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How to Study When It’s Noisy: Tips to Block Out Noise and Concentrate

What do you do when you need to study, but your neighbors, roommates, or family are too loud? Most students will ask this question from time to time (I know I certainly did!). Here are the best tips that I have found to help you study when it’s noisy.

To study when it’s noisy, you want to…

• going to a quiet place
• asking people to be quiet
• changing when you study
• noise-canceling headphones
• background noise

While it may seem like not being able to concentrate with noise is out of your control, there are a surprising amount of things that you can control to help you study even when it’s noisy. The trick is to find the best places, noise-canceling headphones, and background noise for studying.

Why can’t I concentrate when there is noise?

Before we go more in-depth on how to concentrate when it’s noisy, let’s look at why we have such a hard time concentrating when there is noise.

Avoid Noise When Studying

The best solution would be to find a way to avoid studying when it’s noisy. You can do this in several ways. 

Change study spaces

If where you are at is loud, then move to a quieter area. Find a local spot that is conducive to studying. Libraries are quiet places. Many even have specific areas or private rooms to study in. Check out local public libraries. You don’t have to have a library card to study there.

If the weather is nice, go to a nearby park. You can find a quiet place to study with the bonus of getting some fresh air! 

Another place that many people don’t think to go to for studying are churches. Churches are quiet and open to the public. You don’t need to be a member (or ready to convert) to go and see if there is an area where you can study.

Ask people to be quiet

If you need to study at home (many people do), talk to your roommates or family about the noise level. Nicely tell them that you cannot study when there is a lot of noise and see if you can make a schedule when they will not be home or will be willing to be quiet so that you can study. You might be surprised by how supportive your friends and family are, don’t underestimate them! Either way, it doesn’t hurt to ask!

Get creative with your study times 

If you are saying that won’t work, my house is too noisy to study, then you may need to get creative with when you study. See if you can get up early or go to bed late to study. This way, everyone will be asleep and, therefore, quiet (unless they are loud snorers, in which case you have a whole new issue to worry about). 

Block Out Noise When Studying

If you cannot avoid noise, then try to block out noise. The main ways to do this are with: 

Noise-canceling headphones

As someone who cannot study or sleep with any background noise and suffers from bad migraines, I have A LOT of experience testing different products to block noise. Earplugs can be good for sleeping but are not the best option to block out noise while studying (at least in my experience).

However, depending on your level of sound sensitivity, earplugs may do the trick. Considering how inexpensive and discreet earplugs are, I would definitely give them a try! 

The main kinds of earplugs are pre-molded silicone, foam, and silicone wax. 

Earmuffs go over your ear. They are bulkier but can do a good job of blocking out sound.

If you really want to block out noise, it is worth investing in a good pair of noise-canceling headphones.

Noise-canceling headphones can help you study by blocking out the noise better than any other product or method.

I tried a bunch of noise-canceling headphones before I found these. No other headphones came anywhere close to this level of noise reduction and comfort. I joke that if my house ever caught on fire, these are my prized possession that I would grab (plus, I would need them to quiet the fire engine sirens). This is only partially a joke. I love these earphones that much!

I am frugal by nature and rarely consider more expensive purchases worth it, but I have purchased these 5 times. Absolutely worth it!

Pro Tip: They have a 1-year warranty, but if they break after that, then you can get a big discount by calling and asking for a replacement order. You will need the code to do this, so keep the packaging and write down the code on the left earbud right away because this will get worn down over time.

If you really want to block out loud noise (such as a lawnmower, construction, or fireworks), the best combination is in-ear noise-canceling headphones playing white noise with earmuffs over them. This is the trifecta of sound reduction!

Replace the Noise

If you can’t avoid or block the noise, then it can be helpful to replace the noise. You can do this with more consistent environmental noise, music, or white noise. 

White Noise

White noise is fantastic background noise for studying. 

Putting in headphones and playing white noise can be a great way to drown out the distracting noise with noise that you can more easily ignore. 

You can find some great background noise videos on Youtube, such as….

or my favorite: FAN WHITE NOISE

There are also some great apps for playing background noise, such as…

Some people can study while listening to music, and some people cannot. If you are someone who can, then music can be a great way to replace the noise. 

When picking your music, it is important to remember that sounds that aren’t particularly interesting (that won’t divert your attention) are the best for studying. This means music without lyrics (you don’t want to start singing along to the lyrics when you are trying to study), such as classical, ambient, and house music. 

Create a studying playlist for the next time you need to use your music to focus. 

Different area

If you can’t replace the noise with white noise or music, it could help to move to an area where the noises and conversations are consistent and blend together. Even if this area seems louder, not having quiet that keeps being punctuated with noise can actually make it easier to concentrate.

Additional tips to concentrate with noise

Set yourself up for success.

Give yourself your best chance to concentrate by eating healthy, drinking enough water, getting a good night’s sleep, and practicing relaxation techniques.

Create a productive study space 

If you are studying at home, having a dedicated study space can help improve your concentration. 

Create a study space where you can lay out all of your material and be away from distractions (at least as much as you can be). 

Shut your doors and windows. Turn off your music, tv, and phone. Ask everyone you live with not to disturb you when you are working in your study area.

Repeatedly doing your work in the space will help build a connection between this area and concentration (much like you have a connection between getting in bed and sleeping). 

When you sit down in your study space, you will be in the habit of focusing on work.

Have materials ready

Part of what makes your study environment effective is that you have everything you need in one place, so you don’t need to interrupt your work to get something. 

Have all your notes and books in front of you. Have any websites you’ll need on your laptop already open. 

Go to the bathroom before you sit down and have a drink and snack ready so you won’t have to get up and interrupt your work. 

Pick what you can best work on

If you know that a specific study time is more likely to be noisy than others, then plan to work on things that require less concentration during that time. 

