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8 Ways To Stay Motivated To Complete Assignments

When you enter college, you get blasted with many responsibilities. Some are new to you, while others are not. The new things can take you a lot of time to learn. One new thing you have to learn and master is assignment writing . Yes, assignments are a big part of college life.

If you haven’t started college yet, you may be thinking that we’re exaggerating things. But, that’s not the case. Learning how to write assignments in college is crucial. Students who don’t learn it take expert help from websites like Grow With Grades (GWG), which isn’t bad, in our opinion.

Taking help occasionally isn’t bad. What’s bad is when you don’t learn how to write assignments throughout your time spent at college. We're writing this blog to stop you from dealing with this problem. This blog will tell you 8 ways to stay motivated to complete assignments.

Let’s start. 

Put An End To Procrastination

The first thing you want to take care of while writing assignments is to end procrastination. It is the number one enemy of a good and productive life. We know you love to sleep whenever you get time. But taking multiple naps throughout the day isn’t a good thing.

Procrastination can also look like using your smartphone, even after knowing that you have assignments to complete. Whatever is causing you to procrastinate, you need to find a solution ASAP.

The thing with procrastination is that it can stop you from completing the simplest of tasks. Consider you get 10 days for completing assignments . You can still not do it if you have a habit of procrastinating. You may not realize it now, but it is a big problem that will stop you from succeeding in life.  

Put Distractions Aside

Often some things lead you to procrastinate. And the most common is a smartphone. Parents reading this blog will agree that smartphones are indeed why they argue with their children. Children these days use smartphones for hours on end because they can do everything using them. From taking notes in class to setting reminders for assignment submission, there is no end to what can be done using smartphones.

When children have access to smartphones from a young age, they’re very likely to develop a habit. And developing a habit of using smartphones is never good because it can stop you from focusing on what’s important and start indulging in timepass activities.

So, from now on, when you’re about to start assignment writing , make sure to keep your smartphone away from you, preferably in the other room. Initially, you may want to use your smartphone every few minutes. But once you develop a habit, not using it will become a habit for you.

Do Extensive Research

You can’t straight away decide to write assignments when the professor asks you to. When you do it, assignment writing becomes boring, which is why you can’t stay motivated. There’s a very simple way you can counter this problem.

The way is by doing extensive research. When you research, you learn many things, and the task does not stay boring at all. Moreover, research is crucial for any assignment because you can’t complete it if you don’t research.

Make sure to search for information from multiple resources. When you do it, you identify any wrong information you might include if you don’t check multiple resources. We recommend you check research papers because they have the most credible information.

Create An Outline

You feel bored and lack motivation when you don’t begin the work. Often starting something is the hardest thing. You’ll realize it when you have to write assignments. Starting them is like a challenge, but you realize writing the other parts becomes fairly easy when you start writing.    

So, what you can do is create an outline for the assignment. Outline means to create the introduction and different headings. When you do it, you put an end to boredom and have a rough idea about what you’ll write. And when you have done some work, you stay motivated to complete the rest.

Reward Yourself

Writing assignments continuously can be tiring. We assure you that no one (even the best writers) can do it.

So, what’s the solution when you’re tight on deadlines?

A very good solution is to start rewarding yourself. The reward can be anything from tasty food to watching funny videos. There is no limitation to what a reward can look like. Whatever makes you appreciate your efforts can be a reward.

You might have seen many people these days intentionally make their lives harder. They do it in the name of evolving through challenges. While it is true that a person grows when they go through challenges, it isn’t a good practice to create them forcefully. We all have to realize how crucial it is to appreciate ourselves.

And occasionally eating your favourite food won’t make you fat. So, stop thinking about it and reward yourself often.    

Take A Walk

The breaks you take when writing assignments aren’t a waste of time. They are meant to refresh your mind and body, which are essential if you want to keep your productivity high. You can either sit idle or take a walk.

Taking a walk is a pretty good habit , as it can refresh your mind. When you walk in nature, your eyes, mind and entire body feels refreshed. If you’re looking to lose fat, walking is a good choice. You don’t necessarily have to run or go to a gym to get in good shape. Brisk walking can burn a lot of calories, and it is the perfect choice for people with busy schedules.

Ask Your Friends What You Don’t Understand

It is common for students in college not to know everything about all the subjects. It could be because they are interested in a specific subject or just don’t have enough time to become good at everything. When this happens, students can ask their friends to teach them what they don’t know.

We feel asking your college friends about topics you don’t understand is a very good thing. You can’t always approach your professor and ask them about your doubts. Well, you can, but most students are not comfortable doing it. If you are or want to learn how to be your professor’s favourite student, we recommend you read this blog .

Anyways, when you take help from your friends, you don’t have to speak in a formal tone, as you would with your professors. Another benefit is that your relation with your friends will strengthen. You never know which friends can become your best friends, and you may end up staying in touch with them for many years.  

Know The Negative Consequences

For some students, positive things don’t work. They have to think about the negative consequences to get motivation. In college, it means they have to think that they can fail if they don’t complete and submit their assignments on time.

Many people crumble under pressure, but some love working under it. Many athletes deal with pressure when the race is about to start. But whenever any news reporter asks them how they’re feeling, they always reply that they’re excited. That’s because the same part of your brain works when you’re under pressure and excited.

So, if thinking about negative consequences motivates you to take action and complete assignments, resort to it.

Staying motivated while writing assignments is difficult because there are some challenges that one is presented with. If you also lose motivation easily while doing assignments, you need to read this blog. That’s because, in this blog, we covered 8 ways to stay motivated to complete assignments. After reading this blog, we hope that you won’t have trouble finding motivation.

If you liked reading it, share it with your college friends.

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6 ways to build motivation to do your schoolwork now that you’re forced to learn online at home

Assistant Professor of University Studies, Middle Tennessee State University

Disclosure statement

Ryan Korstange does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Even in normal circumstances, it can be hard to get motivated to do your schoolwork . But these are not normal circumstances.

The switch to remote instruction caused by COVID-19 has been unsettling. Patterns have changed. Habits have been disrupted . Remote classes are simply different from classes that involve face-to-face instruction.

As a researcher who looks at what it takes to get through college , I have a few tips that could maximize your motivation and productivity when you’re at home going to school online.

1. Guard your time

You do not need large amounts of time to be productive. Instead, be intentional and focused in short blocks where you can work without interruption. Protect these open times by setting up your workspace to minimize distraction – including silencing notifications on your cellphone or laptop. Communicate your boundaries to friends and family and make sure to identify times when work and socialization can happen.

2. Determine how much work is needed

Write down the work you need to accomplish, because there is a limit to how much information you can recall and process at one time. Examine the remaining projects, including research and written assignments, and estimate the amount and type of effort that each requires. Identify any tests and quizzes that are scheduled and determine what preparation is necessary.

3. Break large projects into smaller ones

Breaking big projects into smaller and more manageable tasks allows you to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness .

Your assigned tasks should follow a logical sequence. Some tasks are basic, like locating articles in the online library for a research paper. Others, like proofreading, are best left to do later in the process. Work steadily, and record your progress as you do, because you get more done when you can actually see the progress you’re making.

4. Set goals

When you set specific and difficult goals for your work and make them public in some way , it can boost your performance and enhance your motivation .

Setting generic, vague or easy goals is less helpful. Set goals related to effort. For example, plan to spend three hours one day studying for a certain class. Also, set goals related to the completion of specific tasks or products. For instance, give yourself a deadline to read and take notes on a specific article for a certain paper you must write.

Further, make time in your plan to deal with any interruptions and challenges that may occur. For example, when my 7-year-old gets bored or needs some attention and interrupts me in my work, I plan to spend 20-30 minutes doing something with her. We take a walk or a bike ride, or create some art. Then I can return to work. I even set a timer to keep myself honest.

5. Identify the rewards

It pays to clarify the rewards at stake this semester – whether those rewards are internal, such as the feeling of accomplishment that comes from understanding a difficult concept well, or external, such as getting a good grade.

Many universities are adopting pass/fail grading systems in the short term, so the external reward course grades provide will likely be different. Learning is what matters now. Focus on the course learning outcomes and make sure that you’re meeting them, because these skills will be the ones required of you as you progress toward your degree.

6. Be flexible and go easy on yourself

This is an unprecedented crisis, and we are all scrambling to make it work. You didn’t expect to spend these months at home, learning online. Some days won’t go as planed - and that’s alright. Forgive yourself when you don’t do your best, then move forward and overcome the setbacks .

When the pandemic passes

Eventually, this pandemic will be over. Face-to-face classes will start again, and this semester will be but a memory. The good habits you build and the strategies follow now to manage to learn and work independently will bear dividends in the future.

[ Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter .]

• Online learning
• Online education
• Coronavirus
• US higher education
• College students
• Learning motivation
• Higher ed attainment

Research Fellow in Coastal Numerical Modelling

Director of STEM

Community member - Training Delivery and Development Committee (Volunteer part-time)

Chief Executive Officer

Head of Evidence to Action

Daniel Wong

How to Get Motivated to Study: 23 Tips for Students Who Procrastinate

Updated on July 14, 2023 By Daniel Wong 148 Comments

Is it hard for you to get motivated to study?

Let’s face it…

It’s so easy to watch one more video or to scroll through your social media feed one more time.

But your exams are approaching.

You have a rising sense of panic, but you don’t know where to begin. The more you panic, the harder it is to get to work.

If this is the situation you’re in, keep reading.

In this article, I’m going to explain 23 proven strategies that successful students use to motivate themselves to study.

Get ready to say goodbye to procrastination!

This article is 3,000 words long, so I’ve created a PDF summary for your convenience. Enter your email below to download it. The PDF contains all the tips found here, plus 7 exclusive bonus tips that you’ll only find in the PDF.

How to motivate yourself to study.

When you’re feeling unmotivated, taking the first step is usually the hardest part.

Here are the best ways to motivate yourself, so you can study productively .

1. Discover why you procrastinate

Procrastinating on your schoolwork  is a complex problem that can have many different causes.

Here are some of the most common:

• You’ve convinced yourself that your homework is beyond your abilities
• Putting off your homework is a way of rebelling against your parents or teachers
• You’ve decided the topic is boring
• You’re waiting for the “perfect” time to start
• The task has become so overwhelming that you don’t know where to start

Understanding why you procrastinate is a key first step to getting motivated.

Spend some time reflecting on what makes you procrastinate. This will enable you to identify which of the following tips will help you the most.

2. Break the material down into chunks

A major cause of procrastination is that the task ahead seems overwhelming.

That’s when you need to “chunk down”. Break down each task into small chunks.

Assign yourself a certain number of those chunks each day. Suddenly, you’re no longer faced with a scary task, but rather a series of manageable chunks.

A chunk might be reading two pages of your textbook, completing five multiple-choice questions, or finding four reference articles on the Internet for your paper .

3. Reward yourself

Every time you complete one or two chunks, reward yourself with a short period of relaxation.

It could be five minutes on your favourite smartphone game, a short walk, or playing the guitar.

Rewarding yourself with short and enjoyable breaks is a key part of the “chunking down” technique.

4. Create a study routine

We’re creatures of habit.

Bad study habits are easy to fall into, but you can also develop good study habits to help you keep up with your schoolwork.

If it’s a challenge for you to get motivated to study, you can put this principle to work for you.

Habits are so powerful that once you develop a study routine, you’ll find it difficult to go into relaxation mode without studying.

How should you go about creating a study routine?

The first thing to do is to set up a study schedule (see Tip #14).

Be aware, however, that habits aren’t formed overnight.

Research indicates that it typically takes 20 to 30 days to form a habit. So you’ll have to put in some work before this technique pays off.

5. Be clear about why you want to get good grades

One of the best ways to get motivated to study is to be very clear about why you want to get go o d grades in the first place.

Make a list of the reasons you want to do well academically.

Here are some typical reasons:

• I want to learn more and develop myself
• I want to develop the habit of pursuing excellence
• I want to become a more focused and disciplined student
• I want to get into a good school or programme
• I want to have a meaningful career
• I want to provide well for my family and my parents in the future
• I want to know that I gave it my best shot
• I want to live with no regrets

Write down your own list of reasons for studying hard, and put the list at your study desk.

Then, when you’re feeling unmotivated, read the list one more time.

6. Use a mind map to organise the information

If you’re like most people, chances are you’ve been taught to use lists to summarise information. A classic example is to-do lists.

As such, it may seem natural to use lists to summarise the information you’re studying.

But there are times when mind maps are more effective than lists as a way of organising information.

Because mind maps mimic how the brain works.

When you create a mind map, you’re mapping out the way your brain has processed a certain topic.

This makes it easier to get a handle on the topic. It’ll also make it easier for you to retrieve that information when you need it.

You can create a mind map using pen and paper. But if you prefer to do it on your phone, tablet or computer, you can use an app like SimpleMind .

7. Make a “boring” subject interesting

When you find it difficult to study because the subject is “boring”, ask yourself:

“Is the subject really boring, or does it seem that way because I have closed my mind to it?”

As G.K. Chesterton once said: “There are no boring subjects, only disinterested minds.”

If you think a subject is boring, try to engage with the subject by asking yourself questions.

When was this technique or theory developed?

Who developed it?

What problem did it solve?

How would the world be different today if not for this technique or theory?

If you ask the right questions, you can make any subject interesting.

8. Understand the topic, don’t just memorise it

One of the keys to effective studying is to develop an understanding of a topic rather than just memorising facts.

In some situations, rote memorisation may be necessary.

But, in general, the more years you spend in school, the more you’ll be expected to understand relationships and connections between different concepts.

This will require you to apply principles to a given set of facts or to draw conclusions from a given set of facts.

Understanding a topic is far more rewarding than memorising it. So this approach to studying is not only more effective – it will keep you motivated.

9. Look for gaps in your understanding

Try giving a mini-presentation on a topic to a friend or relative. You can do this in a formal way, or you could simply talk to them about the topic.

By doing so, you’ll deepen your knowledge.

But you’ll also realise quickly if there are gaps in your understanding of the topic.

As Albert Einstein once said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

10. Study in short bursts

Research shows that we learn better when we study in short bursts.

It’s called “ spaced learning ”, and the theory behind it is that learning involves the creation of memories.

Memories are formed through links between neurons. In order for these memories to become embedded, the neurons have to be left undisturbed for a period of time.

That’s why we learn better in short bursts of studying. This approach gives the neurons time to “lay down” these new memories.

Read on to Tip #11 to learn about how to put this tip into practice.

11. Use the Pomodoro technique

If you want a system for studying in short bursts, try the Pomodoro technique.

Francesco Cirillo invented the technique in Italy in the late 1980s.

Using a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato (“pomodoro” means tomato in Italian), he found he could concentrate better by studying in short stretches.

Here’s how to apply the Pomodoro technique:

• Decide on the task that you’ll work on
• Set the timer for 25 minutes
• Work on the task
• Stop working when the timer rings
• Put a checkmark on a piece of paper
• If you have fewer than four checkmarks, take a 3- to 5-minute break, then repeat from Step 1
• After four pomodoros, take a 15- to 30-minute break
• Draw a line through the four checkmarks and start counting your checkmarks afresh

There are lots of apps to help you apply the Pomodoro technique and become a student who’s better at time management . Here are some of the best apps out there .

12. Don’t expect to feel motivated all the time

Strangely enough, one of the best ways to deal with a lack of motivation is to stop expecting to feel motivated all the time.

The fact is that no one feels motivated all the time.

So don’t rely on feeling motivated in order to get the work done.

Sometimes the motivation just won’t be there.

That’s why you need a study routine and study habits , because systems always beat motivation.

13. Exercise your brain

To get motivated to study, you need to train your brain. Think of your brain as a muscle.

Developing your ability to focus is like training to be a world-class sprinter.

It’s all about consistency and making gradual progress.

Continually exercise your brain, even when you’re not studying.

You can do this by reading, thinking through challenging world issues, doing puzzles, or journaling.

The greater the variety of ways in which you train your brain, the stronger and more flexible your brain will become.

