It’s coming to that point in the year where the weather gets chilly and our minds get lazy. These are the days where we want to eat, watch Netflix, and fall asleep on our couches; then you remember you have homework. Oh, such a dreaded word, but we all know how easily homework can affect our grades. 

Before starting your homework make sure you get rid of any distractions. So yes, you do need to turn off Netflix and log off of twitter. The more you hear your phone buzz the more tempted you are to take your attention away from your homework.

After you get rid of distractions it’s time to make a game plan. Write down all the assignments you have to do on a spare piece of paper. Doing this reduces stress by seeing the bigger picture rather then each assignment by itself. Some assignments can be more important then others so it’s crucial to prioritize.  Write assignments in order of importance with assignments that need to be done first at the top. Although you may want to start with the easiest assignment, the harder task is usually the one that takes the most time and it’s better to just get it out the way.

Make a fresh environment for yourself. Pick a place with little to take your mind off of school and lots of good lighting. Don’t pick a spot where you can get too comfy, we don’t want you falling asleep during the middle of a five-page essay.

Now for the hard part: starting. Look back at your to-do list to find which assignment needs to be completed first. You may be sluggish but the faster you get done, the more time you have afterwards to do other things. Reward yourself after each assignment is complete by getting some food or checking your phone for a couple of minutes. This is called the “break time.” Don’t overwork yourself. Breaks prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.

When you are finally finished, then you can reward yourself with a nice good nap so you can wake up and do it all over again the next day. Have a great day, Monarchs!