Pay attention to what work requires the most focus. You may find that you can still write a discussion post when you are in a noisy environment, but you cannot read.

Base your schedule around this information.

Practice meditation

Learn to concentrate despite the noise.

We have all had times when we are so focused on something that we don’t hear someone come into the room or ask us a question. When we are in deep concentration, other noises fade away. 

Try to achieve this deep state of concentration by using all your mental energy to focus on your work. Try visualizing what you are studying or relating it to your life. It is easier to focus when you are interested in the topic.

This can be difficult to do at will (and even harder to sustain), but using your mental energy on your work instead of fixating on the noise is a great way to start. 

By using a combination of these tips, you will become a master at studying when it’s noisy.

If you found this post helpful, share it with your friends and leave a comment to share your best tips for concentrating when it’s noisy.

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Q: Does the TV Really Help My Son Focus on Homework?

It’s true that the adhd brain sometimes needs background noise in order to focus on a boring task. but does your child really need the tv or music on in order to complete a homework assignment the answer might be yes..

Q: “My son insists TV helps him focus when he’s trying to complete a ‘boring’ homework task such as copying a map. I tell him no TV during homework because it is a distraction. He gets angry at me and says I don’t understand how his brain works and blames me when he can’t focus and get his work done. Any thoughts?” — AntiTVParent

Hi AntiTVParent:

I love that you asked this question! It’s a common one with not a simple answer. It’s not always easy to identify the right course of action for your child. But, in your case, your son is telling you (and very clearly, it seems) what he needs to complete those “boring” tasks. So since you didn’t mention if your son is actually able to complete them when the television is on, my short answer is: You need to allow him to try. Perhaps you can experiment with him: Do one day’s homework with TV and the next day’s without, and see if there is a difference.

Many of my student clients find it very helpful to have the television on in the background for them to complete busywork. It keeps them focused and on task. And if we’re being really honest, it makes the boring less boring. Especially for the ADHD brain. However, for the kind of work that requires real brainpower, I would say no television.

[ Click to Download: Free Guide to Managing and Safeguarding Your Child’s Screen Time ]

Many of my students who find homework to be anxiety producing say that having the television on has a soothing, stress-relieving effect for them.  And, interestingly enough, they can put on the television and not touch the channel — but when listening to music, they are constantly changing songs.

And speaking of music, my all-time favorite tip for students is to create 30-minute playlists to listen to while they work. So if your son needs background noise , perhaps you can introduce this technique. He creates a playlist of music he knows well and listens to it every time he sits down to do math, for example. The consistency of hearing the same songs over and over again will help his brain activate and stay focused.

So my advice to you is this: Say yes to music if he needs it to stay focused and yes to background television ONLY if he is using it for “simple tasks” — and completes them.

[ Get this Free Resource: How to Regulate Your Teen’s Devices ]

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to do homework: 15 expert tips and tricks.

Coursework/GPA

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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Is background noise good for studying?

Some people say ambient noise improves studying. Others like silence. So what's the truth? Could “distracting” noises actually help you study better?

Walk into any designated study space—libraries, study halls, reading rooms—and you’ll find that they all have something in common: silence. Nice, quiet spaces are supposed to better facilitate studying … right?

Turns out, that’s not necessarily the case.

In reality, people hotly contest this assertion . Some people say music improves studying. Others like places like cafes with neutral ambient noise. And other people who look for silence when choosing a study location. Perhaps it's about preferences: I almost always put on background noise for studying.

So what’s the truth? Is quiet or “distracting” background noise better for studying? We'll suggest an answer here, and give you a list of our favorite background noise tracks for when you're studying.

What is the ideal noise level for studying?

The effect of background noise on studying

Many studies have been done to explore the relationship between what we’re listening to and our productivity. The most popular question involves whether music is helpful or hurtful while studying . The answer to that question isn’t crystal clear either.

On the one hand, music has been shown to improve both the quality and quantity of work output, especially when performing creative tasks.

On the other hand, more recent studies have shown that music can sometimes have a negative effect on studying. Specifically, listening to music can impair your memorization skills, something you definitely want to avoid while cramming for a big test.

It seems that at this point, science can’t conclusively tell us whether or not listening to music helps us study better, although most people seem to agree that music with vocals or complex patterns is more distracting than repetitive instrumental music.

[See our better tips on how to improve your focus while studying ]

Other types of noise

What about other noises, though? According to most studies, silence really is golden when tackling the most difficult tasks.

When learning or analyzing highly complicated material, our brains process information significantly more quickly without ambient noise. The extra brainpower required to interpret the noise input increases the amount of processing that your already overloaded brain has to deal with.

When the ambient noise is particularly loud or grating during difficult tasks, it can even have a negative impact on your health , quickly raising your blood pressure and stress levels.

Still, noise can occasionally have its benefits. When doing routine or creative studying, low chatter and noise (such as the ambient noise at a coffee shop or in the student center) may be ideal for creative thinking .

Apparently, moderate noise increases processing difficulty, which in turn promotes abstract processing. In other words, the extra work our brain has to do while processing a problem or task in a relatively noisy environment gives us the extra push we need to find more creative solutions.

Matching the noise level to the task

Perhaps the question shouldn’t be, “Is background noise good for studying?” but rather “How much noise is ideal when completing this particular task?”

• When you are feeling overwhelmed by the workload, added stimuli of noise may not be ideal.
• When you need an extra boost of creativity, music or background noise may help.
• If you are getting bored by what you are studying, it’s a much more personal decision. Noise or music may improve your motivation.

[See our other tips on getting motivated when you feel like procrastinating ]

It’s important to remember that music or people may simply be a helpful placebo to get you working well. If you really enjoy the music or the atmosphere of your favorite coffee shop, you are getting a boost in confidence and well-being, which ultimately have the most significant effect on your performance.