There are also various websites with exercises designed to train your brain. Here are three popular ones:

• NeuroNation

Just as with a physical workout, a key part of training your brain is rest and recovery. So make sure that you get at least 8 hours of sleep a night (many students even need 9 to 10 hours of sleep a night).

Nutrition is another important aspect of training your brain.

The brain needs certain fatty acids in order to function optimally. You can get these fatty acids from eating nuts, avocados and salmon. Other brain foods include:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Pomegranate juice
• Dark chocolate

14. Organise your time

The act of creating a study schedule is a form of commitment, so it will help you to stay motivated.

Here are some useful steps in creating a study schedule:

• For each subject, make a list of the tasks you need to complete in order to be ready for the exam
• Download a study schedule template and block out the times you have available each day to study
• As far as possible, choose blocks of time that are the same each day (e.g. 3:30pm to 5:30pm) so that your study schedule is easy to remember
• Create a daily plan which lists the most important tasks to be completed for the day

Review your study schedule at the end of each week.

Assess whether you’re on track to reach your study goals by exam time. If you’re not, adjust your schedule by finding additional blocks of time for studying.

15. Study in a group

Many students find it motivational to study in a group.

Of course, it’s crucial that you find the right students to join the study group. These students should have the desire to learn the material well and get excellent grades .

I recommend that the study group have no more than four students. If the group is larger than four, it tends to become distracting.

Studying is more fun in a group.  It also gives everyone a sense of accountability.

When you study in a group, you can make commitments to each other related to new habits you want to develop, or bad habits you want to break.

But the benefits of studying in a group don’t stop there.

When you study in a group you can pool your notes together and get much better notes than any one person could possibly produce.

Also, studying in a group takes advantage of the fact that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. If there’s a concept you don’t understand, chances are that someone in your group will be able to explain it to you.

16. Make learning active, not passive

Passive learning is where you try to absorb information and knowledge. It’s based on the idea that you’re an empty vessel waiting to be filled.

But research shows that this isn’t the best way to learn.

We actually construct knowledge by integrating the new material with what we already know and have already experienced.

So if you want to learn a new topic quickly and effectively, use as much active learning as you can.

Examples of active learning are:

• Finding applications of the new topic in your own life
• Doing case studies where the new ideas or theories are put into a specific context
• Doing group projects
• Reviewing and commenting on the work of your friends
• Thinking of ways to apply concepts to problems you come across

17. Schedule relaxation

This may seem obvious, but when your focus is studying for an upcoming exam, it’s easy to forget that you need time to relax.

Remember Point #10 and “spaced learning”?

We learn new information by creating memories. But those memories need time to be formed. That means having gaps between learning spurts.

In short, you need to schedule relaxation to recharge and learn better.

18. Exercise regularly

When you’re focused on studying for a major exam, it’s common to overlook exercise.

But, as far as possible, get 20 to 30 minutes of physical activity every day.

This is because regular exercise is vital if you want to study effectively and stay motivated.

Aerobic activity, such as swimming, jogging or walking, sends oxygen, blood and nutrients to your brain.

This helps you to think and concentrate.

Research even shows that short periods of light exercise immediately after studying improves the recall of new information.

19. Visualise yourself doing the task successfully

If you’re having trouble with a particular task, visualise yourself completing that task successfully.

Sports psychologists have long known about the power of visualisation as a technique for accomplishing difficult tasks.

Visualisation uses the “theatre of the mind” to mentally rehearse completing challenging tasks.

It works by laying down neural pathways in the brain. When you repeatedly visualise yourself completing a task, it makes it easier to perform the task in reality.

So spend a few minutes every day visualising yourself successfully completing your various study-related tasks – especially if you find them daunting.

20. Remind yourself that this won’t go on forever

Studying for exams can seem like an endless marathon, but it does have an end date.

Remind yourself of this, particularly on days when you feel overwhelmed or unmotivated.

Telling yourself that “this won’t go on forever” will allow you to focus on the light at the end of the tunnel.

But it will also make you study harder, because you know that you have urgent tasks at hand.

21. Focus on the process, not the result

When you’re studying, it’s often difficult to see the fruit of your labour, especially at the beginning.

That’s why you should focus on the process, not the result.

Did you complete most of your planned tasks today? Congratulate yourself.

Did you stick to your study schedule in general today? Maintain your focus .

Did you put your phone in another room when you were studying, so you wouldn’t be distracted? Keep it up.

Remember, it’s habits that you’re trying to form.

If you get the process right, the results will follow.

22. Get rid of distractions

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s amazing how many students try to study with one eye on their textbook and the other eye on their social media feed.

It’s almost as if they want to be distracted.

List all the common distractions you face when you’re studying. Do your best to eliminate every single one of them.

For example, you could:

• Turn off your Internet access
• Put your phone on flight mode
• Put your phone in another room
• Mute your group chats
• Use earplugs
• Delete all the games on your phone, tablet and computer

23. If you don’t feel like starting, set a timer for 5 minutes

Sometimes, the hardest part of anything is simply starting.

But the fear of doing something is almost always worse than the actual doing. Once you start, you’ll find it wasn’t as bad as you thought.

The same applies to the fear of learning . If you don’t feel like getting to work, set a timer for 5 minutes.

You can tell yourself that once those 5 minutes are up, you can stop work.

But, in all likelihood, you would have got some momentum going, so you’ll continue.

I hope these words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe will inspire you:

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”

The keys to getting motivated to study are organising your time and work, and knowing how to use your mind effectively.

That’s what I’ve shown you in this article: 23 tips for organising your time, developing the right mindset, and using your brain in the most efficient way possible.

(Download the free PDF below to learn 7 bonus tips.)

Follow these tips for studying smart – not hard – and you’ll soon be on your way to becoming a successful student who doesn’t procrastinate!

Like this article? Please share it with your friends.

April 28, 2018 at 2:41 pm

Love your ideas! especially “Break the material into chunk”, “Mind map”,”Make boring topics to interesting”, These guidelines are really effective to my studying plan. Hope you will write more books pertaining to academic excellence as I am looking forward .Kudos to you for sharing!!

April 28, 2018 at 3:06 pm

Glad you like the article!

April 7, 2019 at 11:59 pm

The article is so powerful. Great ideas Mr.Wong you’ve changed lives.

July 3, 2019 at 8:36 am

Great article, I am sure it will help me with my students.

April 26, 2019 at 9:05 pm

thank you so much this is gonna change my life

April 27, 2020 at 10:07 pm

Thank you very much am sure after reading this articles now I can say goodbye procrastination. Thanks

December 16, 2020 at 4:23 pm

August 18, 2019 at 2:57 am

Thanks a lot!

November 7, 2019 at 9:13 pm

before i used to study all day and i used to be a topper..but due to games my grades went on falling…my parents also face few business problems right now but they try their best to make me feel complete..today i felt all this and i wanted to change..so i came up to this website and went through all the tips…thanks bro and my exam are coming up..hope i do well…also before coming here i was going to open a video game but i stopped myself..i will try my best!!!

April 5, 2020 at 1:17 pm

Video games are the worst distraction 😂

April 8, 2020 at 5:29 pm

im the worst distraction

May 10, 2020 at 5:47 pm

haha..u wish!

April 23, 2021 at 1:32 pm

January 29, 2021 at 10:22 pm

Thank you so much for this content. This is the best article that I’ve read related to this subject. It is so useful.

August 8, 2020 at 1:18 am

Same here bro, I am a topper but also a pc gamer. I just don’t want to fail but I don’t want to stop playing also. But after reading this I will surely control gaming.

November 29, 2020 at 12:17 am

Hi bro do you study these days like when you read this for the first time and can you tell me some of the tips which you used to stop wasting your time

May 10, 2021 at 2:58 am

Man i have same situation, It looks you are my reflection. Reader: does it really happen in this world

July 10, 2021 at 10:24 pm

Even though i study all night i dont get good marks

April 16, 2020 at 5:11 pm

This increased interest in me to study

May 24, 2020 at 10:32 pm

this is the best thank u for helping us

October 15, 2020 at 3:04 am

January 16, 2021 at 10:42 am

Thanks.. Obviously everyone who visits this site is the one who has same issue of procrastination and wasting time.. All comments same lols

November 25, 2020 at 9:42 pm

Thanks for the guidelines, Mr. Wong.

December 15, 2020 at 10:30 pm

Wow I really liked it Thanks!

April 30, 2021 at 2:22 am

I am really thankful to you sir . This article gives me goosebumps. I hope it will definitely change my life for good

November 19, 2018 at 12:27 pm

I agree! This was very helpful and I will use it as a future reference!

November 24, 2018 at 12:52 am

July 18, 2019 at 2:43 am

Thanks a lot

March 15, 2020 at 1:17 am

Thank you much Daniel. Like a flow chart, the brain mapping is going to work wonders for connecting the subjects of my study.

November 26, 2020 at 1:31 am

Thanks for the help bro 🤜

December 11, 2020 at 8:20 pm

I became addicted to video games… soon after that my grades started falling… I’m currently in one of the best schools in the country but I’m the worst student in the class. I don’t know what to do… I literally can’t study anymore like I used to… hope this is gonna help me.

April 3, 2021 at 6:57 pm

Hi, maybe do not pressure yourself too much. I’m no pro but maybe setting your goal to get better scores than the second worst at first and then go rank higher each time, like levelling up. It can be fun and motivational.

Don’t play too much that you won’t sleep and eat properly. (Important bro) If gaming has become your life then think of your brain as a cpu and school a tryhard game and exam a high boss.

May 3, 2018 at 2:10 am

Very useful tips Thank you doctor

May 3, 2018 at 8:49 am

You’re welcome, Sulaiman.

May 13, 2018 at 5:08 pm

nice i have encouraged by you

May 13, 2018 at 10:12 pm

You’re welcome!

June 28, 2019 at 4:23 am

August 21, 2018 at 4:53 pm

Thank you doctor it will really help me

September 3, 2018 at 7:22 pm

Really this helped me a lot….thanks for your motivational tips and i loved that tip on bored subjects…Ones again thanks a lot Daniel..love you

September 17, 2018 at 1:06 pm

Nice blog, Thank you for shear this information, It’s very helpful for me and everyone.

October 16, 2018 at 3:48 pm

Love these tips….. Best ones I’ve come across so far hands down 🙂

October 17, 2018 at 7:20 pm

Hi I am Hasin…and I am really struggling due to lack of concentration…I have only 5 months left for a crucial examination and I can’t seem to concentrate even a little bit…I read the article and feel somewhat motivated..But I am not quite sure whether I can actually convert myself from what I am right now…I am really very tensed…I just hope this works out well for me…

November 18, 2018 at 11:17 pm

You don’t have to worry set your mind to it and focus, you will do better than you could ever imagine.

December 14, 2020 at 12:29 am

January 21, 2019 at 4:26 am

bro…….5month due 5months ……more than enough …….dont be worried you nerd

April 23, 2019 at 6:23 pm

How did the exams go?

October 21, 2018 at 8:13 pm

I’m having intrest to study…first my friend was helping me in studies I got first class in Al the semester..but now he is too busy because he is teaching others..if I start to study at that movement I can understand..after tat my mind will b blank..only 2weeks left for my semester examz what should I do now??

July 17, 2019 at 1:00 am

No brother u dont have any intrest in study .Ur fathers pays money to the college to ask dought their to more and more educated qualified proffesor thain ur friend .u suppose clear your doughts from professor. So if u really want to study hard be regular in college logoff from social media take urself out from the comfort zone ,if u did the same from that period u dont need friend their to teach u .thanku

November 4, 2018 at 9:30 am

Don’t worry everything will be alright just focus on your study.

November 10, 2018 at 4:00 pm

nice thoughts to fight challenging problems

November 14, 2018 at 9:00 am

Needed it right now. phew. Thanks!

November 16, 2018 at 1:05 am

Arigato Doctor. It really helps🙃

November 17, 2018 at 7:20 pm

I needed this. I’m quiet motivated. Thank you so much.

December 26, 2018 at 8:35 pm

Great tips! One of the most basic things that we need to understand is that each and every child has a different learning capacity and different learning style. Some child might grasp things quickly, while others may take time. In high school, more studying techniques are there which can help students to score well in exams.

December 27, 2018 at 12:26 am

I need to be a member

January 4, 2019 at 4:30 pm

Hey I’m feeling motivated by reading this. And some lf the tips are really perfect for me. I literally get fully help from this article.

January 9, 2019 at 3:43 am

Really this is very helpful I like all tips thank you so much

January 18, 2019 at 12:25 am

This feels really good and it helped me a lot too thanks much!

January 19, 2019 at 9:49 pm

Explained By Heart ! Thank You Sir..

January 25, 2019 at 9:02 pm

Thanks to your hurt opinion,Really its too good.

July 17, 2019 at 1:03 am

Yes ,I’m getting hurted as well.can u please share ur ideology. I want to write a book on that.plz😭😭😭😁😭😁😭😍

January 29, 2019 at 10:21 pm

This is really helpful…I have one of my most important exams in my life in April, but I have bit of lacks here and there. Though I know 2 months is a huge time if I try, but I was really lost about how to start, now I can see some light…..Thanks a lot, for sharing these awesome ideas.

February 5, 2019 at 4:47 pm

The best way to start the study is switched off your cell phone or handover it to your parents. Then other factors will automatically followed.

February 1, 2019 at 12:15 am

The best motivational article I have ever read.thanks and keep it up.

February 2, 2019 at 1:04 am

It is really a wonderful motivation it’ll help to those who are feeling like they can’t…I’ll surely implement this during my study holidays n I am sure that I’ll get the top most rank …tqs for motivation..

February 2, 2019 at 1:16 am

i have a studying anxiety,,,my exam wkll be in 2 months and still struggling in preparing for it 🙁 i have no motivation and start the day in the idea that i want to study but ending it the opposite and stressed all the time,,any helpful suggestions

February 8, 2019 at 5:13 am

-#9 is powerful!

February 9, 2019 at 7:49 pm

Thanks for the tips and ot was really helpfull and I hope that I get succesfull.

February 11, 2019 at 5:40 pm

Thanks for your most simple and effective ways. I feel things would be easy if one follows even 5 of the above.

February 12, 2019 at 12:09 pm

final exams coming up in 2 weeks and here i am… i re-read this article whenever i feel demotivated and it definitely shows me some light. its too late for me now, but i must say, the biggest distraction is definitely your phone. so guys just give them away to your parents or whom so ever, atleast when u r studying. and make sure u hv a nice and quiet study environment. take small breaks in between and keep ur table stocked on light and healthy snacks. dont stay up too late and get atleast 6 hrs lf sleep. i hv soo many tips from reading many articles but i fail to implement it on my own study routine. anyways, all the best u guys!!! 🙂

February 13, 2019 at 2:36 am

Really these are very helpful tips and the only thing is that we have to use these tips so that we will succeed

February 14, 2019 at 2:07 am

All of your tips are really helpfull and amazing . Thank you so much for giving us such a nice ideas to get rid of our troubles.It helps me alot .

Thanks once again.

February 22, 2019 at 10:43 pm

Hi, Good day. I thank you for the paper. But, to be honest, I can not find out exactly why I do not study. I always scored good grades, but I never remember to have a strange motive for studying. And rightly so now that I am justified by a fateful exam, I do not want to study at all I’ve gotten caught up with everything and there’s no incentive to move forward I see all my dreams and I have no interest in moving I do not know what I’m doing? Thank you, if you help me

February 24, 2019 at 12:19 pm

Thank u so much

February 26, 2019 at 1:47 pm

One of the best articles have come across!. Thank you so much sir!☺ Feeling much much better.🙏

March 4, 2019 at 2:52 am

Thank you so much for typing in such an amazing article or in fact all the helpful factors that we ever needed thank you once again.

March 5, 2019 at 2:46 am

Honestly it wasn’t really helpful for me cuz I’m studying Russian and it’s really boring but I can’t ask myself those questions to make it more interesting….

March 9, 2019 at 4:50 pm

very inspiring thoughts sir.thank you!

