Have you ever told yourself “I’m going to do it later,” “I can skim the chapter”? Whatever your experience, finding time for homework with a busy schedule can feel challenging and overwhelming. Sometimes, lack of motivation or volume of pages to read make it difficult to even start an assignment.

My mother once told me, “Raeann, no matter how hard homework gets, you got this. Breathe ... It will all be okay.” Remember why you began your program and that each assignment is one step closer to obtaining your degree.

Below are some tips for maximizing homework time:

Tip #1 - Don’t take shortcuts, engage! 

When you’re doing homework, rather than simply answering questions, aim to understand the content by engaging with it (highlighting, writing notes, re-read). Take notes to remind you of important information — this saves time later. If you can build an understanding of the content, the questions will take less time to answer and affirm what you learned

Tip #2 - Identify concepts 

It is not only important to identify concepts, but how they connect with each other. Understanding conceptual connectivity indicates your understanding of the content before writing a paper, discussion post or studying for a quiz/test.

Tip #3 - Focus 

It’s important to dedicate time and create a distraction-free study space for homework to prevent unwanted distractions. This time might take place early in the morning or late at night when everyone else is asleep. If you don’t have space at home, consider a local library or quiet coffee shop.

Keep in mind, it’s okay if you don’t complete all of your homework at once. Break assignments up into increments and develop a plan. Tackle a good section of homework today, then tomorrow you can pick up where you left off.

If you need additional support, check out these academic resources.