In the end, the ideal noise level depends on the situation, and on your preferences. While too much noise is always going to overload your system and impair studying, how much noise you need while studying is a fairly personal choice.

If you like the noise, embrace it. If not, find yourself a nice quiet corner. Just remember, though, there are a lot of factors that will play into whether or not it helps you study better.

Our favorite background noise for studying

Looking for some good background noise for studying that's not overwhelming and that doesn't have vocals? Here's a list of our favorites.

• Rainy day at a coffee shop sounds
• Rainy day at a coffee shop with light jazz
• Cabin with rain and fire sounds
• Ocean and fire sounds at night
• Cozy diner with jaxx

Looking for more information about studying effectively? We've also identified the best ways to build and maintain strong study habits . Get going and rise to your challenge!

Lesiuk, T. (2005). The effect of music listening on work performance. Psychology of music , 33 (2), 173-191. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0305735605050650

Mehta, R., Zhu, R., & Cheema, A. (2012). Is noise always bad? Exploring the effects of ambient noise on creative cognition. Journal of Consumer Research , 39 (4), 784-799. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/665048

Melamed, S., Fried, Y., & Froom, P. (2001). The interactive effect of chronic exposure to noise and job complexity on changes in blood pressure and job satisfaction: A longitudinal study of industrial employees. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology , 6 (3), 182-195. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/1076-8998.6.3.182

Perham, N. & Vizard, J. (2011). Can preference for background music mediate the irrelevant sound effect?. Applied Cognitive Psychology , 25 (4), 625-631. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1731

Flashcards for serious learners .

How to Focus on Homework and Actually Get Things Done: 12 Hacks for Busy Students

• September 15, 2022

Chances are, you’ve had some days when you felt overwhelmed after a long day at school. You couldn’t imagine doing anything other than plopping down in front of the television, let alone finding out how to focus on your homework. 

How can you overcome the resistance and get it done? How do you get your mind to include this task in your day as well?

With just a few adjustments, you will be able to expand your capacity to concentrate.

Why Can’t I Focus on My Homework?

Countless factors constantly fight for your attention : social media, people, overthinking, and anxiety. All of this can make you feel as though you have little control over your mind. 

If you want to start to focus better on your homework, you’ll need to set your mind up for success. Remove all distractions .

Here are two key principles that can help you be more successful in your studies:

1. Identify the distractions in your surroundings

What are the things in your daily life that take your mind away from your studies? Clearly identifying these distractions can help you understand both the problem and what causes it.

Among our environmental distractions, digital distractions are one of the worst kinds, and according to a number of studies , their effect is on the rise in the classroom.

If you’re looking to gain more concentration and, thus, form better study habits, question your online behavior first and foremost.

2. Limit the use of technology to find focus

What’s the role of social media in your daily life? Have you ever sat down to calculate how social media distracts you from doing the things you should be doing?

When you are wondering how to focus on homework long after you’ve put your phone away, you’re still thinking about the last posts you saw on Instagram. The sound of new notifications can be enough to reroute our attention from the task at hand.

And then comes the information overload, the fear of missing out, and the all-too-common signs of addictive behavior. Technology is affecting your mind more than ever, and it’s taking your focus away.

How to Focus on Homework: 12 Things You Can Do to Be More Indistractible

Here are 12 tips on how to stay focused while completing your homework, taught by superbrain coach Jim Kwik and habit transformation expert Nir Eyal .

• Make a routine
• Set up a study-friendly environment
• Avoid heavy meals
• Organize your study notes
• Tell others to stay away
• Listen to study music
• Set deadlines
• Take brain breaks
• Use discomfort as motivation for productivity
• Use time blocking
• Let go of thoughts that distract you
• Reimagine your task

Let’s look at each study hack in more detail.

1. Make a routine

Routines help you be productive without exerting as much effort. When you have homework to do, a study routine can be the reason you actually sit down, set enough time aside, concentrate, and stay focused until you complete the project.

This process doesn’t need to be complicated: just tell yourself that you will sit at your desk at home once you’re back from school. Put your phone on silent, make an outline of the work that needs to get done, and simply begin with what’s most important.

2. Set up a study-friendly environment

A place for everything and everything in its place. That applies to studying, too.

Lying in bed with your notebook is considered a distraction, as is being in the living room with your laptop while others are doing their activities.

You need an isolated place when you decide to focus on your homework. Make it feel comfortable, keep it organized, keep it clean, and consider putting up some motivational posters or positive affirmations .

3. Avoid heavy meals

It’s not advisable to have a big meal beforehand. Big meals can ruin your focus and make you feel sluggish and lazy because it takes a big amount of time and energy for your body to digest. A snack is okay.

There are also some foods , though, that are just plain bad for your productivity. For example, soda, candy, and fried foods are all full of sugar and have no nutritional value. They make your insulin spike up, but then it crashes very fast, which makes you feel depleted of energy.

4. Organize your study notes

Prioritize your work. Keep lists and place the most important items on top. Then work on the items that you should get done first.

It helps to outline what you need to do, breaking it down into smaller, more manageable steps. Use colors to highlight the essentials . 

This makes it all look much simpler and you’re more likely to actually get started. The brain loves organization and it won’t be so likely to procrastinate when it knows you have a structure set in place.

5. Tell others to stay away

Don’t be afraid to let others know that you’re studying and require some time and space to get your work done. Decide on fixed hours for studying and tell your friends and family members that you won’t be available during that time of the day.

If others respect your study time, you’ll be more inclined to respect it as well. 

6. Listen to study music

There are many tracks out there designed to help your mind focus. Whether you use binaural beats or just instrumental music, the right sounds can really help to tune your brain into a productive frequency.