March 9, 2019 at 5:30 pm

for me it usually happens when i decide to miss a class or two and things pile up and i get more caught up in other things besides school. Once that point hits and midterms come around next week i have to try to cram up everything because it feels like i didn’t actually learn anything up until now, it was just memorizing for quizzes and doing small homework assignments. now even knowing what to study and having the material in front of me i don’t feel motivated at all. I am a senior in college now studying computer science. I hate trying to understand certain code or other things and I end up rereading my notes or things multiple times while thinking about something else (like how much i screwed up by taking days off class!)

March 10, 2019 at 1:52 am

Thank you so much Tip 05 wow motivated me alot… am about to start studying my books now thanks to you.

But hey I got a big problem ,I can’t concentrate when my phone is not here with me. I become disturbed cause i think of it all the time while studying what should do?

March 11, 2019 at 1:01 am

Great. All these tips are really based on real facts. thanks for sharing the details.

April 1, 2019 at 8:01 am

You’re right!

March 12, 2019 at 11:07 pm

I know that if I try I can actually good grade but i m not motivated enough to try I can’t seem to get my seldf into the mood of studying since I can’t study more than one day before cause my school gives a test every day two tests on Wednesdays and homework and above all that we are learning a new language and I’m really stressed out!! I really don’t know what to do!! Please help!!!!!

March 28, 2019 at 4:08 pm

This is the best article I’ve ever read regarding procrastination !!

April 1, 2019 at 7:59 am

Thank you for this tips. 😊

April 5, 2019 at 7:44 pm

Tq so much ,I just read it’s benefit for me ,I wish I Follow your tips ..

April 8, 2019 at 2:14 pm

Thank you sir, for your great motivation.

May 6, 2019 at 1:24 am

I LIKE THAT DANIEL WONG YOU ARE HARD WORKING.’!’

May 13, 2019 at 1:10 am

Hi,my name is Ada. i just have a month and a half left of school and they are full of exams and i just cant seem to focus i don`t know what i am doing wrong because i love studying and getting a good grade but know i just don`t care. and the worst part is i really want to become a doc but i am just not getting motivated to study

May 15, 2019 at 3:06 am

I like this . It is very helpful thx

May 17, 2019 at 3:04 am

I MUST STUDY HARD THAN THINK. IT IS GREAT SUCCES IN MY FUTURE. THANKS TO DR WONG

May 19, 2019 at 2:30 am

It was an amazing article!!!. After a long period of time i regained my motivation towards studies. Thanks for such a awesome and organized suggestion.

May 20, 2019 at 12:32 am

Lovely ideas. Feeling much more motivated

May 21, 2019 at 8:45 pm

So my exam’s the day after tomorrow and I’m sitting here reading motivational blogs…..what even is my life

June 11, 2019 at 5:17 pm

Excellent article!!! For past several weeks,I was looking up for some kind of motivation and this article helped me to regain my interest in studies.Thnks a lot

June 20, 2019 at 1:30 am

Really i thought i am not motivate by anyone but i m wrong. i m feeling pleasure at the moment this is a unique way to motivate and one of best essay in world

July 29, 2019 at 12:34 am

Although i am one of top 10 students of my own class but in routine its also hard for me to be motivated and concentrated daily. so thanks for such great advice , hope it will work.

August 20, 2019 at 2:46 am

Instead of studying I’m reading this article wow 😭

September 19, 2019 at 8:03 pm

Very interesting and effective ways….. Thank you for giving us this article…

October 1, 2019 at 4:53 am

this article will save my life

October 3, 2019 at 12:14 am

My mom doesn’t have much confidence in me so this was motivating and I really appreciate your efforts and hope I really do well this year

October 3, 2019 at 11:56 pm

Wow what an amazing article thanks for this precious article it is really helped to me a lot

November 20, 2019 at 2:16 pm

I love this read with our children. Thank you so much..

November 27, 2019 at 12:30 am

I want to study

December 7, 2019 at 1:46 am

thank you daniel for giving me wonderful information

December 18, 2019 at 11:14 pm

Before I came here, I was obsessed from playing minecraft. But my exams were going on. But after visiting here, I think I am kind of relieved now. Thanx Dr. Daniel Wong

December 20, 2019 at 2:42 pm

Such a beautiful article! Really helped !All the points are so inspirational. Thank God I found this

December 29, 2019 at 7:14 pm

Awesome article Daniel. All the points are spot on. This article is motivating to not only students,kids but also to adults as we are all students of life. Thank you .

December 31, 2019 at 8:34 pm

This article is very helpful for regular study to achieve a goal. Thanks so much!!!!

January 15, 2020 at 12:49 am

Hi Mr.Daniel ,I am Diana from Ghana. Waaaw this article is indeed a God sent to me ,and I was wandering how I’m I going to excel in my exams, but lool and behold got everything here.I really appreciate your efforts and hope that I will get good grades after my exams,God richly bless you.

January 16, 2020 at 2:55 pm

Thanks sir for your help

February 2, 2020 at 11:58 pm

I love ur idea this is amazing trick…to gain intreset in studies…it also helps in making study a daily routine…..9797663167 my whatsapp no. Plz text me there if u have more ideas

February 16, 2020 at 7:36 am

I really do hope this works for me cause I find studying boring🤦‍♂️

February 25, 2020 at 12:39 pm

I am Shwazz from Embu,Kenya …i used to perform brilliantly in my form one but my grades took a nose dive while in form two due to myself indulging into unhealthy friendship and loss of interest to study…am in my final year but the work i have to cover is too large so as to prosper but am not getting that inner instinct to study…..Please come to my rescue

March 2, 2020 at 12:42 am

thanks alot it gave me a hopefull start

March 31, 2020 at 4:53 am

wow now i will study

April 14, 2020 at 9:14 am

Great article. The article helped me to know why I am procrastinating and how to start writing my term papers. Thank you :)🙋‍♂️

May 7, 2020 at 3:11 am

Thanks a lot, you are doing the god’s work!!! I was wondering how to stop procrastinating my work as the exams are near. No 5 has helped me a lot. Can’t thank you enough!!!

May 7, 2020 at 4:12 am

i used to be brilliant student but now cause of fire age and my over confidence i lose my height and be medium class student and step by step i lose moral for studying so even foe tests and finals i dont feel anything so help me to have moral to study helppppp please

June 1, 2020 at 7:23 pm

thanks, doctor

June 8, 2020 at 10:49 pm

hi,,,,im actually preparing for one of the toughest exam in the world,JEE ADVANCE..people say your future is setteled after you get into iits…but my problem is i have no intrest in studies..i have other dreams but to fulfill my dream i have to be on safer side so i need to be in iit but i dont have intrest in studying,….. i know it is irritating for you to read my comment but just imagine how would i be feeling of all these stuff happening to me.. please help me out

June 26, 2020 at 4:36 am

Thank you doctor I appreciate your had work, you really get students issues during time of study.

July 5, 2020 at 11:30 am

The article is so amazing I’m really appreciating you Thank for this Mr.Deniel Keep it Up I am also attending your webminar…

August 19, 2020 at 8:40 am

I just don’t know what to do with myself. If someone motivates me or inspires me, i will remember it for hardly one day and after that i will forget everything and will start following the excuses of not studying. Till now i watched many motivational videos and read articles but i didn’t developed at all. I m just a dumb and boring girl. I think i will never succeed in life.

August 22, 2020 at 6:32 pm

Best motivational article i have ever read………………Thank you sir…

September 14, 2020 at 9:32 pm

I never like motivational articles but this was the best one I have ever read, thanks. Quick question, how can I avoid sleeping while studying?

September 21, 2020 at 4:39 am

In this time of the coronavirus, where we all are quarantined in the house, I am so stressed out… since we are having online classes, I am getting easily distracted through the internet… how should i stop this… hoping for the best.

October 8, 2020 at 7:00 am

Thanks a lot for this article, sir! I am a very competitive student, and I recently got a bad grade on a test and have been feeling low and unproductive, though I still have to do other homework and tests. This article has motivated me to start studying again!

October 19, 2020 at 6:21 pm

I just really wanna try your ideas. Actually I was a JEE main aspirant but really these days I am getting distracted. I will try your techniques to overcome the distractions.

November 2, 2020 at 3:37 am

Carla wants to get through university, and she knows she needs the degree to have a decent life, but she’s just not that into it. She’s never thought of herself as a good student, and that hasn’t changed much at Biust. She has trouble paying attention in those big lecture classes, which mostly seem pretty boring. She’s pretty sure she can pass all her courses, however, as long as she takes the time to study before tests. It doesn’t bother her to skip classes when she’s studying for a test in a different class or finishing a reading assignment she didn’t get around to earlier. She does make it through her first year with a passing grade in every class, even those she didn’t go to very often. Then she fails the second assessment in her first first year class. Depressed, she skips the next couple classes, then feels guilty and goes to the next. It’s even harder to stay awake because now she has no idea what they’re talking about. It’s too late to drop the course, and even a hard night of studying before the final exam isn’t enough to pass the course. In two other classes, she just barely passes. She has no idea what classes to take next semester and is starting to think that maybe she should drop out for now.

What do you think went wrong with Carla’s studies? What advice would give to her?

November 12, 2020 at 12:18 pm

It’s one of the best articles I have ever read! Hats off to you brother!

November 23, 2020 at 8:17 pm

Thanks for sharing, I love this article.

January 17, 2021 at 6:49 pm

What tip do you have for me having the highest motivation, but turning to GTA Chinatown wars?

January 26, 2021 at 5:31 pm

Thanks sir for providing such a motivating and informative post. I was searching for such an article to guide me on how to study better. Finally I found it here. Good luck to you!

February 6, 2021 at 11:30 pm

I’m going to give it a try Hope it works out for me because I’m so restless when it comes to studying

February 23, 2021 at 1:43 am

Thank you it is gonna change my life

February 24, 2021 at 9:44 pm

I really think the problem is not with the students but with the education system. It kills creativity and children’s interest.

March 10, 2021 at 2:59 am

Oh thank you bro

March 24, 2021 at 5:51 am

To be honest I’m a 10th grade student who isn’t going to school for months because of many school problems and my exams are very near and I started to think that even if I study nothing gonna change everything’s going to be ruined no matter how hard I study I can’t change the result but a huge THANKS to you that your article gave me way much courage and motivation that I felt really comfortable like my half of the problems are solved Thanks again

April 23, 2021 at 4:12 pm

Thanks for the great blog!

May 5, 2021 at 11:08 pm

this is so inspirational

May 31, 2021 at 1:43 pm

Thank you sir, It’s very helpful, all the aforementioned steps are so powerful and easy to change ones habit and improves ones interest. I was so passive in the last two months that I even didn’t touch my books and waste all my precious time on social media. But after reading this article, I feel more confident and motivated . It seems hard to start for the first time but I still remember the famous saying that “go to the last mile and enjoy it.” Thank you so much!

July 9, 2021 at 6:50 pm

Thank You For Sharing Valuable Information. Really This Was Very Informative Article.

March 10, 2023 at 9:17 pm

Hope it works out for me because I’m so restless when it comes to studying

October 3, 2023 at 7:56 am

thank you very much for all this information and advice , i am sure it will help me in my studies more

October 11, 2023 at 7:06 pm

Hello. This was an amazing article. You have changed my and Amber’s lives. We will now study a lot, maybe. Thank you sooo much.

November 26, 2023 at 1:00 pm

Thank you Daniel! Bookmarked a while ago, re-reading again. You make it easy to read/digest.

May 28, 2024 at 6:15 pm

This is helpful, thank you so much

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How to Motivate Yourself to Do Homework

How to Get Motivated to Do Schoolwork to Achieve Stellar Results

To motivate yourself to do homework, set clear, achievable goals, create a distraction-free study space, and establish a regular routine. Use a timer for focused work sessions, reward yourself after completing tasks, and maintain a positive mindset. Remember to take care of your health and seek help if needed.

• Make a Plan: Break tasks into chunks, set realistic goals.
• Seek Help: Find a mentor or use assignment services.
• Set Small Goals: Break homework into smaller, manageable objectives.
• Stay Organized: Keep workspace tidy and schedule organized.
• Take Breaks: Regular breaks to recharge.
• Give Rewards: Treat yourself for completing tasks.
• Stay Positive: Maintain an optimistic mindset.
• Get Specialized Help: Seek assistance for challenging subjects.
• Hang Out With Like-Minded Peers: Surround yourself with motivated friends.
• Eat Nutritiously: Maintain a balanced diet for focus and energy.

Are you wondering how to motivate yourself to do homework? Transform your study routine with actionable tips like staying organized, taking breaks, making a plan, etc. Read this article to help you foster focus and productivity.

Gain insight on tackling assignments and confidently turning your challenges into triumphs. Find out how to embrace the power of positive habits and witness your motivation soar. Let's break the cycle of boredom and ignite your passion for learning.

Instead of letting deadlines overwhelm you, let's turn them into milestones. With our proven methods, you can easily elevate your academic journey and conquer schoolwork. 

Motivation to Do Homework: Learn Why It Matters

Finding motivation for homework can sometimes feel impossible, especially when you're tired and overwhelmed with many responsibilities. But homework was not given by your teachers or professors as a form of torture.

It's a vital element in your academic journey, and staying motivated is the compass guiding the way to complete them. Consider motivation as the fuel propelling you through your seemingly impossible tasks.

Maintaining inspiration is crucial because it transforms routine assignments into valuable learning opportunities.

When you enthusiastically approach your homework, the benefits extend beyond completion—it fosters a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Embrace motivation as a tool for getting things done and fostering a positive and productive mindset. In the academic realm, staying inspired is the key to unlocking the doors to knowledge and answering the question of how to get motivated to do schoolwork.

Make a Plan to Help Jump-start Everything

Every student knows the feeling of being overwhelmed by homework. Sometimes, students can't help but scratch their heads, wondering how to get motivated to do schoolwork. It is indeed easy to drag your feet and procrastinate. The secret to conquering that mountain of assignments?

Make a plan! Start by breaking tasks into manageable chunks and set realistic goals. The key is finding what inspires you—a cozy study spot, a reward system, or a study playlist. Having a plan helps organize your workload and gives you a roadmap to success.

So, take a deep breath, make that plan, and watch as motivation for homework becomes your trusty sidekick on your academic journey! 

Seek Help and Find a Mentor

When wondering how to get motivated to do homework, seeking help and finding a mentor becomes a game-changer. The benefits are profound, whether it's reaching out to an alumna, a high-achieving peer, or even considering a professional online "do my assignment" service.

A mentor provides guidance, shares insights, and instills motivation by offering a fresh perspective. Alumnae brings real-world experience which may help you understand. Your peers offer relatability and can also help explain concepts.

Finally, assignment services provide expert support to ensure you can beat your deadlines.

Guidance not only eases your academic load but also fosters a collaborative spirit. Seeking help makes your assignments less daunting. Instead of feeling as if you're drowning in tasks, your mind becomes more prepared for learning and growth.

Break Things Down and Set Small Goals for Homework Assignments

When wondering how to force yourself to do homework, the secret lies in breaking homework assignments down into smaller chunks. Transform your daunting mountain of tasks into manageable molehills. Start with bite-sized objectives that feel achievable, gradually building momentum.

It's like turning homework into a series of mini-victories, making your workload more digestible. Small goals and specific tasks not only boost motivation but also promote a sense of accomplishment.

So, rather than overwhelming yourself, slice your assignments into manageable portions and check your to-do list.

Then, watch as each completed task propels you forward. It's a strategy that helps you stop procrastinating and makes you spend time working on relevant current and future assignments.

Stay Organized to Help You Crush Those Goals

Are you curious how to get motivation to do homework? The answer lies in staying organized to help you crush your goals. Picture your workspace as a battleground—clutter is the enemy, and order is your ally. It's challenging to stay focused amid chaos.

Studies show that a tidy environment fosters mental clarity. So, organize your tasks, create a schedule, and tidy up your space. As you conquer the clutter, you'll find motivation thriving. A well-ordered work area reflects a well-ordered mind, making your homework journey smoother and the path to your goals clearer.

