place where they can be motivated to become more responsible. The first step in doing this is to start to shift the responsibility from yourself to them. That means they need to be responsible for getting their chores done or their homework completed. After all, if you continue to manage their choices, they won’t learn to function effectively in the world. Starting with the awareness that it may seem almost impossible for teens to become more self-motivated and responsible, here are some ideas to help teens to start taking responsibility for their own actions.

1. Shift Responsibility to the Teen.

Up until now, chances are you were a lot more invested in your adolescent completing their responsibilities than they were. Self- motivation to do chores or homework can be rare indeed. The good news is that can change. It all comes down to the proper motivation. Millions of people go to jobs every day that they’re not crazy about. They do it because the reward outweighs the alternative. The same can be applied to motivating teenagers.

Teens want things from us. They want to be driven places, or if they’re driving, they want to use the car. They want to go to parties and stay out late with their friends. These are all things that require a teenager to be responsible. These are privileges that require parental trust to help keep them safe. When you shift the responsibility of getting things done from yourself to the teenager and reinforce it with a rewards system that gives them something they want if they comply, you help them develop a sense of responsibility and empowerment. While you may have to remind them to complete their tasks at first, chances are they will get the message and complete their chores to get the rewards they want.

2. Let Them Set the Time to Accomplish Their Goals.

As parents, we watch our kids appear at times to be unmotivated. As a result, we wind up managing their time for them. We tell them when to do their homework. We remind them to do the dishes. We set their bedtimes. Doing these things puts the responsibility to honor their commitments on our shoulders. We wind up having to continually remind them to get things done, and this is frustrating for us and for them.

Maybe it’s time to let teenagers start managing their own time. This can shift the responsibility for getting things done from the adult to the teenager. Explain that they’re older now, and you expect them to be more responsible. Talk with them about the importance of being able to be self-motivated and accomplishing their goals. Be specific about what needs to be done and the deadline for getting it done. Explain that the more responsible they are, the more privileges they will get in the household.

3. Excuses Better Be Valid.

Kids love to make excuses for why they’re not getting things done. Let them know that excuses no longer cut it. They need to take care of their commitments within the time limits agreed upon. With teenagers, often their excuses are just a way to get out of taking responsibility for their behaviors. By holding teens to their word and not allowing excuses to easily “get them off the hook,” you are helping them understand that their commitments matter and are expected to be met.

4. Expect Them to Do What They Say They’re Going to Do.

When your teen gets older and starts working or getting into a serious relationship, their bosses and partners are going to expect them to honor their commitments. This is an important life skill that the sooner they learn, the better off they will be. Let teens know that when they agree to something, you expect them to follow through and complete what they’ve promised. You’re not being rigid or unfair by expecting them to keep their word.

5. Have Clear Expectations.

It’s not bad parenting to expect your child to contribute something to the household. Whether it’s chores, taking care of younger siblings, or just getting good grades, these are not unreasonable expectations for your teen. It’s actually unfair of parents to have no expectations for their children during most of their young life and then criticize them for lazing around the house all day.

Expectations are a good thing. They help prepare the child for adulthood and can give them a sense of being able to accomplish things. Having clear expectations is also a great way to build self-confidence .

Admittedly, it’s not easy to motivate teens. Whether you choose a reward system or just structure a schedule they can adhere to, the important thing is to help motivate your teen to start taking responsibility for their own behaviors and choices. As children reach their teenage years, developing a sense of responsibility can make a big difference in their ability to succeed. It’s a vital life skill that can help them feel empowered, which can lead to increased self-esteem .

David Schwartz, LMFT, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with adolescents, adults, couples, and families in Westlake Village, California.

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