This meditation is also great to listen to; it puts your mind in a clear, concise, and ready-to-take-on-the-world mode:

7. Set deadlines

Even if your teacher has already given you deadlines for each assignment, set new ones yourself at earlier dates.

This helps you build discipline, learn how to focus on studying, and prioritize every day.

8. Take brain breaks

Frequent breaks actually increase your productivity and focus. You’ll see that after each study session, the brain needs to be engaged with something different —  you need to activate other parts of your brain before going back to your studies so that you can reach top performance.

You can also use the Superbrain Yoga Technique. In the Superbrain Quest, Jim talks about implementing it during your breaks. It goes as follows:

• Massage the left lobe of your ear with your right hand, and the right one with your left hand
• Inhale and squat down
• Exhale and come back up while continuing massaging your opposite ear with the opposite hand
• Keep going for a few minutes

As your body moves, your brain grooves. — Jim Kwik, trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain Quest

9. Use discomfort as motivation for productivity

The brain is wired to protect us from danger, and our ancestors needed this function of the psyche to survive. Discomfort is associated with danger, and whenever they felt it, they knew it was time to run away or protect themselves in one way or another.

In today’s world, danger isn’t so imminent. However, discomfort is, and the brain still works to protect us in the same way. 

So why not use it to your advantage?

Once you have this mindset shift, you can see the discomfort that comes with doing your homework as fuel for moving forward, from pain to pleasure. So instead of procrastinating and avoiding the discomfort, just use it as motivation to get things done.

And maybe you can even save yourself a fun activity to do later in the day, so you have something to look forward to.

10. Use time blocking

You can use time blocking and set a specific amount of time for parts of your homework that needs to be done. For example, you block 30 minutes of reading, then another 30 minutes of writing down highlights from the text. 

This method will give you more structure and support you when you need to focus on school work, as you will have a dedicated structured time to do so.

11. Let go of thoughts that distract you

When you need more concentration, but your thoughts keep getting in the way, here’s a fun visualization exercise you can use:

• Before you start working on your homework, close down your eyes and imagine a flowing river in front of you. 
• Now, place every thought on a leaf and let it run down the river while watching it move away from you. 

Do this repeatedly for 5-10 minutes and see how your mind becomes clearer, more productive, and more inspired.

12. Reimagine your task

How can you make the process of doing your homework more fun? Is there any way you can think of to make it more exciting and engaging?

As you introduce play and fun into any task, your capacity to stay focused will increase. So just try out different methods to engage more in your homework. 

For example, what if you made a trivia quest about your history lesson homework? Or what about riddles to make you remember all the characters from the novel you have to read? 

Once you play around with these kinds of games, you might find that focusing on your homework isn’t as boring as you thought it would be.

Unleash the Power of Your Focus

Discovering how to focus on your homework can go beyond schoolwork and actually support you in many other activities you want to do. Concentration is one of the best skills to nurture for your growth.

If you need a little guidance at the beginning of your focusing journey, Mindvalley has it in store for you. 

By unlocking your FREE Mindvalley access , you can check out sample classes from quests that help you develop better focus and study habits, such as Becoming Focused and Indistractable by Nir Eyal and Superbrain by Jim Kwik. You can also immerse yourself in beautiful sounds and guided meditations designed to improve concentration and help you enter the flow state.

The earlier you start, the greater your journey of self-discovery will be. Welcome in.

— Images generated on Midjourney.

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Alexandra Tudor

Jim Kwik is the trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain and Super Reading quests. He’s a brain coach and a world expert in speed reading, memory improvement, and optimal brain performance. Known as the “boy with the broken brain” due to a childhood injury, Jim discovered strategies to dramatically enhance his mental performance. He is now committed to helping people improve their memory, learn to speed-read, increase their decision-making skills, and turn on their superbrain. He has shared his techniques with Hollywood actors, Fortune 500 companies, and trailblazing entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and Richard Branson to reach their highest level of mental performance. He is also one of the most sought-after trainers for top organizations like Harvard University, Nike, Virgin, and GE.

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., 9 ways to stop homework distractions and get your work done.

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar to you? You try to read and get distracted by Snapchat. You’re doing your math homework until you’re little sister comes barreling through the kitchen. The new BuzzFeed quiz sounds way more appealing than starting your French paper .

Research shows  that even a 3-second interruption (like the time it takes to glance at your buzzing phone) has the power to completely derail the task you’re working on and makes you more likely to mess up.

Want to defeat homework distractions once and for all? Here are nine interruption busters to help you concentrate on homework without getting distracted to  reach your goals .

1. Make homework a habit.

You brush your teeth before bed; it’s just what happens. Same with homework. You do homework after school. Or, you do homework after dinner. Your schedule might vary from day to day, but in general being consistent about when homework will happen assures that it will become second nature.

2. Find your perfect study space.

Doing your homework in roughly the same place every night will help cement the routine. Whether it’s the public library, on your bed, or at the kitchen table, find a study space to make your own.

3. Get rid of unnecessary interruptions.

Distractions are often electronic but not always (rowdy younger siblings definitely count!). Wear headphones. Silence those enticing app notifications. You probably need your computer to do research or type up your lit essay  so consider using a browser extension like StayFocused to block chronically distracting sites (like your favorite blog or Instagram).

Read More: 8 Tricks to Finish Your Homework Faster

4. Plan ahead.

Take a look at everything you have to do and gather up ALL the gear you’ll need to do it. Have a trig quiz ? Grab your calculator. Reading a  chapter for biology ? Make sure a highlighter is handy. Going on a search for supplies is a surefire way to derail homework.

5. Big projects? Start small.

If you’ve got a big assignment looming, like a research paper , stay motivated by completing a small piece of the project every few days. It’s easy to get distracted if the project seems too complicated or has a distant due date. Even writing just a few sentences a night will keep your essay on track.