Get organized and watch your motivation, propelling you to academic excellence! And start expecting good grades, and not just in your favorite subject.

Take Breaks to Help You Recharge and Achieve Homework Fun

Wondering how to get motivated for homework? Embrace the power of breaks to help you recharge and do my homework . Picture your brilliant mind as a battery! Continuous work drains your brain of energy needed for motivation.

Breaks act as the charger, replenishing your mental reserves. It's not about procrastination. Instead, think of these planned breaks as strategic rejuvenation. Step away, stretch, take a walk, or indulge in a quick hobby. Spend some time alone and rest for a few hours.

You'll find renewed focus and energy as you return, making your assignments more sustainable.

Strategic breaks aren't like other distractions.

In fact, they are essential tools for maintaining motivation. So, intersperse your study sessions with short breaks and witness how recharging catalyzes academic success. 

Give Yourself Rewards

Are you thinking how to motivate yourself to do school work, especially when feeling sluggish and tired? The answer lies in giving yourself rewards when hitting milestones. Consider it a pat on your back for a job well done.

Rewards don't have to be grand. Even simple treats can work wonders! When you associate completing tasks with positive reinforcement, it creates a sense of accomplishment. This becomes a powerful motivator, especially during slumps.

Whether it's a brief break, a favorite snack, or a small celebration, these rewards are energy boosts. They will help you inject enthusiasm into your schoolwork grind. Whether you're working on social studies, classical music, or any focused course, there are many reasons why a reward in the first place will make any assignment progress much faster.

Celebrate your victories, big or small. With each celebration, watch motivation become your constant companion. 

Stay Positive and Optimistic

Maintaining an optimistic mindset is the cornerstone of tackling any challenge, including homework. Want to figure out how to stay motivated to do homework?

It starts with cultivating a positive outlook. Embrace each of your assignments as an opportunity to learn and grow. Positivity breeds motivation! When faced with difficulties, view them as stepping stones, not stumbling blocks.

Surround yourself with an optimistic atmosphere—whether it's a neat study space or the support of encouraging friends.

Celebrate small victories and approach each task believing you can conquer it. Positivity makes the homework journey more enjoyable and transforms obstacles into opportunities for success. 

Get Specialized Help When You Need It

Pondering how to be motivated to do homework, especially when facing challenging subjects like math problems or drafting an English essay?

The key is getting specialized help when you need it. College encompasses a spectrum of subjects, from English and humanities to math and statistics.

Seeking math homework help for calculus or essay assistance from experts isn't a sign of weakness. You can think of this as a strategic move. Recognizing when to ask for specialized support is a strength. It alleviates your struggles and fosters a proactive approach to learning.

So, don't hesitate to reach out when faced with academic hurdles.

Specialized help ensures you conquer the complexities and stay motivated on your educational journey. 

Hang Out With Like-Minded Peers

If you're figuring out how to get motivation to do school work, one of the answers could be in the company you keep. Imagine being with friends who party hard and ditch deadlines. Uh-oh, that spells trouble!

Instead, surround yourself with like-minded peers who share your academic goals and enthusiasm. Studying with friends who are equally driven creates a supportive environment that fuels motivation. Exchange ideas and share strategies for work-life balance.

Celebrate your successes together. The collective energy of a group with a common purpose can be contagious, making your academic journey more enjoyable.

When you're in the company of peers who are passionate about learning, the motivation to excel becomes a shared experience, propelling everyone toward success. 

Fuel Your Brain and Body with Nutritious Food 

Listen up! Eat well to stay motivated. Why does your diet play an important role in how to make yourself do homework? What you fuel your brain and body matters!

A balanced diet is the secret weapon for sustained focus and energy. Incorporate brain-boosting foods like fruits, nuts, and whole grains into your meals. Skipping meals leads to fatigue, affecting your concentration.

By nourishing your body, you're investing in your academic success. So, make your plate a palette of productivity. Then, watch how your well-fed body becomes the foundation for a motivated mind. 

Students Tend to Forget Water Intake - Will You?

Hydration is critical when figuring out how to get motivation for homework. Dehydration can significantly impact concentration and focus, putting you in a study slump.

So, as a busy student, it's vital to stay hydrated. Water is not just a refreshing beverage to quench thirst. It's also an amazing cognitive enhancer. Many studies show that even mild dehydration can lead to reduced cognitive performance.

Therefore, keep your water bottle within arm's reach while tackling assignments. And drink before you feel thirsty because you're already mildly dehydrated by then. Water helps with mental sharpness. A well-hydrated brain is focused and ready to take on the challenges of homework. 

Use an Inspiring Music Playlist

Fill your study area with an inspiring music playlist—especially if you're wondering how to become motivated to do school work or contemplating how to do my assignment excellently. Music has a magical quality that can ignite motivation.

Create a playlist filled with fave tunes that uplift your spirits and set the tone for productivity. The right soundtrack can turn mundane tasks into engaging activities.

Whether you need a boost to start your assignments or a rhythm to carry you through to ace a test, music is a powerful ally.

So, put on those headphones, hit play, and let the motivational beats become the backdrop to your academic triumphs. 

How to Get Motivation for Homework - FAQs

How to get motivated to do school work .

Do you wish to unlock how to be motivated to do schoolwork? Think of this as like finding the perfect rhythm for a dance. Start small—break tasks into manageable steps. Surround yourself with a supportive study environment.

Use inspiring music as your soundtrack. Stay positive and celebrate victories. Your academic journey is a dance of determination. 

What can I do when I have no motivation to do homework? 

Feeling the homework blues? When you have no motivation to do homework, start small—break your tasks into bite-sized chunks. Change your scenery, create a dedicated study space, and consider incorporating inspiring music.

Seek support from mentors. Remember, every small effort counts, turning your homework struggle into achievable victories.

Where to find motivation in a few hours for schoolwork when I'm lazy?  

Curious how to do homework when you don't want to? Your journey from laziness to productivity is manageable by breaking tasks into small steps.

Then, create a motivating study environment and consider help. For example, seeking physics homework help or essay writing assistance from professionals when needed.

Every small effort counts because you'll find inspiration in every completed task. 

Is seeking professional help online acceptable? 

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How to Get Motivated to Study: 33 Tips and Tricks

• Post by: Professor Conquer
• Last updated on: August 9, 2022

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Are you looking for information on how to get motivated to study ?  Are you struggling with learning how to study? If your answer is yes, you’ve come to the right place. Imagine yourself acing the exam you’ve been stressing over all night. The joy on your face supersedes everything else that it took to get there. You can make this dream a reality by putting in the needed effort and time, as well as getting motivated to study .  There are several ways to do this, and this list will provide 33 study motivation tips to help you.  You only have one thing to do, and that is to keep reading.

Why You Need to Get Motivated to Study

1. Earn better grades.

If you are a student, one of your main goals is to earn the best grades possible.  You will not be able to do this without frequent study sessions and a mindset for success.  Staying motivated is essential to making the grades you desire and staying on top of your coursework. Have you noticed that when you’re motivated to do something, you can work hard and have a better outcome?

2. Easier retention of information.

Much like the employees of a company, when they feel motivated and pushed to do better, they stay longer.  This can be directly applied to the information you are studying.  If you are dedicated to a topic and motivated to continue, you will work harder at retaining the information.  For example, if my motivation for doing well in a course is knowing that I will have a 4.0 when I am done.  I wouldn’t skim the readings and lazily complete the assignments.  I would be motivated to find ways the best way to retain the information that I am taking in to recall it later for an exam or a quiz.

3. Increased comprehension of the topic at hand.

Being motivated allows you to work harder at understanding the subject in front of you.  If you are motivated to be better in school, you will do more activities which aid in the understanding of information.  Motivation is what pushes you to go to tutoring or visit the office hours of your professor.  These activities directly relate to how well you can comprehend a subject. When you are putting in a more significant amount of effort, you get a higher return on your investment.

4. Improves performance.

Overall, being motivated to do well increases your performance.  Motivation not only helps you do well, but once you see that you have done well, you are motivated to continue doing well.  The feelings that come with doing well are not only gratifications but pushes to keep up the excellent work.  If you are feeling good, wouldn’t you want to keep that feeling?  Motivation allows you to do just that.

5. Increased persistence and effort.

When you are motivated, you are more likely to push through a difficult task.  Have you ever been working out and as soon as you decide to give up your trainer’s voice bellows in your ear motivating you to push through?  I’m sure with the added push you could get through it.  The same thing can be said for studying. However, there will not typically be a person yelling in your ear for you to study unless you have great friends. You will give more when you are inclined to do so.

6. Increased productivity.

Increased productivity is a great reason to ensure you are motivated before you study.  It ensures that you get the most out of your study session and can mean a better quality of work.

How to Get Motivated to Study When Tired Tips

7. Get your heart pumping.

Exercise is a great way to wake you up when you are feeling exhausted or simply out of energy. No, you do not have to do hours in the gym, but the movement is recommended.  If you feel your energy draining take a walk around the block, jog in place or even do some jumping jacks.  This will ensure that you are awake and ready to study.  Another great way to get your heart pumping is to listen to your notes during a workout.  All you must do is record yourself reading your notes or if you aren’t a fan of your voice, get a friend to record themselves reading your notes.  This technique allows you to brush up on material while taking a jog or a walk to a sound you are familiar with. You may have also seen people bring notes or a book with them when jogging on the treadmill.  This can be an excellent technique for recalling information.

8. Take power naps.

Power naps have several benefits, especially when studying. These benefits include refreshing your body, creating a heightened sense of awareness, and providing a refreshed outlook.  They can successfully reduce stress and provide relaxation for the body.  However, power naps should be no longer than 20 minutes and after almost 3 hours of study time or when you feel it is needed.  Taking naps longer than 20 minutes has the potential to leave you tired and unable to sleep at night.

9. Rotate topics.

When you find, yourself getting tired and unable to focus, switch topics.  Choose an item you are more familiar with that excites you and come back to the other topic later. Do not continue to stare at the same information; otherwise, the potential to fall asleep or quit is more significant.  Though you shouldn’t switch topics every 15 minutes, it is good to take a break from a topic and come back later.  This gives your brain time to rest and come back with a new perspective. For example, if you have spent the last 4 hours studying linear algebra attempting to understand equations and problems, fatigue is normal.  You should switch to a different topic which does not follow the same pattern and return later.  Do not switch from linear algebra to differential equations.  You will likely find yourself more fatigued and at a quitting point if you do.

10. Study in an upright position or at a desk.

Finding a comfortable and productive place to study is essential, especially when you are tired. Never study laying down or on a bed.  Find someplace that is well lit and provides a comfortable workspace for you.  This can be the library, a coffee shop, or even a common area. Posture is critical when studying.  You want to try to sit up straight with your shoulders and arms relaxed. You should also always attempt to study with some hard surface in front of you.  Many campuses also offer a standing desk if you find that this works better for you.  If you remember to change your position after long periods, you will stay alert and focused.

11. Commit to a task Publicly.

It’s easy to give up on a goal when no one else knows about it.  Use your social media accounts to your advantage.  Generally promising to complete a task publicly makes a job more likely to be achieved.  Have you ever wonder why there is a surge of weight loss blogs and Instagram accounts?  When other people are aware of your situation, they can hold you accountable as well.  Therefore, you are not only giving up on yourself; you are letting others down around you.  Creating a study blog or account which shares your tips or study habits is a great way to not only share knowledge but hold yourself to the standard you discuss.  This can also be a fun way to tag friends from your courses in your posts and use them for accountability as well.

12. Eat a healthy snack .

A cheeseburger or a bag of fries is not a healthy snack that should be had while you are studying.  Greasy food increases your level of tiredness and can be detrimental to your motivation to study. Snacking can be beneficial while you are studying.  However, having a healthy snack is essential for reducing fatigue and not burning out.  There are several brain foods which provide cognitive benefits .  These foods include almonds, dark chocolate, fruit salad, Greek yogurt, grapes, and even trail mix.

13. Add greenery to your workspace.

If your workspace or desk area is very dreary and dark, adding some plants may not only liven up the space, but it may aid in motivation for studying. They not only help in purifying the air, but they also have been proven that plants help people concentrate though different plants have different levels of effectiveness. Many studies also show that green can aid in creating an environment conducive to creativeness and increased mental health.

How to Increase Motivation to Study Tips

14. Reward yourself.

Enjoying this article? Get our 137-page guide to doing well in high school here.

Rewards are an excellent incentive for studying or reaching a milestone in your coursework. A bonus gives you something to look forward to while studying.  For example, after an hour of studying, you can reward yourself with a snack or a power nap.  Your reward can be anything that will keep you motivated to continue working. This reward can also be time on social media, fifteen minutes of your favorite game, or a short call with friends.

15. Take frequent breaks.

It’s crucial when you are studying to take regular breaks. This ensures you are reenergized continuously.  You should do activities which promote energy.  You do not want to do activities which make it hard for you to transition back into studying. Suitable break activities can include stretching, cooking a meal, or even taking a shower.

16. Change your location.

Studies show that studying in multiple locations increases retention and your ability to recall information. A change of scenery can also keep you motivated to study more. You should study in an area with minimal distractions.  Studying from your bed may entice you to go to sleep whereas studying from your couch may encourage you to binge-watch your favorite TV show.  Keep these things in mind when changing your study location. If you are in college, it may be fun to explore your campus and see what areas are available to you.  Make a list in your phone of the places which may be a good fit for studying. Whenever you need a change of scenery, refer to one of the locations on your list.

17. Create a study playlist.

Music is a great motivator and can help you stay focused while studying. Listening to music can aid in elevating your mood, calming you down and keeping you motivated for long periods of time. You should choose music which is calming and peaceful.  Classical music or ambient music can be two great types of music to listen to while studying.

18. Use timers to keep you focused .

Timers can be used to increase productivity, keep you focused on the task at hand, and motivated to do more. A timer allows you to treat activities as containment units.  You can primarily concentrate your energy on one task until there is time for another one. A timer also aids you with keeping a firmer grasp on how long it takes to do something.

19. Use small goals to keep you on track.

Setting goals is an important activity which can make it easier to achieve more significant milestones. They also aid students in meeting deadlines and staying accountable.  When creating goals, they should follow the SMART framework.  This means that they should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-specific.

20. Read motivational quotes.

Motivational quotes, though cliché, can be a great way to inspire and motivate students. Though different quotes have a different effect on students, they can aid in getting students back on track and in the mindset to study.

How to Motivate Yourself to Read a Textbook Tips

21. Set reminders and benchmarks for completing readings.

For some subjects, reading may be hard to do.  Instead of telling yourself you are going to sit down and ready 300 pages of text, create a reading plan.  You can segment your reading by topic or by chunks of pages.  For example, for 1 hour, you will read about the Industrial Revolution.  After reading, you will take a quick 15-minute break to recharge then come back and complete your reading on the great depression.  You can also segment these tasks by time instead of specific sections. Use your phone to set continuous alarms or reminders for when you should finish your reading.  Keep doing this until you are finished with the full reading assignment.

22. Annotate with purpose.

It’s essential that while you are reading your textbook that you are using meaningful annotations.  These annotations can include highlighting prominent information, circling words, and phrases you are unsure of.  Before writing in the textbook ensure it is yours otherwise takes notes on sticky notes and place them on the sections you would like to annotate.

23. Make it fun.

Reading doesn’t have to be boring.  It can be fun and entertaining.  There are several ways to make learning fun. Turn your textbook sections into a song or create a word association game with keywords and vocabulary. Students can create any game with their information. This can include puzzles, quizzes, and even flashcards. You can also turn your studies into a party with music as well.

24. Eliminate distractions.

Distractions can be a significant hindrance when attempting to read for understanding. These distractions may include the television, loud friends, activity in the space around you and a variety of other impediments. A distraction can even come in the form of a pet or a family member.  To avoid situations where you are reading but unable to grasp what you are reading because of the events around you, seclude yourself.  If you are a person who needs total silence when studying, go to a study room in the library or pick a time to study when no one is around.  One distraction that many individuals have a hard time putting away is their cell phones.  We are always connected to the world around us, which can sometimes be a distraction as well.  Utilize applications which place a limit on the amount of time you can use social media.  You can also place your device on do not disturb for added quiet time.

