High school has everyone losing sleep. Freshman year, I got 8 hours of sleep. Now I consider myself lucky to get 5. Why? Homework.
We gradually get more homework every year that we attend. From minimal homework in 9th grade to 3 hours a day in 11th, all the way until we are suddenly spending 5 hours a day stressing about college applications.
Why are we getting less sleep than usual? Most likely, it is because of procrastination. The fact that we have more homework gives students more to do when they procrastinate. For example, during my sophomore year, I would wait to do my homework because I simply didn’t want to do it. Instead, I chose to play video games or watch movies.
Reality struck me though, and as a result, I had to do homework from 12:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. on some nights. The issue was that I constantly missed out on three crucial hours of sleep. I knew that if I didn’t switch up my productivity schedule, then it would soon become a habit; a habit that only harms you in high school and beyond.
I have been a huge procrastinator all my life, especially during my sophomore year. I somehow managed to get good grades, but I also received my first ever C. During the winter of that year, I convinced myself to stop avoiding homework because I planned on attending a big-name university. I stopped playing video games as often and even began doing homework whenever I had the time, rather than just relaxing. I started going to tutorials, and I soon attended tutorials almost daily because it proved to be a productive way for me to complete my homework and stay on track.
This school year I fell back into my bad habits. I was extremely lazy this summer and time flew by incredibly fast. I wasn’t mentally prepared to attend school. As a result, I turned back to procrastination. However, after 2 weeks into junior year. I started to feel the stress and the ginormous workload of having AP classes and being in multiple clubs. I quickly realized that I had no choice but to stop procrastinating or else it would be near impossible to get good grades again.
So you may ask, how do you prevent procrastination? Well, before we attempt to “prevent” it, we first have to acknowledge that procrastination is up to us and is not the fault of anyone else. That being said, there are multiple ways we can prevent procrastination.
First of all, I recommend making a daily schedule and to-do list to prioritize school. In my case, I get home and rest for a bit, then complete as much homework as I can until 6:30 P.M., then do chores. Finally, I finish my homework until I’m done. I usually have around 2 or 3 hours of homework each day, up to 4 if I have an upcoming test. However, it’s well worth it because once I´m done, I get to relax; whether that’s scrolling through Instagram, playing online games, or messaging friends.
Some students may not have much time when they arrive home, because they are either in sports or have a part-time job. In that case, I recommend talking to your teachers. Asking for your assignments early will help you get a head start, so you are not scrambling to complete schoolwork right before the assigned due date. If you are an athlete, take advantage of tutorials before practice, and if you work I recommend going to the classes you need assistance in before the start of school or during lunch.
To ensure that we do complete these assignments, we need to limit distractions. You can limit distractions by putting your phone on Do Not Disturb, setting a timer so you have a dedicated period for homework, or clearing your workspace with nothing except the materials needed so you have a clear and focused mindset.
Another way we can prevent procrastination is by engaging in class. It’s simple. If we ask questions, we will grow to understand the material. Asking questions in class will instantly make us more motivated to complete our homework because we know that it’s achievable through the knowledge we gain. Asking questions would also help us clear up the confusion that might arise later in the homework. Attending tutorials will help you prevent procrastination because you are getting the help you might need later while being in a learning environment that will encourage homework completion.
Studying for tests and doing homework may never be entertaining, but it can be less boring. I recommend making a study playlist with your favorite songs, FaceTiming a friend and doing the work together, or even rewarding yourself with a snack or social break every 30 minutes. These ways can make homework feel less like a chore, and more like a pleasure.
Personally, some days I just don’t want to do my homework. So what do I do? I plug in my AirPods or call a friend for help. Whatever makes you more passionate about doing homework is a win in the long run.
My father always told me “Do what you have to do, to do what you want to do.” His oversaid, but true quote, has never applied to my life as much as it does right now. Especially when I am feeling that junior year workload.
Finding a way to make homework manageable is essential in preparing us for college. College will be tough, with the stress of a part-time job and hours of school, but we are in a position to start preparing ourselves for that stress by fixing our productivity schedules. If we do this, we will not only have more time for ourselves but we will slowly grow accustomed to the craziness of the real world whether that’s taxes, cleaning, planning, or working. We all have to acknowledge that high school is a crucial stepping-stone to our future success and procrastination is only going to steer us in the wrong direction. Once we do this, we can benefit from less stress not only while in college, but in life in general.