6. Give your brain a break.

Our brains and bodies aren’t wired to do the same thing for too long. Attempting to complete a complicated geometry problem set  in one sitting could end up frustrating you and make you want to give up. Make sure you are allowing yourself plenty of breaks—walk the dog, have a dance party, scan your Twitter feed—to get the blood flowing and get the brain moving.

Read More: Not Sure if an Online Tutor is Right For You? Let Us Change Your Mind.

7. Shift subjects.

You’ve got homework from lots of different teachers across multiple subjects. Who says you have to finish your Spanish dialogue  before moving on to chemistry ? When your mind starts wandering or you’ve just had enough, it’s ok (and often very productive!) to move on to something else. You may end up shifting subjects a few times before your assignments are completed.

8. Get loose.

Your study routine doesn’t have to be monotonous, especially if you are “actively” rather than passively involved with homework  So take notes on passages as you read them. Or, create flashcards for vocab words. Don’t just study the biology diagram; try to replicate it. The more senses that are involved in the work, the more you will retain and the less likely you will zone out and read the same thing over and over with no comprehension.

9. Still can’t focus? We can help!

Sometimes an “outside force” can be very motivating. If you’re stuck, our online tutors are available 24/7 and can help you get back on track in just a few minutes.

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Homework Struggles May Not Be a Behavior Problem

Exploring some options to understand and help..

Posted August 2, 2022 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

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

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

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

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

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

When Mental Health Symptoms Interfere with Homework

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Can You Help a Child Who Struggles with Homework?

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

Helping at Home

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

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

Helping at School

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

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

The Long-Term Story

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

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

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

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How to Get Homework Done when You Don't Want To

Last Updated: May 6, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden . Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. There are 9 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 248,638 times.

Homework can be a drag, but it's got to be done to keep your grades up and stay on track during school. Going somewhere quiet, making a plan, and giving yourself breaks can all help you stay focused and on task to get your work done quickly. Try to keep your assignments organized and give yourself credit for completing hard or boring work, even if you didn’t want to.

Getting Motivated

• Keep a list of your assignments and check them off as you finish them. This can give you a sense of accomplishment that can motivate you to keep going.

• Make it the rule that you work for a certain amount of time, or until a certain amount of work has been accomplished. Afterward, you can hang out. Stick to this schedule.
• Try this out and see if it works. If you're too distracted by having friends around, make a date to hang out after homework instead.

• Make sure you keep the competition to yourself. Competing with your friends isn’t fun, especially over homework assignments and grades.

• Learning something that will probably help with future assignments, even if you don't know what they are yet.
• Proving to your teacher that you understand the homework so that they don’t keep assigning it over and over.
• Improving your GPA.
• Getting a good grade.

• Try not to reward yourself with food, as that can lead to snacking when you aren’t really hungry.

Staying Focused

• For instance, tell yourself that if you finish your first assignment in 20 minutes, you can go on your phone for 5 minutes.

• Make sure you stand up and do something when it's your break, or you won't get your wiggles out.
• Set a timer on your phone or use a kitchen timer to let yourself know when it's time to switch tasks.

• If you don't have control over the subject, try to find connections between the topic and something you care about. Find aspects of the subject that interest you.
• For instance, if you have to study History but you care the most about fashion, investigate the styles of the times and places you are studying. Learn how political and economical developments changed the way people dressed.

• You can find playlists on Spotify and YouTube that are made for studying and doing homework.

• When you're struggling to focus, sign out of your email and all social media so you don't check them as a reflex.

Creating Good Study Habits

• If you have many textbooks and worksheets, stack them and put them to the side.
• Get things like pencils, erasers, calculators, rulers, and paper.

• Having a planner will make it less tempting to procrastinate, as long as you have broken up your studying into manageable chunks.
• Your planner can be paper, or you can get one on your phone. Just make sure it has space for task lists as well as events.
• Once you have completed a task, cross it off or put a check next to it. Seeing that you're getting your work done will make you feel better, which in turn will motivate you to keep up the good work.
• Don't put more than you can do in one day on a list! Split up your week's work so that every day has a manageable amount.

• If you have a job or extracurricular activities that change your daily schedule, determine a weekly schedule that you stick to as much as possible.

• Sometimes just explaining what you have to do will help you understand it better.
• Talking to another person is a great way to brainstorm ideas. They may ask you questions or provide comments that can help you organize your ideas.
• Other times, the person you are talking to will notice something about the prompt that you overlooked.

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

• Try asking a family member to help you remember when to start your assignments so you don’t forget. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2
• If you’re really struggling with a topic, consider going to a tutor for extra help. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2
• Getting motivated can be tough. Just try your best, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2

Tips from our Readers

• Set up a dedicated study area at home with your needed supplies, to establish a consistent homework routine. Having everything in one prepared place helps minimize distractions.
• Use a planner to schedule out all your assignments. Break them into small, manageable pieces so it's less overwhelming. Checking tasks off as you finish motivates you along.
• If completely stuck on an assignment, reach out and talk it through with someone. Verbalizing it can provide new insights to move forward.
• Take short activity breaks every 45 minutes. Get up, stretch, grab some water. It refreshes your mental focus so you stay engaged.
• Incorporate a fun personal interest into an assignment when possible. Writing about something you care about keeps you absorbed.
• When you really need to concentrate, eliminate enticing distractions like your phone. Logging out keeps you on track.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://hwpi.harvard.edu/files/comm/files/smarttalk_staff_guide.pdf
• ↑ http://www.wcsu.edu/housing/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2018/05/Handout-V6N6.pdf
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/worry-wise/201410/how-prevent-homework-procrastination
• ↑ Ashley Pritchard, MA. Academic & School Counselor. Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/organize-focus.html?WT.ac=p-ra#
• ↑ https://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/sites/default/files/homework_tips.pdf
• ↑ https://childmind.org/article/strategies-to-make-homework-go-more-smoothly/
• ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html#

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Everything You Need to Know to Improve Your Focus While Working From Home

Tips to set boundaries between your work and home life.