25. Imagine yourself starting.

When it’s time to study, it will do you no good to imagine yourself sitting on the beach drinking lemonade. This is unrealistic and puts studying further out of your mind.  Instead, visualize yourself starting to study and visualize the expected outcome in your head.  This strategy aids you in putting yourself in the mindset to study and make progress.  When you can physically see, yourself doing something, it makes the task easier to accomplish.

26. Clean your workspace.

When your workspace is clean and tidy, you can focus and spend more time devoted to work. Having a clean workspace eliminates distractions and clutter from not just your physical environment but your mental one.  This can be directly compared to not wanting to cook in a dirty kitchen.  A clean workspace gives you a fresh start.

How to Make Yourself Study Everyday Tips

27. Break the material into chunks.

Chunking the content, you are studying is important because the more time you spend on a subject, the less you can retain.  After roughly 30 minutes, you begin to lose the ability to recall information. Breaking down the material into spans of twenty-five to 30 minutes ensures that you will remember the information you are reading. Chunking makes things easier to commit to memory. This can be used when studying or even useful when remembering things like telephone numbers.

28. Create a routine.

If studying is hard for you, create a routine or a schedule to study when the timing is most optimal for you.  Creating a study plan allows you to see how you spend your time and plan for each class accordingly. This strategy allows time for you to finish assignments, study for exams, and review the information you are learning.  This technique also helps you to evaluate your current study habits to see what works and what doesn’t.  Each week on a Saturday or Sunday night, look at the plan for your upcoming week and adjust your schedule accordingly.  Look at each class and check what needs to be done, if there is homework or if you have any tests or quizzes approaching.  Based on the amount of work due or the upcoming events determine the amount of time which will be needed to complete these tasks and put them on your schedule.

29. Study with a friend.

Studying with a friend is a great way to stay motivated and force yourself to study every day. Studying with friends allows you to share knowledge and information that you may not have had before.  It also makes studying fun.  Studying with a friend also will enable you to compare notes and challenge each other’s viewpoints.

30. Exercise your brain.

Your brain is a muscle, and to keep it sharp, you must exercise it as you would your arms or your legs.  Exercising your brain can aid in boosting your memory and make it easier to recall and retain information.  There are several brain exercises you can do throughout the week or even before you study.  One way is testing your recall skills.  This can be done by creating a list.  This can be a list of assignments, a grocery list, or a to-do list.  These items shouldn’t be simple two-word tasks but more complicated to challenge your brain more.  Attempt to recall everything on those lists and see what you remember.  Another activity would be taking a cooking class or learning a new language.  Both activities stimulate your brain and use a multitude of senses.

31. Schedule out study time .

Even if you don’t dive headfirst into preparing a study routine.  Make sure you create a schedule of when you will study a specific course. This can be extremely helpful when working through test time or when other assignments take priority.

32. Never study the same way twice.

Look for new and innovative ways to study, which will keep you intrigued and energized. Change the way you study every day .  This can mean flashcards one day, self-quizzes on the next day and another creative outlet the next.  Diagrams and infographics can also be a great way to study if you are a visual learner.   These methods will keep you excited to study and eager to get to the next subject.

33. Teach someone else the material.

Teaching another person, the content you are studying is a great way to ensure that you understand the lesson.  It also forces you to articulate your lesson in the most basic terms so that someone unfamiliar with the topic can understand it. If you are unable to explain a concept or word to someone else, there is an excellent chance that you do not genuinely know the material. Teaching someone also makes it easier to pinpoint areas that you are not strong in and may need more practice. You should continue to study the content until you can teach it to someone else effectively.

Wrapping Up How to Get Motivated to Study

There is no one size fits all equation for studying or motivating yourself to study.  The things that may work for you may not work for someone else.  For that reason, this list contains several items which can be tried and tested by many different people.  This list includes all the information you need to get motivated and stay motivated.  If you have made it to the end of this list and you are still asking the question, “Why do I have no motivation to do anything,” it’s time to read through this list again.  If you’re tired and looking for ways to help you stay awake, take a power nap.  If you’re bored with studying and looking for ways to stay motivated, use your study playlist to keep you going.  These are all simple tips that won’t cost a dime but will provide ample benefits.  Studying doesn’t have to be a chore if you stay motivated, you can get through anything.

Did you like this post? We have a ton of helpful study tips here, including 25 tips on how to ace a test and 25 tips on how to study for exams .

Professor Conquer

Professor Conquer started Conquer Your Exam in 2018 to help students feel more confident and better prepared for their tough tests. Prof excelled in high school, graduating top of his class and receiving admissions into several Ivy League and top 15 schools. He has helped many students through the years tutoring and mentoring K-12, consulting seniors through the college admissions process, and writing extensive how-to guides for school.

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How to Motivate Yourself: 11 Tips for Self Improvement

Achieve your goals with these science-backed motivation enhancers.

Setting a goal—anything from getting a degree or landing a new job to achieving a new level of physical fitness—is a big step toward improving your life. But following through to achieve what we’ve set out to accomplish can be challenging, especially on those days when motivation wanes. So how do you follow through on your commitments during those times when you just don’t feel like putting in the work?

We all lose motivation from time to time. When you’re feeling unmotivated, try one of these science-backed strategies to get yourself back on track toward your goal.

Put your goal on the calendar.

Make working toward your goal a habit.

Plan for imperfection.

Set small goals to build momentum.

Track your progress.

Reward yourself for the little wins as well as the big ones.

Embrace positive peer pressure.

Practice gratitude (including for yourself).

Do some mood lifting. 

Change your environment. 

Remember your “why.”

Self-motivation tips

Let's take a closer look at each of the above tips. Here, we'll break down these self-motivation techniques, detailing what they are and the science behind them.

1. Put your goal on the calendar.

One way to give a boost to your internal motivation is to create some external motivation: a target date. Whatever it is you’re aiming to accomplish, put it on the calendar. You may be working toward a goal with a set finish date built in. Examples include preparing for a test or taking a course with a fixed end date. 

If your goal lacks this structure, you can add it by deciding on a date by which you could realistically achieve your goal. 

Want to run a 5k or marathon? Sign up for a race on or near your target date. Considering a degree? Research the application deadline and write it down. Aiming to learn a new career skill? Register for a course and set a target date to finish. 

Having a target date not only helps you stay motivated, it also helps you track your progress—you always know how much further you have to go. This can have a big impact on your performance [ 1 ].

Tip: Setting a target date

Be realistic when setting your target date, but resist the urge to give yourself more time than you’ll need. Studies show that we sometimes perceive longer goals as more difficult, even when they’re not. This can lead to a greater likelihood of procrastination or quitting [ 2 ].

2. Make working toward your goal a habit.

When you make working toward your goal a habit—an automatic conditioned response—you no longer have to rely so much on feeling motivated. How do you turn a behavior into a habit?

Identify a trigger. 

Choose something that you already do everyday, like brushing your teeth or eating lunch, to be a trigger for the action you want to make a habit. Write out an “if-then” plan (also known as an implementation intention).

For example, if you want to create a habit of studying for a class everyday, your if-then plan might look like this:

If I pour my first cup of coffee, then I will spend five minutes on my math homework. 

To build consistency in exercise, it might look like this:

If I get up and brush my teeth, then I will immediately put on my workout clothes.

Making this plan and committing it to writing could increase the likelihood of following through [ 3 ].

Start small.

Notice that the above examples do not say that you’ll read six chapters of your textbook, watch two hours of lecture videos, or spend an hour sweating on the treadmill.

Getting started is often the hardest part on low-motivation days, and starting is much easier when the task is small: Five minutes of study or putting on your workout clothes [ 4 ]. 

These seemingly small actions can prime your mind for the task at hand, so the followthrough—a longer study session or a full workout—can happen more naturally with less mental resistance, according to The Science of Self Help [ 5 ]. 

3. Plan for imperfection.

It’s great to feel excited and confident about achieving your goal, but it’s also possible to be too optimistic [ 6 ]. Not every day will go exactly as planned, and that’s okay. Life happens. 

One way to boost motivation on difficult days is simply to plan for them. As you think about your goal, jot down a list of the things that could get in your way. If you’re taking an online course, this could include:

Losing internet access

Getting a phone call in the middle of a study session

Having a child home sick

Feeling stuck on a difficult concept or assignment

If your goal is to go running everyday, some obstacles might include:

Rainy weather

Getting asked to stay late at work during the time you usually run

We can’t predict everything that could happen, but we can predict those obstacles that are likely to happen from time to time based on our unique circumstances. 

Once you have your list, make a plan for how to handle the obstacle. How can you plan ahead for when your internet goes out? Maybe you could keep a few lecture videos downloaded to your phone or computer for offline access, or you could identify a nearby coffee shop that offers free wifi. 

Now when that obstacle pops up, instead of losing motivation and feeling deflated, you have a plan in place to keep the momentum going.

Keep in mind that for some obstacles, missing your task is a perfectly acceptable plan.  

The WOOP method

Next time you’re setting a goal for yourself, practice the WOOP technique, pioneered by Dr. Gabriele Oettingen. This stands for Wish , Outcome , Obstacle , and Plan . What is your wish? What would be the outcome of that wish coming true? What main obstacle stands in your way? What can you do to overcome that obstacle?

4. Set small goals to build momentum.

“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another.” 

Naval Admiral William H. McRaven gave this advice during his commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. The former Navy SEAL was onto something.

Research shows that frequent small successes can build a sense of momentum that can in turn drive long-term success, especially early in the process [ 7 , 8 ]. Whatever your big goal may be, start by breaking it down into smaller chunks. Getting a new job might be a big goal. Smaller goals could be updating your resume, making a portfolio website, earning a certification, or attending a networking event.

Did you know?

Setting goals at the start of a new week, month, or year can naturally lead to increased motivation [ 9 ]. We tend to mentally associate these temporal landmarks with new beginnings while creating mental distance from any perceived shortcomings in our past. Now that’s what we call a motivational Monday.

5. Track your progress.

Seeing progress can be highly motivating [ 10 ]. You’ll find many tools out there to help you track your goals. This could be as simple as a to-do list or calendar where you can cross off tasks or days as you complete them. Or you might opt for a free tool like Trello , which allows you to create a personalized digital task board to categorize your big goal into daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly sub goals.

Another option is to draw a progress bar on a sheet of poster board or paper. Hang it somewhere where you’ll see it regularly, and fill it in as you get closer to your goal.

What is a SMART goal?

Sometimes the best goals are SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. 

6. Reward yourself for the little wins as well as the big ones.

It feels good to be rewarded for our work. But rewards can also improve motivation and performance. Rewarding yourself for reaching small milestones and completing big goals could boost your interest and enjoyment in the work you’re doing [ 11 ]. 

These rewards don’t have to be big or cost a lot of money. Here’s a quick list of ideas you could use to reward yourself:

Take a short break

Go for a walk outside

Enjoy your favorite snack

Read a chapter of your favorite book

Spend a few minutes meditating

Listen to an episode of your favorite podcast

Plan a night out with friends

Play an online game

Visit a free museum or attraction

Have a long bath or shower

Call a friend or family member

Spend a few minutes making your own reward list so that you’re ready to celebrate your wins, big and small.

7. Embrace positive peer pressure.

You’re ultimately the one who puts in the work to achieve your goals. But other people can be a great motivator. 

Research shows that feeling like you’re part of a team can lead to boosted perseverance, engagement, and performance, even if you’re working alone [ 12 ]. Depending on your goal, this might mean joining a study group, running team, gym class, professional organization, or virtual challenge. 

Another study suggests that sharing your goal with someone whose opinion you value can strengthen your commitment to attaining that goal [ 13 ]. For work goals, consider sharing with a mentor or supervisor. You might choose to share educational goals with a teacher or academic advisor, or fitness goals with a coach or fellow gym member who you admire.

8. Practice gratitude (including for yourself).

It might seem like gratitude would lead to complacency and acceptance of the status quo. Yet some studies have shown otherwise. Feelings of gratitude can:

Motivate self-improvement [ 14 ]

Make us feel connected to others (i.e. part of the team) [ 15 ]

Enhance motivation across time, beyond the duration of the gratitude practice [ 16 ]

Induce a sense of wanting to give back [ 17 ]

Improve physical and mental health, as well as sleep [ 18 ]

There’s more than one way to foster an attitude of gratitude. Spend the first five minutes after you wake up going through all the things you feel grateful for. Better yet, write them down in a gratitude journal. Is there someone in your life you’re particularly grateful for? Write them a letter expressing your thanks. 

9. Do some mood lifting. 

A good mood has been linked to increased productivity, and improvement in both quality and quantity of work [ 19 , 20 ]. This doesn’t mean that you have to be positive all the time—that’s not realistic. But if you’re feeling sluggish about working toward your goal, a quick mood lift could be enough to get you started.

Need some ideas for how to boost your mood? You could try to:

Spend some time in nature (or at least get some sunlight) [ 21 ]

Look at some cute pictures or videos of animals on r/aww [ 22 ]

Watch funny videos on YouTube [ 23 ]

Exercise [ 24 ]

Adopt an alter ego (i.e. the Batman effect) [ 25 ]

10. Change your environment. 

Sometimes a change of scenery can help you approach your task with fresh eyes (and a new sense of motivation). This is called the novelty effect—a short-term boost that comes from altering your environment [ 26 ]. 

If you usually study at home, have a session at your local library. Do you always watch lecture videos on your computer? Try downloading them to your phone to watch outside in the park. Switch up your running route, or try a new exercise routine. 

11. Remember your “why.”

Why is this goal important to you? Why is that reason important to you? Why is that important to you? Keep digging until you get to your ultimate “why”—the core value that’s driving your goal. 

To further reinforce your “why,” set an alarm every morning to remind yourself to spend one or two minutes visualizing what success would look like. What would it feel like to achieve your goal?

What’s your career goal?

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Article sources

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Meng Zhu, Rajesh Bagchi, Stefan J Hock. " The Mere Deadline Effect: Why More Time Might Sabotage Goal Pursuit ." Journal of Consumer Research 45, no. 5 (April 2018): 1068-1084.

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Tips for Staying Motivated Ahead of College

Learn about yourself and your options., 1. prioritize assignments.

The key to success in school is staying focused on your coursework. Make a list to get an overall picture of your workload before you start to tackle any of it. Then, make a plan.

It's best to prioritize your more challenging and time-consuming assignments. Although it’s tempting to work on the simplest tasks first, you'll be able to manage your schedule better if you start with the ones that take more time and effort to accomplish.

To determine what your priorities are, rank your assignments in order of importance. Then, rearrange your time and devote more energy toward those assignments that have the greatest impact on your overall coursework and your grades. For more involved projects, you'll need to plot out work time over several weeks.

For example, even though all homework assignments are important, studying for a midterm exam takes priority over writing a paragraph for English class. As you complete each task, think of it as another step on your way to success in college.

However, don't let a task fall through the cracks just because it seems "less important." Remember that all assignments must be completed regardless of the impact on your grades.

By tackling your more difficult and time-consuming studies first, you’ll find yourself feeling more motivated to complete the easier assignments that lie ahead. Think of it as descending from the peak of a mountain rather than struggling to scale one.

2. Set Attainable Goals in Smaller Chunks

If you're having trouble writing a 25-page paper for class because it seems like such a big task, stop focusing on that final page count. Break the paper down into its subsections, and focus on each one individually.

It’s much easier to stay motivated and stop procrastinating by setting goals in smaller, more attainable chunks. It’s also a lot easier on your mental health.

3. Create New Challenges

Changing your approach can help you stay interested in what you’re doing. Some high school assignments tend to feel formulaic after a while, and you may end up feeling like you’re just going through the motions. This can cause you to feel demotivated and drained. Change things up to challenge yourself.