Every item on this page was hand-picked by a House Beautiful editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

At-home Factors That Make It Difficult to Focus

• Distractions: family, ambient noise, looming house chores
• Blurring of boundaries
• Lack of rituals

So many distractions can potentially arise while you're working from home: your kids bursting into your office requesting lunch, your cat's never-ending duel with your house plants, your neighbor finding the inspiration to mow their lawn during your phone call—it's a pretty exhausting cycle.

Dr. Winsberg shares that the blurring of boundaries between one's professional life and personal goings-on is one of the biggest causes behind a lack of focus. "Some workers are getting things done on a Saturday because the week before, they had to finish laundry in the middle of the day," says Dr. Winsberg.

Another huge component to acknowledge is that not everyone has a designated space to work in their home.

Is Your Screentime Affecting Your Body?

Zoom fatigue is real, and taking a majority of your morning and nights to comb through emails strains your eyes. According to optometrist Dhruvin Patel, founder of Ocushield , blue light (which is harmful to your peepers) comes primarily from the sun, but can also be found in the products we use daily—from digital screens such as phones, laptops, and monitors. But it also comes from unsuspecting places, such as some lighting fixtures (including the bulbs in your fridge). "Bear that in mind next time you reach for a midnight snack," he cautions.

Dermatologist Dr. Hadley King suggests using SPF and screen protectors that block blue light, which can also wreak havoc on your skin—which means yes, you should apply sunscreen even while you're at home. "HEV light penetrates into the lower layers of the dermis. It is not associated with skin cancer like UV rays are, but it can cause skin to age prematurely (photo-aging). It can also contribute to hyperpigmentation and may play a part in melasma and age spots, like UV rays, HEV light generates free radicals, or reactive oxygen species," Dr. King explains. "These free radicals cause skin cells to produce enzymes that break down collagen and elastin in the skin."

And even if you're a night owl, the increased screen time can take a toll due to lack of sleep and increased exposure to blue light.

How Long Can You Focus?

Realistically, while your workday can run from 8 to 10 hours, high-quality work can be done for about five hours a day. "It's better if you can optimize those five hours, taking breaks in between, rather than sitting in front of a laptop for ten hours and not being productive for most of that time," says Dr. Winsberg.

It's best to think of your to-do list and prioritize what needs to get done. "I like to break things down into the kinds of work that they are. Some are menial—things that don't require much brainpower. Where the things that need dedicated focus, I will slot in the time that I know I'm productive," Dr. Winsberg says. Figure out when your motivation is high and when it isn't!

After you're done with a huge task, stand up, take a break, and stretch. The lull that naturally comes after lunch can be combated with an activity that doesn't require all of your attention. "People like to talk about how much 'willpower' they have. We all have fluctuating levels of willpower, so you want to capitalize on the moments where it's really high to do the hard things," Dr. Winsberg explains.

Another tip? Engage with your screen as if you're working in person. We're staring at screens for more hours in the day than we have ever before. Dr. Winsberg suggests looking away from your screen and taking a moment to think or gaze at a beautiful picture, to give your eyes a chance to readjust. "It's good to emulate that natural shifting gaze you have when in conversation."

Dr. Winsberg adds, "Prioritize tasks not just based on urgency, but also on complexity. Take breaks between hard efforts in order to not spin your wheels. Calendaring time slots for work projects, the way you would a meeting, can help."

Change Your Environment

Your productivity stays higher when you change up your work environment every now and then. "I advise that people do just a little bit of rearranging every three months. It might just be changing the angle of your desk or getting a new plant," Dr. Winsberg explains. Subtle shifts can help maintain the freshness of the space without requiring a huge renovation to your home.

It's tough to be hunched over your laptop in a dim, cluttered area. Natural lighting and good ergonomics can help with focus. "Find a dedicated space, ideally with a door the closes and reserve that space if possible," Dr. Winsberg advises. Don't have a door? We have a list of innovative office ideas that will inspire you to rethink tricky spaces.

"Make the most out of your time. Start your day with a ritual of sorts that's not work-related," Dr. Winsberg continues. "The temptation is to roll out of bed and head right into work." After you hit snooze for the third or fifth time (judgment-free zone), go on a walk! Or cook yourself the best breakfast omelet. Maybe nestle into your reading nook to finally get to that last chapter. Do something that keeps your heartbeat steady, stress low, and eyes fixed on all the positive possibilities of the new day.

Responsibly Clocking Out

To set a clear separation between work and home life: log off and stay off. Respect the boundaries that you set so everyone (your family, housemates, or coworkers) will adhere to the standards you set for yourself. As Dr. Winsberg explains, "set a framework of your expectations. Make family members or roommates aware of your schedule, so that they know when to not interrupt. Also, set a guideline on how those interruptions should happen."

"End each day with another ritual, ideally a walk outside, exercise, or mindfulness session to transition from work mode to home life," she continues. Cheers to the weekend and finally, a hopeful Monday.

"We've seen anxiety levels really increase during the pandemic. Forty percent of Americans are reporting anxiety at this time because there is so much uncertainty in life right now. Working alone from home can create some anxiety, too," says Dr. Winsberg. Difficulty concentrating can be a symptom of anxiety and depression. Take a free assessment at Brightside today and reach out if you need help seeking treatment.

Below, we've included the best ergonomic office lifesavers to help your workflow. There's even an adjustable standing desk that has a tech-savvy outlet and 2 USB portals. Keep your office door closed and your mind open to endless possibilities.