For example, if last semester you wrote a narrative piece in your creative writing class, maybe try writing a poem this time. If you wrote a book report on a biography last time around, try picking another subject you haven’t tackled, such as history.

If your eyes are hurting from staring at your math textbook all night, go online and try to find videos from lively instructors who take another approach to solving math problems.

4. Find a Social Support Network

You are surrounded by people who want to see you succeed, so don’t be afraid to ask for help! Mentors can be teachers, family friends, or even your school counselors. They are there to help you reach your goals and can help you create a study plan that works for you.

Try reaching out to your friends and peers in school as well, and see if you can all bring together a focused study group. Sometimes, it can even be healthy to vent your frustrations to others as a way of clearing your head.

5. Acknowledge Your Accomplishments

Praising yourself for the things you’ve accomplished is a great way to spark motivation. Give yourself a quick reward when you complete an assignment or task. Perhaps you can turn your phone off and only turn it back on once you’ve completed your work. Or reward yourself by taking a walk or getting a snack—whatever works for you. Then move on to the next project.

How can I make studying fun?

There are many ways to make studying fun. For one, you can reward yourself every time you attain a study goal. Did you memorize all of your biology notecards? Time for a slice of pizza. Did you finally hammer down that complicated math equation? Call your friend to talk about it and celebrate.

Probably the most fun way to study is by forming a study group with your friends and classmates. You can bounce ideas off each other and help each other better understand concepts. But be warned: This can be a double-edged sword. If your group doesn’t create a focused and concrete plan for the study session beforehand, you may end up procrastinating more than studying.

How can I stay motivated to complete homework?

Break down your study goals into smaller, more attainable chunks. Instead of panicking over the final page count for a long essay, take on each subtopic in the essay individually, and overcome them one by one.

Another way to stay motivated to complete your homework is to tie a carrot to the end of the stick, so to speak. For example, you can tell yourself, “Once I finish this assignment, and only when I’ve finished this assignment, I can hang out with my friends or play video games.”

Of course, you can also motivate yourself to complete your homework by thinking about how your accomplishment will positively benefit your future. You can think along the lines of, “If I stop procrastinating on this homework assignment and finish it now, I’ll get a better grade in class. If I get a better grade in class, my overall GPA will be higher, and I will look better on my college applications!”

Why do students lose interest in high school?

Students tend to lose interest and motivation in high school for many reasons, including feeling that they're not in a supportive environment, feeling that they’re just going through the motions, or simply feeling burnt out from everything they're doing in their busy lives.

The best way to combat all these negative emotions is to re-spark your love of learning and your motivation to do well. Refer to our five tips for staying motivated in high school when you need help fighting back against discouraging feelings.

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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.

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How to get motivated

Gearing up to do something — whether it’s to work out, take on a new hobby, or sit down and finally outline the novel that’s been bouncing around your head — can be hard.

Anyone who’s ever decided on a New Year’s resolution in January only to let it fade into the ether come February or March knows that. Deciding on what you want to achieve is one thing; following through is quite another. It’s the difference between intention and motivation.

Before figuring out how to motivate yourself, make sure you understand what motivation is and how you experience it. Then you’ll be able to figure out how to get motivated to start something … and how to harness that motivation to the finish line.

What is motivation?

Motivation is what drives people to act. It’s a combination of external and internal forces that activate a certain type of behavior.

Has someone ever tried to motivate you by suggesting you stay positive? Have you ever told someone a goal of yours — like to run a 10k — and had them respond with something like “you can do it!”? Or maybe to hype yourself up to do a practice run, you try to fill your head with positive self-talk: “This is going to be easy, I’m super-fast.”

Positivity isn’t a bad thing. But trying to combat self-doubt or a lack of motivation with relentless positivity will likely result in you just adding more chatter to an already busy mind. You might be further exhausting and demotivating yourself as well, because now you have to hold tightly to those positive thoughts while continuing to shut down the thoughts of “I can’t do this, I’m tired, I don’t want to.”

Try a 5-minute meditation

Rest a busy mind and take a break.

Taking a break

In the book Rethinking Positive Thinking , psychologist Gabriele Oettingen explains why equating motivation with positivity can be problematic.

While positivity can be a contributor to motivation, it’s not the sum total of what motivation is. Oettingen’s research involves having two groups of students visualize their upcoming weeks. The first group imagined that their week would be perfect — they’d get good grades on their assignments, meet new friends, and have a great time. The second group was asked to visualize their week in a realistic way, noting what they hoped to achieve and also what they were worried about. In the end, the second group felt more energized and accomplished more than the first. Those results, published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science , led Oettingen to identify another factor that is required alongside a positive mental attitude in order to achieve goals: mental contrasting.

Mental contrasting, explains Oettingen, is the ability to have a goal in mind, imagine obstacles getting in the way of that goal, and still continue to try to achieve it, despite the possibility of failure. That basis in realism is what gives people the follow-through to keep on going, even when times get hard (and mile five is feeling impossible).

It’s similar to how meditation works: by moving beyond thought and finding a feeling of acceptance, you can engage in life without being as controlled by errant thoughts and feelings; whether good, bad, or challenging.

In summary, motivation is a combination of focus and intent in deciding to do something, and the persistence to see it through, despite setbacks. If you’re struggling to figure out how to motivate yourself, you’ll need to start by asking which of these aspects of motivation is giving you trouble.

Do you not have a clear goal in mind? What’s the reason behind why a given goal is important to you, or why you’re prioritizing it over something else? Reflecting beforehand on what your motivation is — why you are doing something — often means that you’ll be stronger and clearer in setting the intention. Because each time you slip or lose momentum, you simply have to remind yourself why you set out to do something in the first place.

If you are already clear on why you want to do something, where do you get caught up in the execution of it? Is it the fear of failure? Does the physical or mental discomfort of it all turn you off? Do you lack a clear visualization of what achieving it would look like?

Sit with the answers to these questions and consider what they tell you. And know that whatever it is you’re setting out to do, you have the innate skill to do it. The human mind — with its doubts, resistance, excuses, and storylines of old — will always find a reason not to do something. It is for you to know those patterns and instead trust your limitless potential. By making sure you have your intention clear and your follow-through set, you’ll be able to do it again.

How to motivate yourself: 8 things to try

Whether you’re trying to motivate yourself to start a meditation practice or to finish a new project, approaching your goal with these tips in mind will help you find and channel your drive. As Headspace co-founder and former monk Andy Puddicombe puts it: “A clear motivation often overcomes excuses further down the line.”

1. Intention is everything. Knowing why we’re setting out to do something defines our experience of it, as well as the benefit we get from it. What is your intention? If your goal is to practice mindfulness via a daily meditation habit, why did you decide to take on that goal? Are you aiming to be less stressed at work? Do you want to approach life with more kindness and patience? Having that purpose crisp and clear within yourself will help you to show up for yourself. Without articulating the intention behind your goal, the motivation you need to achieve it will be hard to find.

2. Set yourself up for success with a routine. You can hope that you’ll find the time to clean up the kitchen, or meditate, or work out at some point in your busy day. Or you can create a routine for yourself that ensures that time will be there. If you’re not used to thinking through routines for yourself, try starting with an easy morning routine that incorporates at least one of your goals. How you begin your day often defines it, and starting out by prioritizing yourself can give you a jolt of inspiration and motivation to last all day.

3. Recognize the power of now. It’s important to have goals for the future, but the way we achieve those goals is by doing what we’re doing now. Don’t let visions for what might be distract you from paying attention to what is. If you have a hard time motivating yourself because your goal seems so far away, focus on just getting through today.

4. Be present. Whether it’s a workout or a work assignment, don’t focus on your physical discomfort or how much you’d rather be somewhere else. Tune in to what you’re doing. Recognize that thoughts and emotions will come and go and try to enjoy the experience.

5. Build trust through practice. Recognize that whatever it is you’re setting out to do won’t be easy in the beginning. You don’t need to motivate yourself all the way to the end just yet. Instead, think of your goal as a series of repeated steps, and build yourself up to taking the first one. As you take more and get more comfortable with the process, you’ll learn to trust yourself and the work you’re doing and find it easier to show up.

6. Keep in mind that there is an antidote for every obstacle. As you pursue your goals, unexpected and unwanted things will happen. You’ll be tired. You’ll be stressed. You’ll find it hard to find the time. If you find yourself unmotivated to do something that would help you achieve a goal that you still believe in, ask yourself why that is. Have you deprioritized it against other tasks? Did you fail to schedule it in? Understand the specific obstacle you’re facing and come up with a plan to address it.

7. Don’t be too hard on yourself when you mess up. If you get off track for a day or a week, that doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel. Realize when you’ve strayed away from your intentions and recommit to continuing onwards anyway.

8. Recognize that your intention can change. Maybe you started running in order to lose weight, but now you see it as a way to stay both mentally and physically fit. As you learn more about yourself in pursuit of your goals, stay open to your motivation behind them changing and growing along with your progress.

There’s no one answer as to how to find motivation that works for you, but hopefully the tips above point you in the right direction.

Take a minute: Find your focus

Meditation for motivation

You don’t need to meditate to access motivation, but it can definitely help.

No matter how disciplined you might be, you’ve probably had moments where your purpose and dedication seem to flag.

A mindfulness practice can help you learn to quiet the noisy internal chatter and instead find an inner place of clarity. Finding that peace can, in and of itself, prove motivating. Finding that sense of calm can help you to recognize that your motivation and clarity is always with you, even when stressful situations pop up or life gets busy.

Taking time each day, even for just a few minutes, to connect with that part of yourself can be incredibly grounding and motivating.

Meditation in general can help you to become clear-minded. But if you’re looking for motivation to work out, run, or practice a sport, consider trying Headspace’s options for guided runs , guided walks , or Headspace’s Move Mode, which includes guidance on stretching and free at-home workouts. Headspace also offers a 10-day course on motivation for sport that can help you find a healthy sense of perspective, set clear intentions, and pursue your goals.

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Global Cognition

7 ways to improve your motivation to study (backed by science).

by Winston Sieck updated September 18, 2021

Just about everyone who has ever been in school knows what it feels like to sit in front of the computer, staring at a blank screen. Hoping their term paper would write itself.

Or tried reading a textbook only to find that they have read the same paragraph ten times and still don’t know what they read.

Or decided they would rather clean the clutter out from under their bed than study in the first place.

Bottom line, studying can be kind of a drag. When you have a hundred other things you would rather do and an overwhelming amount of work to do, it is hard to get started and even harder to finish.

Fortunately, there are some simple, scientifically proven ways you can find your motivation and keep it.

What is Motivation to Study?

Motivation comes from a Latin word that literally means “to move.” But what causes someone to be motivated to study has been a hot topic in the world of science.

Researchers believe that your motivation to study can either come from inside you or outside of you. You can be motivated by an internal drive to learn as much possible. Or, you might be motivated to study by an external reward like a good grade, or a great job, or someone promising you a car.

Recently, researchers have discovered that your motivation to study is rooted in lots of factors, many of which we have control over. Rory Lazowski of James Madison University and Chris Hulleman of the University of Virginia analyzed more than 70 studies into what motivates students in schools. They published their paper , “Motivation Interventions in Education: A Meta-Analytic Review, in the journal Review of Educational Research .

Lazowski and Hulleman found that a number of ways to improve motivation consistently yield positive results. Here, I describe seven of the techniques that you can most readily use on your own to power through your own study barriers, and move your learning forward.

1. Set Clear Goals

You may think to yourself, “My goal is to graduate and get a good job and be rich.” While that’s a fine ambition, by itself it probably won’t help you in school day-to-day.

In order to improve your motivation to study, your goals have to be a little closer to home. In fact, setting clear academic goals has been scientifically linked to higher grade point averages than students who set vague goals, like, “I’ll just do the best I can.”

Set a goal to earn an “A” on a particular test in a particular subject. Or, decide to learn everything you can about a concept because it will help you in the real world. Set a deadline for homework that will force you to finish a task before it is due so you can review it before handing it in. Whatever the goal is, be sure it is specific, relevant, and timely.

2. Don’t Just Shoot For Performance, Go For Mastery

There is nothing more frustrating than studying hard for a test only to get a grade that is less than what you were expecting. At that point, lots of students throw their hands in the air and say, “If this is what happens when I study, why study?”

Resist that urge.

The grades you receive on a test are examples of performance goals. If you set a goal to get an “A”, and stop there, you may only study the things that you think will be on the test, but not necessarily the things that will give you mastery of the concept.

Students who consistently strive for mastery , really learning what they are studying, almost always see their grades improve as a result.

Mastery goals also help with your motivation to study. If you want to learn everything there is to know, you are less likely to put off starting that process.

3. Take Responsibility for Your Learning

It’s tempting to blame your grades on other people. The teacher doesn’t like you. They never taught what you were tested on. Your homework assignment doesn’t apply. When you blame others for your performance, you are more likely to do poorly on tests, assignments and projects.

Taking responsibility for your own learning can make a world of difference when it comes to getting yourself motivated to study. Recognizing that you are in charge of what you learn can help you start studying, but it can also keep you going when other distractions threaten to take your attention away.

Next time you are tempted to stop in the middle of an assignment and do something else, pause. Take a breath. Then, say out loud, “No one is going to learn this for me.” You might be surprised at how hearing those words affect your focus.

4. Adopt a Growth Mindset

Some people still believe that you’re either born smart (or not). And there’s not much you can do about it. However, research has shown that successful people tend to believe that intelligence is something you build up over your life. These folks have a growth mindset.

When your intelligence is challenged by hard assignments or difficult concepts, people with a growth mindset tend to think, “I don’t know this yet, but if I work hard, I will learn it.”

Researchers found that believing your brain can get stronger when you tackle hard things not only improves your mastery of what you are learning, it also improves your grades and increases your motivation to study.

The next time you are faced by a blank screen or hard textbook chapter remember, “I don’t know this yet, but if I work hard, I will learn it.”

5. Find the Relevance

If you ever want to annoy your math teacher, tell them algebra has no relevance in the real world. Alternatively, try to figure out how what you are studying relates to your life. Studies have shown that high school students who were asked to write down how their subject matter related to their everyday life saw a significant jump in their GPA.

Before you start studying, try jotting down a few ways this information will come in handy in the future. Making this connection will help you see value in what you are doing and get you started on an assignment or topic.

Sometimes, the connection between what you are learning and how it applies to your life is not easy to see. Try searching the web for applications of your topic to help you see the real-life relevance of what you are learning.

6. Imagine Your Future Self

Imagine what your life will be like in 10 years. Are you successful? Do you have a great career that you love? Are you living in the best city in the world?

Now, imagine how you are going to get there.

Some people automatically connect the school work they are doing now with getting into a good college or training program that will lead to their desired future. Other students have difficulty making that connection.

Having the ability to imagine your future self is a skill that has been shown to improve motivation to study. It has also been linked to higher grades, lower cases of truancy and fewer discipline problems in school.

Next time you are faced with a particularly daunting assignment, close your eyes and picture what you want your life to be like. Then, recognize that in order to have the life you want, you have to do the assignment in front of you.

7. Reaffirm Your Personal Values

What do you value most? What are the two or three most important qualities you can possibly develop? Do you strive to be honest in everything you do? Do you value kindness? Is success the most important value in your life?

Taking a few minutes now and again to reaffirm your values by writing in a journal or meditating about them can help you focus your efforts in other areas of your life.

If you value family over everything, your ability to take care of your family will motivate you to study and do well in school. If you value honesty, you will never feel inclined to cheat on a test, but will work hard to study.

Ultimately, finding the motivation to study is less about going on a treasure hunt and more about changing the way you think about learning. Even implementing a few of these seven tips can help you stay focused and keep going.

Image Credit: PublicDomainPictures

Lazowski, R. A., & Hulleman, C. S. (2016). Motivation interventions in education: A meta-analytic review. Review of Educational research , 86(2), 602-640. DOI: 10.3102/0034654315617832

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About Winston Sieck

Dr. Winston Sieck is a cognitive psychologist working to advance the development of thinking skills. He is founder and president of Global Cognition, and director of Thinker Academy .

Reader Interactions

October 2, 2018 at 4:59 pm

Thanks for sharing this post. I plan to share it with my students this week. We’re implementing some growth mindset and mindfulness practices this year. This will be a good reinforcement of some of those ideas and will provide some new insight as well. I think it will be well-received. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how open they’ve been to these ideas so far. Thanks again.

October 2, 2018 at 5:24 pm

That’s great, Tony. Excellent to hear the success you’re having with these ideas in your class. Thanks for stopping by..

October 25, 2021 at 12:51 pm

Thanks for posting this . I felt it after reading it and I think that if I prepare it today tomarow will be good . From this I’ll stay motivated .

October 2, 2018 at 6:54 pm

Thank greatly for this post. I’m studying at college at 45yrs ,sometimes want to give up studying but you came along with this great post. Great assurance and encouragement for young and old students alike.

Will have to share with my students as well,

kind regards,

clotilda Claudia Harry Solomon islands.

October 2, 2018 at 7:14 pm

Yep, we all need a little motivation boost at any age. Way to keep learning, Clotilda.

November 16, 2018 at 12:08 am

Thanks for providing a resource for our children to grow in knowledge. Seems that no matter what the age, we all struggle with these issues.

November 17, 2018 at 4:39 pm

No doubt, Michael! Managing motivation is a life-long skill we can teach our kids. Good to see you here – thanks for stopping by..

October 6, 2020 at 4:23 am

Thank you so much for motivating, the point you are mentioned such as set goal and go for mastery, be responsibility for learning, etc. all these points are really very helpful and they are very useful for study thank you so much for sharing

February 3, 2021 at 5:18 am

Thank you! Without following all of these steps, it’s hard to have any significant academic success, I think. It helps me not to lose motivation with step-by-step planning: I divide the global goal into several small short-term goals and achieving even minimal results makes me happy and motivates me to try harder. Of course, there are also bad periods, when I feel exhausted and overwhelmed. But a little rest allows me to get back on track.

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Here's How to Get Motivated to Do School Work

Treat studying like a profession, and thrive.

For better or for worse, it’s never too early to start thinking about the future. Your happy, comfortable retirement will most likely be dependent on success in your professional life, as it will earn you some degree of financial stability. And your professional life is very often predicated upon success in school. 

Even though the idea of retiring is a long way off, it’s important to understand that staying motivated and doing well in school now will have consequences that reverberate long into the future. So if you require academic assistance, you need to spend time thinking about that now, rather than later and begin working smarter as soon as you can. 

Do You Require Academic Assistance?

If you start taking your education seriously, you can create the pathways for a successful life early on. And a huge part of taking your education seriously is doing your homework, and doing it properly.

After all, your future boss will be sort of like a teacher. They will expect your input at meetings, and after them. They will need to know that you are reliable, and will expect you to finish the tasks you are assigned, with only yourself as your motivator. If you need to create a powerpoint deck and present them later, then your work “homework” will likely involve editing slides and making sure everything is prepared so you don’t look silly and unprepared in front of your colleagues later on. 

You can start that now by holding yourself responsible for your academics. So stop procrastinating! Today is the time to study for tests, spend the time on papers and projects, memorize the materials needed, and do all your homework. Once you’re done, then you can enjoy some fresh air outside! 

A Few Reasons Students Fail to Complete Homework

Students that find they are having trouble finding the motivation needed to do their homework, shouldn’t be too hard on themselves. Instead, they should be ready to first identify the issues preventing them from staying on task with school work. Later you can figure out ways to stay on task with your studies.

Here are a few reasons you may be off task with your homework.

1 – Time Management Problems 

Often students find themselves in charge of their own schedules for the first time in their lives, and that can make it hard to plan when exactly to schedule in homework time. 

Planning your days is indeed a skill that takes practice and that does not come naturally to all people. To plan home tasks effectively, meaning slotting in time for homework along with all the other non-scheduled parts of your life, is something to devote real time and thought to. One key here is knowing that proper management of your study time also involves taking breaks and taking care of physical needs like eating healthily, exercising, and resting. 

Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by how long the homework will take, instead make a plan that makes it work – more on that below.

2 – The Teacher Doesn’t Check the Homework 

If your professor does not check to confirm that you and your fellow students are completing homework assignments, you may start to see each assignment as optional. This is the exact wrong approach, though. 

In fact, when your teacher is not checking homework completion, he or she is trusting you and the other students to hold yourselves accountable. That means your homework assignments provide two chances for learning in one: a chance to learn a school lesson as well as a life lesson. 

No good teacher assigns homework without feeling it has importance and validity, so don’t skip it just because you can get away with doing so - you’ll only hurt yourself in the long run.

3 – You Feel You Just Don’t Need the Homework 

Maybe you are taking a class where things just come easily to you. You have an innate grasp for the material, you do well on tests and papers, and all the homework seems to do is take time, not hone your skills or add knowledge, eh? That’s no reason not to just get it done. 

Even homework that’s easier for you will still serve to reinforce the material, help you avoid easy mistakes, and keep you sharp. Remember, even the most naturally skilled athletes still practice, the best musicians still rehearse, and accomplished writers churn out drafts and edit them time and again.

A Few Tips to Help You Stay on Top of Homework Assignments

So you are committed to getting your homework done, but you’re not quite sure how to change things up so you can stay on task and keep consistently completing it on time? Here are a few homework tips to mull over.

1 – Set Aside a Specific Time for Homework 

You’re good about going to each class on your schedule, right? Not to mention showing up for the doctor’s appointment, lunch with a friend, or other event on your calendar, right? Treat homework just the same way: schedule a time, be it daily or a few times a week, that you can set aside to study, write, edit and proofread, and whatever else your assignments entail. 

By making a specific homework time, it will seem less like an added burden and more like a routine part of life which, while you’re a student, it is. And remember, breaks from homework matter.

2 – Treat Homework the Same as Other Academic Tasks 

You would never simply not show up for a test or not turn in a paper, but when it comes to homework, it can be a slippery slope if you allow it to be. But when you treat homework as simply one part of your larger school responsibilities, it’s easier to see it as a must do, not a should do.

3 – Take Advantage of Academic Assistance 

Homework is the time you can afford to get it wrong, so to speak. Tests and papers and labs get grades that can impact your academic life overall, but when it comes to homework, making mistakes or not fully understanding concepts can be a great thing, not a problem. 

That’s because you can learn where you need some additional support and instruction and you can use the resources your teacher or school offers in that regard. Don’t feel embarrassed to get help, feel empowered, because with help, you will develop into an ever more successful student.

4 – Find Like-Minded Students 

Sometimes homework assignments are best completed alone with all your attention and focus on the work; at other times, working with other students is a great way for you to stay motivated and interested in the work. Forming a study group can help make homework more motivating and enjoyable, and your peers can offer knowledge and insight that helps you master material that’s a challenge for you, just as at times you can likely help others better grasp various academic concepts as well.

5 – Don’t Do Homework at Home 

There are a myriad of reasons why doing homework literally at home can be a bad idea. If you live in a dorm or apartment with friends, the home space can be loud and filled with distractions. Even if your home space is quiet and calm, everything from chores to that Netflix account to your comfy bed can be an all-too-easy distraction from homework. 

Find a place that sets you up for focus and success. That can be a school library or dedicated study hall space, a coffee shop or diner, your parent’s house, a park bench, or whatever works for you.

Set Goals for Your Academic Career to Keep Your Studies on Course

Motivation can be hard to come by when you think of it in terms like that: come by. Or find. And so on. Getting motivated is not something that just happens, it’s a choice you make. You don’t find motivation, you create it.

Setting Goals 

And the first step toward creating motivation is the creation of goals that will help inform your academic practices. Goals are not hopes or dreams or aspirations, they are specific, logical targets you set yourself up to accomplish through diligence, focus, and, of course, motivation.

Setting goals sets you up for success – this is as true in your academic life as it is for working professionals, for athletes, for artists, and so on. A businessman may set a target goal for the amount of increased revenue he hopes to generate for his company in a given quarter and then dive deep into the data that will help him plan how to do it. An athlete may plan to shave an entire second off her 400-meter dash within a three-month timeframe and will make a training plan that will work incrementally toward her speed goal. An author may commit to writing at least 5,000 words of fiction daily in order to complete a draft of a novel in a six-week timeframe.

All of these goals may sound lofty when glimpsed without an appreciation for the focus and the logical process each of these individuals can use, but with planning and motivation, more earnings, faster speeds, and finished novels are not lofty aspirations but smart goals.

Setting SMART Goals is a Pretty Smart Thing to Do

And when you work toward smart goals , as many successful people do, your chances of achieving academic success are much greater. Just remember that a “smart goal” is not to say an intelligent or clever one, but a “S.M.A.R.T.” goal, with SMART serving as an acronym for the words Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. 

Think on each of those terms a bit as you formulate a plan for prepping for that final exam, plotting out that term paper, or ensuring you break down study of a large, dense topic into a manageable form and the final results will almost assuredly be good grades and better mastery of the material, and that’s indeed called academic success.

Looking at the Big Picture Can Help You Stay Motivated

When you are in the middle of the school year, it can seem never-ending and exhausting. And that’s to say nothing of being in the middle of the school career. Maybe you start with a year of preschool, so that’s 14 years of education just to get you to high school graduation. 

Add in a four-year college degree and that’s 18 years in school. A two-year master’s program? Three years of law school, maybe four in a medical program? You may be facing some 22 years of education, and with those years comes a lot of homework.

But your school years will end. And provided you remain in good health you will spend a good three times more years of your life without homework as a part of your days. The hard work you do while in school will have a direct impact on the whole of your life, a life that’s largely to be spent beyond the bounds of academic responsibilities. 

So stick with it, stay motivated and on task, and one day you’ll find yourself enjoying the benefits of your efforts instead of bemoaning the tasks.

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Forced to feel ashamed for her weight and appearance, Kate Winslet struggled with her body image for years. The media loved to tease her for being “the fat girl,” but there was ONE PERSON who saw the real her. What did Leo see in Kate? And what important message does Kate have for young women everywhere?

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio's True Friendship

Kate Winslet has not always been sure of herself. "I was always comparing myself to others. You see I've been bullied at school, they call me blubber, they teased me for wanting to act."

While it's nearly impossible to think of the gorgeous and talented Winslet as anything other than a force to be reckoned with, years of being teased and the media's love for taking shots at her weight did their damage.

"I was sort of made to feel ashamed of myself, my appearance."

But when co-star and friend, Leonardo DiCaprio stepped in, he had only a few words of encouragement that helped to shape a new outlook for the Titanic actress. An outlook that she was able to share with other women, including her young daughter , Mia.

"You know, happiness it isn't a search for, you know ,facial physical perfection. You know, it comes from inside."

Rude Customer Has a Disagreement Over $6 - Teen Employees Have the Perfect Response

Teens Applauded For the Way They Handled This Angry Customer

Working in customer service can be challenging, especially when you’re dealing with rude and demanding clients. That’s particularly true for some teens, who work these jobs for part-time money and are often bullied by adults. Perhaps that’s why people are applauding these teen girls for the way they expertly handled an over-the-top customer.

An Angry Customer

See on Instagram

It was a tough day for employees at Keke’s Snow Balls in Texas when an angry woman approached the window. She had placed a pickup order for a snow cone and because of a shift change, the snow cone wasn’t ready. Two days later, the customer came back and demanded a refund of $6.

A girl named Victoria was working the counter and listened to the woman’s complaints. According to Inside Edition , it was immediately clear this woman didn’t want to resolve things in the right way, and was trying to pick a fight. Another employee named Kaeley overheard it all.

“I was just listening in the back and, eventually, I could just hear she’s angry the whole time. So I was like, clearly she just wants to have a problem,” Kaeley recalled to the publication. “And I’m not about that, so I was like, ‘Okay let me just go give her $6 and we can move on, move past this.’ It was $6.”

An Unexpected Turn

At that point, the situation should have been resolved. However, Kaeley noticed the sign outside the window had fallen over during the dispute. So, she opened the window to fix it. That’s when the woman came by, slapped the sign out of the 17-year-old girl’s hand, and called her a derogatory name.

“M’am, please don’t act like that. You’re a grown woman,” Kaeley responded in a video that the restaurant then posted to TikTok . “You’re a grown woman. I’m 17. Get out of here. Don’t come back. Don’t come back. We don’t need your business.”

“I was scared and very confused,” Victoria added. “I wasn’t understanding what was going on.”

A Brilliant Online Reaction

After the owner posted the video online, it went viral and many people reached out to support the girls for their perfect reaction to the customer.

“People were traveling to come and see us from hours away,” the owner, Kyle, told Inside Edition . “We had people reaching out to us on TikTok asking how to tip the girls. We even had people going and leaving Google reviews that haven’t even been to the shop, saying they’re so proud of the girls and how they dealt with it,” he continued.

Kyle explained that he posted the video to remind everyone that the employees behind the counter are people, too. Adults, in particular, should try to remember that oftentimes, these are kids working to save up for cars, school, and other big life steps.

“Mistakes happen, but for you to go up and act like that as an adult, my whole point in uploading that video is to simply remind us all that we need to treat people better,” Kyle added.

"I am proud of the way our supervisor handled the situation," he added in the initial post . "We must strive for better behavior and respect in all interactions. It’s all about just being a kind person and approaching every situation with willingness to come to a good resolution."

We Are All the Same

As Kyle himself said, mistakes happen and no one is perfect. But demanding perfection of others can be a very lonely way to live. Rather than getting upset over an honest mistake and making someone feel bad or yelling at them, lead with grace and understanding. Not only will you help someone else feel respected, but you’ll probably get a better result from the situation, too.

When life doesn’t go our way, it can be easy to overreact or blame someone else. But by remembering that mistakes happen and this too shall pass, we can all live a little more peacefully.

Many of us are in these jobs because we’re trying to provide for our families or ourselves and our futures. Going to work can be hard enough, so remember to thank those who help you in the customer service industry and to tip well when appropriate. After all, we all want to feel appreciated at work.

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Grieving Daughter Finds Note In Fossil Purse While Thrifting

Thrifting can net all sorts of treasures. Shoppers can snatch up everything from vintage clothes to mid-century modern furniture to kitschy knick-knacks, all without breaking the bank.

But for one grieving woman, she found a hidden gem that was truly priceless.

Unexpected Thrift Store Find

Photo of a little girl with her father and a black purse.

TikTok/Abrielle Clausing

On January 13, 2021, Abrielle Clausing's world fell apart. Her father unexpectedly passed away from Covid-19. As anyone who has experienced grief knows, the journey isn't a straight one. It ebbs and flows with some days being significantly harder than others.

It was during a "particularly hard grief week" when Abrielle, 24, decided to embark on some retail therapy. She used to love thrifting with her dad, and no one loved a good deal more than he did.

However, she didn't just want to shop for the sake of shopping, she had a very specific item she wanted in mind.

"My sister and I decided to go thrifting and I told her I wanted to find a vintage Fossil brand purse," she explains in a now-viral TikTok video .

And wouldn't you know, Abrielle did indeed end up finding "the cutest vintage Fossil brand purse" - seriously what are the chances?

And as if that wasn't serendipitous enough, it was about to get a whole lot more remarkable.

Inside the purse was a handwritten note:

"When you read this you will be far from me in miles but not in my heart. I'm here. I love you."

She immediately took it as a sign from her beloved dad.

" I knew it was from him," she told People . "I always check the inside of the bag before I buy it to make sure it’s in good condition. When I stuck my hand in it, I felt the piece of paper and when I took it out and found the note, I read it out loud to my sister."

"When I saw the note, it just confirmed that he was with us," she added. "He’s always with us."

Response To The Viral TikTok

www.tiktok.com

Abrielle's heartwarming video has garnered nearly one million views and over 1,000 comments and it's making believers out of every single one of us.

"I'm so afraid that death is final and we just stop existing. But some things can't be explained. There has to be more out there!!"