Herman Miller Classic Aeron Chair

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Fix sound or audio problems in Windows

If you’re having sound or audio problems, the following suggestions might help. The tips are listed in order, so start with the first one, see if that helps, and then continue to the next one if it doesn’t. 

Before you begin

Start by running the automated audio troubleshooter in the Get Help app. Get Help automatically runs diagnostics and takes the correct steps to fix most audio issues.

Open Get Help

If the Get Help app is unable to resolve your sound or audio issue, try the possible solutions listed:

1. Check your speaker output

If multiple audio output devices are available, check that you have the appropriate one selected.  Here's how:

Select the Speakers  icon on the taskbar.

Next, select the arrow   to the right of the speaker volume slider to open a list of audio devices connected to your computer.  The tool tip should display as Manage audio devices when hovering over the arrow.

Check that your audio is playing to the audio device you prefer, such as a speaker or headphones.

If this doesn't help, continue to the next tip.

2. Run the audio troubleshooter

The audio troubleshooter might be able to fix audio problems automatically.

To run the troubleshooter:

Go to Search in the taskbar, type audio troubleshooter , and select Find and fix problems with playing sound from the results to launch the troubleshooter.

You can also launch the troubleshooter from audio Settings:

Select Start > Settings > System  > Sound   > Troubleshoot common sound problems and select Output devices or Input devices .

If running the troubleshooter doesn't help, continue to the next tip.

3. Verify that all Windows Updates are installed

To check for updates:

Select Start > Settings > Windows Update  and select  Check for updates .   Open Windows Update

Do one of the following:

If the status says, "You're up to date," go to the next tip.

If the status says, "Updates are available," select Install now .

Select the updates you want to install, then select Install .

Restart your PC and check if your sound is working properly.

If that didn't solve your problem, continue to the next tip.

4. Check your cables, plugs, jacks, volume, speaker, and headphone connections

Try these steps:

Check your speaker and headphone connections for loose cords or cables. Make sure all cords and cables are plugged in.

If you have multiple 5mm jacks to plug into, especially on a surround sound system, make sure all cords and cables are plugged into the correct jack.

Note:  Some systems use a green jack for output and a pink jack for mic input and others will be labeled "headphone" or "microphone."

Make sure the power is turned on.

Make sure the mute setting is not turned on and try turning up all the volume controls.

Note:  Some speakers and apps have their own volume controls. Be sure to check them all.

Try connecting your speaker and headphones to a different USB port.

It's possible that your speakers won't work when your headphones are plugged in. Unplug your headphones and see if that helps.

If you're still having audio problems, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

5. Check sound settings

Check to make sure your audio devices aren't muted and haven't been disabled.

Select and hold (or right-click) the Speakers icon  on the taskbar, and then select Open Volume mixer .

Note:  If you don't see Speakers displayed, it may be in the overflow area. Select Show hidden icons to check there. 

You’ll see a set of volume controls for your devices. Make sure none of them are muted. If any of them are muted, you’ll see an "x" next to the volume control . To unmute do one of the following:

Select the volume control and adjust to the desired volume level. 

Select the Unmute speakers icon  .

Check your device properties to make sure that your devices have not been disabled by mistake. Select Start > Settings > System  > Sound  .

Select your device and then select Properties .

6. Fix your audio drivers

Hardware problems can be caused by outdated or malfunctioning drivers. Make sure your audio driver is up to date and update it if needed. If that doesn't work, try uninstalling the audio driver (it will reinstall automatically). If that doesn't work, try using the generic audio driver that comes with Windows. If you're having audio issues after installing updates, try rolling back your audio driver.

To update your audio driver automatically:

In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager , then select it from the results.

Select the arrow next to Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.

If Windows doesn't find a new driver, look for one on the device manufacturer's website and follow those instructions. If that doesn't work, try uninstalling your audio driver.

To uninstall your audio driver:

Restart your PC.  

Note:  Be sure to save your documents and any other current work before you restart.

This restart will automatically prompt your PC to reinstall your audio driver.

To restart, select Start  > Power  > Restart .

If those options didn’t work, try using the generic audio driver that comes with Windows.

To use the generic audio driver that comes with Windows:

Select and hold (or right-click) the listing for your sound card or audio device, then select Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers  > Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer .

If these steps didn't solve your audio issue, visit your device manufacturer’s website and install the most recent audio/sound drivers for your device. The following is an example of a driver download page for a sound device manufacturer.

If you have audio issues after installing updates

If your audio was working before you ran Windows Update and now isn’t working, try rolling back your audio driver.

To roll back your audio driver:

Select and hold (or right-click) the listing for your sound card or audio device, then select Properties .

Read and follow the instructions and then select  Yes if you want to roll back your audio driver.

If rolling back your audio driver didn't work or wasn't an option, you can try to restore your PC from a system restore point.

Restore your PC from a system restore point:

When Microsoft installs updates on your system, we create a system restore point in case problems arise. Try restoring from that point and see if that fixes your sound problems. For more info, see "Restore from a system restore point" in Recovery options in Windows .

7. Set your audio device as the default device

If you're connecting to an audio device—such as headphones or speakers—using USB or HDMI, you might need to set that device as the default audio device.  If you’re using an external monitor that doesn’t have built-in speakers, make sure that the monitor isn’t already selected as your default output device. if it is, you won’t have any audio. You can check that when you set your default output audio device. Here’s how:   

Select Start > Settings > System  > Sound  .

In the  Output  section, select the device you want to use for playback as your output device. When you select this device, you’re also setting it as the default.

If setting your audio device as the default device doesn't help, continue to the next tip for additional troubleshooting.

8. Turn off audio enhancements

Sometimes having audio enhancements on can result in audio issues. Disabling them may resolve your issue. 

In the search box on the taskbar, type control panel , then select it from the results.

Select Hardware and Sound from the Control Panel, and then select Sound .

On the Playback tab, select and hold (or right-click) the Default Device , and then select Properties .

Select the Advanced  tab and uncheck either the Enable audio enhancements or the Enable sound effects check box (depending on which option you see), select Apply , and try to play your audio device.

If turning off audio enhancements doesn't help, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

9. Restart Audio Services 

In the search box on the taskbar, type services , then select it from the results.

Select each of the following services, select and hold (or right-click), select Restart , and then select Yes : 

Windows Audio

Windows Audio Endpoint Builder

If restarting these services doesn’t resolve your issue, see the next sections for more troubleshooting.

10. Try different audio formats

In the search box on the taskbar, type control panel , and then select it from the results.

On the Playback tab, select and hold (or right-click) Default Device , and then select Properties .

If trying different audio formats doesn't help, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

11. Restart to apply installed updates

Many updates require you to restart your device.

To check and see if you have installed updates pending and need to restart:

Save your work and close all open applications.

Select Start  > Power . If you have installed updates pending, you’ll see options to Update and restart and Update and shut down .

Select one of those restart options to apply the updates.

Need help with Windows Update? See Troubleshoot problems updating Windows .

If restarting doesn't help, see the next section for additional troubleshooting.

12. Check for IDT High Definition Audio CODEC in Device Manager

Some audio problems might be caused by an issue with the audio system’s IDT High Definition Audio CODEC. This can be fixed with a manual driver update which allows you to choose the sound driver you want to use.

Note:  Not all systems will have an IDT High Definition Audio CODEC.

To check and see if you have one, and to manually update the driver:

Look for IDT High Definition Audio CODEC . If it's listed, select and hold (or right-click) it and select Update driver ,   then select Browse my computer for drivers  > Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer .

You’ll see a list of pre-installed drivers. Select High Definition Audio Device , and then select Next .

13. If you have microphone issues, make sure your privacy settings are configured properly

Select Start  > Settings  > Privacy & security.

Under App permissions , select Microphone .

Make sure that the Microphone access and Let apps access your microphone  toggles are turned On .

If you’re having this issue with a specific app, scroll down under Let apps access your microphone  and make sure that the toggle next to that specific app is turned On as well.

Next, select the arrow  to open a list of audio devices connected to your computer.

In the search box on the taskbar, type audio troubleshooter , select Find and fix problems with playing sound from the results, then select Next .

You can also launch the troubleshooter from audio Settings. Select Start > Settings > System   > Sound   > Troubleshoot .

Select Start  > Settings  > Update & Security  > Windows Update  > Check for updates . Open Windows Update

Restart your PC and see if your sound is working properly.

Check your device properties to make sure that your devices have not been disabled by mistake. Select Start  > Settings  > System  > Sound  .

Restart your PC.

Note: Be sure to save documents and any other current work before you restart.

Select and hold (or right-click) the listing for your sound card or audio device, then select Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers  > Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer .

If these steps didn't solve your audio issue, visit your device manufacturer’s website, and install the most recent audio or sound drivers for your device. The following is an example of a driver download page for a sound device manufacturer.

Read and follow the instructions and then select Yes if you want to roll back your audio driver.

If you're connecting to an audio device—such as headphones or speakers—using USB or HDMI, you might need to set that device as the default audio device.  If you’re using an external monitor that doesn’t have built-in speakers, make sure that the monitor isn’t already selected as your default output device. If it is, you won’t have any audio. You can check that when you set your default output audio device. Here’s how:   

On the Playback tab, select and hold (or right-click) the Default Device , and then select Properties .

On the Enhancements tab, select either the Disable all enhancements or the Disable all sound effects check box (depending on which option you see), select OK , and try to play your audio device.

Select each of the following services, right-click, and then select Restart :

On the Playback tab, select and hold (or right-click)  Default Device , and then select Properties .

To check and see if you have installed updates pending and need to restart

Look for IDT High Definition Audio CODEC . If it's listed, select and hold (or right-click) it and select Update driver , then select Browse my computer for drivers  > Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer .

Select Start  > Settings  > Privacy , and then select Microphone from the left menu.

Under Allow access to the microphone on this device , select Change . Make sure the toggle is turned On .

If you’re having this issue with a specific app, scroll down to Choose which Microsoft Store apps can access your microphone and make sure that the toggle next to that app is turned On as well.

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heard some noise / a noise

• Thread starter sunnyweather
• Start date Apr 17, 2023

sunnyweather

Senior member.

• Apr 17, 2023

Hello, I'd like to ask you if 'I heard a noise when I was doing my homework.' and 'I heard some noise when I was doing my homework.' are both correct and natural. he first seems to be perfectly OK, but I'm not sure if the second is OK too. I'd appreciate your comments.  

Keith Bradford

"A noise" lasts only a second or two. "Some noise" continues for a while. Both are correct and natural, but probably only one of them will suit your context.  

I'm guessing you wrote these sentences sunnyweather, am I right? Or did you find them in an exercise? What you need to tell us is what exactly you mean by your sentences. Did you hear an instantaneous loud bang? Did you hear continuous traffic noise? Please give us some context (background information) so that we know what you are trying to express.  

Thank you for your replies. That is a sentence with no special context. It was a sentence not connected to others in any way. It's just an example to contrast past simple with past progressive. An acquaintance of mine wrote 'some noise' while I would write 'a noise.' If there is no more context, both examples seem to be OK.  

sunnyweather said: An acquaintance of mine wrote 'some noise' while I would write 'a noise.' Click to expand...

Edinburgher

sunnyweather said: It's just an example to contrast past simple with past progressive. Click to expand...

Edinburgher said: But the example doesn't do that, because both sentences use one of each, in exactly the same way, and the only difference between the sentences is unrelated to the difference between past simple and past progressive. Click to expand...