"This was def him 🥹💙"

"I’m literally crying so hard. Someone would have had to carry me out of the thrift 😭"

"I'm honestly at a loss for words. Wow. Just wow."

Even Fossil weighed in, writing, "What a beautiful note to find. Your dad's love will always be with you. Sending you and your family a big, warm hug."

Her TikTok also opened the floodgates for others to share the signs they've received from lost loved ones.

"My brother passed away & years later I was at a checkout line in the store & at the cash register was a young school photo of him that someone left.... never made sense but I'll never forget it."

"About 30 seconds after bursting in tears thinking about my grandpa a car merged in front of me and the license plate was his name and his age when he died 😭😭"

"When my mom passed, days after I found an email that not me nor my sister had opened or read before. It was an email my mom sent us 4 years before with the message “open it when I’m gone, love, mom”. It had a beautiful letter as an attachment."

Love Lives On

The note Abrielle Clausing found in a Fossil bag while thrifting is now part of a cherished collage.

People.com/Abrielle Clausing

Abrielle has given the note a place of honor, right smack in the middle of a framed collage of her favorite sayings and things.

It's a beautiful reminder that the love she shared with her dad lives on, even though he is gone.

And whether you believe in fate or not, you have to admit the universe had an uncanny way of showing up just when she needed it to.

After all, what are the odds that a stranger penned a note with the exact words she needed to hear, placed it in the exact bag she was looking for, AND that bag ended up in the exact thrift store she was shopping in? Pretty astronomical.

And yet, here we are.

Life is full of unexpected, magical moments that often happen when we least expect it. And sometimes those moments bring us the comfort and connection we need most, reminding us that love...is never truly lost.

Copyright © 2024 Goalcast

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9 ways to actually get motivated when all else fails, from psychology experts.

It's pretty easy to tell when you're feeling unmotivated, but what isn't so clear is how to actually handle it.

If your motivation has been lacking lately, this is exactly what psychology experts—and research—say you should do.

What is motivation?

Motivation is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "the general desire or willingness of someone to do something." It can also refer to what it is that actually motivates you (i.e., "I'm motivated to work out," versus, "Being strong is my motivation," respectively).

In the case of being unmotivated, it could be either or both factors at play—as in, you're lacking the desire to act itself or you don't have anything fueling your motivation. As licensed psychotherapist Jordan Dann, MFA, L.P., CIRT , explains to mbg, motivation in the context we're speaking about is "the ability to mobilize toward what somebody wants."

And that motivation, as we're all likely aware, is a necessary component in everything, from our careers to our health to our relationships.

What causes lack of motivation?

Lack of motivation can arise from a number of external and internal factors. For one thing, burnout and languishing are real, and it's important to consider the role mental health may play in reduced motivation.

As far as external factors go, Dann notes there are "often good reasons for us not being motivated to do something," and external pressures have a way of keeping us in a holding pattern. Those pressures can look like a number of things—from financial obligations to busy schedules to a stressful work environment .

But aside from the more obvious external factors that could be quelling your motivation , it's important to pay attention to the internal components, as well. Because the truth is, according to Dann, we can make shifts in our external environments, but we also have to identify how we're subconsciously holding ourselves back.

"Sometimes the things standing in the way of motivation are feelings, and usually those feelings are organized around fear, anxiety—you know, fear of exposure, or fear of being imperfect, or failing," she explains. Whether it's self-imposed productivity standards, shame, or fear, she says, "we can get to the emotional narrative or belief patterns that are part of what's standing in the way of the motivation."

And these patterns often run deep. According to psychology expert Margaret Paul, Ph.D. , people tend to struggle with follow-through because they're trying to exert power over themselves with rigid rules and internal criticism. "You are trying to force control over yourself in a way that likely won't be too productive. This may set off an internal power struggle between the authoritative part of you that wants control, and the part of you that resists being controlled," she writes.

How to get motivated every day

Get clear on what you're going after.

It's going to be hard to get motivated if you're not actually clear on what you want—or you're kidding yourself into believing you want something that you actually don't want at all.

As Dann puts it, "The first starting place is getting really clear about what the goal, direction, habit, or behavioral change that someone wants is," she says, adding to "get really specific about what that is and also what it will mean, the benefits, or the reasons for moving toward whatever that goal is."

Cultivate self-awareness

Once you've identified what it is that you're specifically working toward, it may take some healing or unlearning before your motivation actually returns, especially if your lack of motivation is stemming from an internal block or unhelpful thought pattern.

Understanding the ways you're holding yourself back takes self-awareness but will ultimately help you uncover your motivation. As Dann explains, self-awareness can not only show us ways we're sabotaging ourselves but further, what we want and how we can make it happen.

"So the second part is to really identify what's standing in the way, and even take responsibility for how you stop yourself from being motivated," she says. "Once we can dispel those underlying belief structures or fears, then, motivation often takes care of itself."

Create an environment conducive to motivation

Never discount the impact your physical environment can have on your well-being, and that includes how motivated you feel. One 2011 study published in the  Journal of Neuroscience found that disorganization and clutter can have some unwanted effects on the brain, including draining cognitive resources and making it harder to focus.

And beyond the general "feel" of your physical environment, Dann notes that sometimes a chronic state of being unmotivated means you might need to reassess other factors that contribute to the day-to-day "feel" of your life , whether it's your job or family obligations.

Whether that means having a conversation at work about restructuring responsibilities, getting outside support from friends and family, or simply taking more mental health days, it's about "finding a different environment where I can feel less taxed with my own resources of how I want to spend my life," Dann says.

Make sure you're minding your physical health

The irony of encouraging someone who's unmotivated to take care of their physical health is not lost on us, but the reality is, feeling good in your body is a baseline need. Any goal beyond that is going to be a lot more difficult to achieve if you feel like crap, plain and simple.

Research even shows that things like getting quality sleep and having sufficient vitamin levels 1 are associated with more motivation and mental vitality.

Or take exercising, for example, which is associated with a number of mental health benefits 2 , including reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood while improving self-esteem and cognitive function.

The point is, if you keep coming up against motivation hurdles, it may be that you're neglecting your baseline needs and would be best served to start there.

Pay attention to resistance

Going back to the idea of cultivating self-awareness, Paul explains that you'll particularly want to notice when resistance comes up for you, and by "resistance," she means resisting responsibility and accountability to yourself and the changes you want to make.

"Often, resistance is unconscious. One way of becoming aware of the fact that you are resisting is to decide to notice yourself choosing to resist," Paul explains. "Instead of trying not to be in resistance, continue to resist but do it consciously. Notice the consequences of the choice to resist."

Get your thoughts out on paper

OK, there's a lot of deep inner work stuff here, but yes, there are also helpful "hacks" for motivation you can do, like simply writing down what you want.

Try making a point to write down your goal or affirmation a few times a day, or you can even try doing the so-called 369 method for manifestation if this sounds up your alley.

Let yourself be supported

According to Dann, it can be really helpful to allow someone into your experience when you're feeling unmotivated, whether that be a professional like a therapist, someone you look up to, or a friend or family member.

You could even post on social media that you're working toward a goal, if that's your thing, with Dann noting having that extra accountability can be really helpful if you're struggling to stay motivated.

"When we bring someone into our process, when we get more support externally, then we move. It's inevitable—it can't not be because when we have another person inside of our process, movement happens," she tells mbg.

Make small shifts

Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, the things you want are going to take steps and often small ones. This can, of course, feel discouraging—and subsequently squash motivation. But as Dann explains to mbg, setting small goals, or making (and keeping) small promises to yourself every day, can help you start to get the ball rolling.

For each seemingly small thing you do, acknowledge that you did it and are one step closer to your goal.

"When we only have the ultimate end goal in mind, if it's too big a leap for our systems to organize around, making a path and really acknowledging any little stretch is so important," says Dann, adding that negativity bias primes us to look for our deficiencies, even when we're doing things right.

Lean into the unknown

And last but not least, given what we understand about the fear of failure, fear of the unknown, and so forth, Dann also emphasizes the importance of acknowledging that part of yourself and even leaning into it.

"There's a part of us that wants to move, and there's a part of us that's afraid of moving, right? And so the more we can befriend the protective part, the part of us that wants to keep us safe, the more we start to learn that well-intentioned part is actually protecting us against growth, which is what we need," she explains.

The takeaway

Getting motivated is no easy feat, let alone getting motivated to get motivated. But if you made it this far, there must be a part of you that's looking for a shift , and the good news is, that's a sign that your motivation hasn't completely disappeared. Lean into it, cultivate it, and trust in your ability to do difficult things.

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8783887/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/

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How to Motivate Students: 12 Classroom Tips & Examples

Inspire. Instill drive. Incite excitement. Stimulate curiosity.

These are all common goals for many educators. However, what can you do if your students lack motivation? How do you light that fire and keep it from burning out?

This article will explain and provide examples of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in the classroom. Further, we will provide actionable methods to use right now in your classroom to motivate the difficult to motivate. Let’s get started!

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Education Exercises for free . These ready-made tools are perfect for enhancing your teaching approach, making it easier to engage students in meaningful, student-centered learning.

This Article Contains:

The science of motivation explained, how to motivate students in the classroom, 9 ways teachers can motivate students, encouraging students to ask questions: 3 tips, motivating students in online classes, helpful resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

Goal-directed activities are started and sustained by motivation. “Motivational processes are personal/internal influences that lead to outcomes such as choice, effort, persistence, achievement, and environmental regulation” (Schunk & DiBenedetto, 2020). There are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic motivation is internal to a person.

For example, you may be motivated to achieve satisfactory grades in a foreign language course because you genuinely want to become fluent in the language. Students like this are motivated by their interest, enjoyment, or satisfaction from learning the material.

Not surprisingly, intrinsic motivation is congruous with higher performance and predicts student performance and higher achievement (Ryan & Deci, 2020).

Extrinsic motivation is derived from a more external source and involves a contingent reward (Benabou & Tirole, 2003).

For example, a student may be motivated to achieve satisfactory grades in a foreign language course because they receive a tangible reward or compliments for good grades. Their motivation is fueled by earning external rewards or avoiding punishments. Rewards may even include approval from others, such as parents or teachers.

Self-determination theory addresses the why of behavior and asserts that there are various motivation types that lie on a continuum, including external motivation, internal motivation, and amotivation (Sheehan et al., 2018).

• Relatedness

Student autonomy is the ownership they take of their learning or initiative.

Generate students’ autonomy by involving them in decision-making. Try blended learning, which combines whole class lessons with independent learning. Teach accountability by holding students accountable and modeling and thinking aloud your own accountability.

In addressing competence, students must feel that they can succeed and grow. Assisting students in developing their self-esteem is critical. Help students see their strengths and refer to their strengths often. Promote a kid’s growth mindset .

Relatedness refers to the students’ sense of belonging and connection. Build this by establishing relationships. Facilitate peer connections by using team-building exercises and encouraging collaborative learning. Develop your own relationship with each student. Explore student interests to develop common ground.

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Motivating students while teaching a subject and providing classroom management is definitely a juggling act. Try introducing a few of the suggestions below and see what happens.

Relationships

First and foremost, it is critical to develop relationships with your students. When students begin formal schooling, they need to develop quality relationships, as interpersonal relationships in the school setting influence children’s development and positively impact student outcomes, which includes their motivation to learn, behavior, and cognitive skills (McFarland et al., 2016).

Try administering interest inventories at the beginning of the school year. Make a point to get to know each student and demonstrate your interest by asking them about their weekend, sports game, or other activities they may participate in.

Physical learning environment

Modify the physical learning environment. Who says students need to sit in single-file rows all facing the front of the room or even as desks for that matter?

Flexible seating is something you may want to try. Students who are comfortable in a learning space are better engaged, which leads to more meaningful, impactful learning experiences (Cole et al., 2021). You may try to implement pillows, couches, stools, rocking chairs, rolling chairs, bouncing chairs, or even no chairs at all.

Include parents

Involve parents and solicit their aid to help encourage students. Parents are a key factor in students’ motivation (Tóth-Király et al., 2022).

It is important to develop your relationship with these crucial allies. Try making positive phone calls home prior to the negative phone calls to help build an effective relationship. Involve parents by sending home a weekly newsletter or by inviting them into your classroom for special events. Inform them that you are a team and have the same goals for their child.

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The relevance of the material is critical for instilling motivation. Demonstrating why the material is useful or tying the material directly to students’ lives is necessary for obtaining student interest.

It would come as no surprise that if a foreign language learner is not using relevant material, it will take longer for that student to acquire the language and achieve their goals (Shatz, 2014). If students do not understand the importance or real-world application for what they are learning, they may not be motivated to learn.

Student-centered learning

Student-centered learning approaches have been proven to be more effective than teacher-centered teaching approaches (Peled et al., 2022).

A student-centered approach engages students in the learning process, whereas a teacher-centered approach involves the teacher delivering the majority of the information. This type of teaching requires students to construct meaning from new information and prior experience.

Give students autonomy and ownership of what they learn. Try enlisting students as the directors of their own learning and assign project-based learning activities.

Find additional ways to integrate technology. Talk less and encourage the students to talk more. Involving students in decision-making and providing them opportunities to lead are conducive to a student-centered learning environment.

Collaborative learning

Collaborative learning is definitely a strategy to implement in the classroom. There are both cognitive and motivational benefits to collaborative learning (Järvelä et al., 2010), and social learning theory is a critical lens with which to examine motivation in the classroom.

You may try assigning group or partner work where students work together on a common task. This is also known as cooperative learning. You may want to offer opportunities for both partner and small group work. Allowing students to choose their partners or groups and assigning partners or groups should also be considered.

Alternative answering

Have you ever had a difficult time getting students to answer your questions? Who says students need to answer verbally? Try using alternative answering methods, such as individual whiteboards, personal response systems such as “clickers,” or student response games such as Kahoot!

Quizlet is also an effective method for obtaining students’ answers (Setiawan & Wiedarti, 2020). Using these tools allows every student to participate, even the timid students, and allows the teacher to perform a class-wide formative assessment on all students.

New teaching methods

Vary your teaching methods. If you have become bored with the lessons you are delivering, it’s likely that students have also become bored.

Try new teaching activities, such as inviting a guest speaker to your classroom or by implementing debates and role-play into your lessons. Teacher and student enjoyment in the classroom are positively linked, and teachers’ displayed enthusiasm affects teacher and student enjoyment (Frenzel et al., 2009).

Perhaps check out our article on teacher burnout to reignite your spark in the classroom. If you are not enjoying yourself, your students aren’t likely to either.

Aside from encouraging students to answer teacher questions, prompting students to ask their own questions can also be a challenge.

When students ask questions, they demonstrate they are thinking about their learning and are engaged. Further, they are actively filling the gaps in their knowledge. Doğan and Yücel-Toy (2020, p. 2237) posit:

“The process of asking questions helps students understand the new topic, realize others’ ideas, evaluate their own progress, monitor learning processes, and increase their motivation and interest on the topic by arousing curiosity.”

Student-created questions are critical to an effective learning environment. Below are a few tips to help motivate students to ask questions.

Instill confidence and a safe environment

Students need to feel safe in their classrooms. A teacher can foster this environment by setting clear expectations of respect between students. Involve students in creating a classroom contract or norms.

Refer to your classroom’s posted contract or norms periodically to review student expectations. Address any deviation from these agreements and praise students often. Acknowledge all students’ responses, no matter how wild or off-topic they may be.

Graphic organizers

Provide students with graphic organizers such as a KWL chart. The KWL chart helps students organize what they already Know , what they Want to learn, and what they Learned .

Tools such as these will allow students to process their thinking and grant them time to generate constructive questions. Referring to this chart will allow more timid students to share their questions.

Although intrinsic motivation is preferred (Ryan & Deci, 2020), incentives should also be used when appropriate. Token systems, where students can exchange points for items, are an effective method for improving learning and positively affecting student behavior (Homer et al., 2018).

Tangible and intangible incentives may be used to motivate students if they have not developed intrinsic motivation. Intangible items may include lunch with the teacher, a coupon to only complete half of an assignment, or a show-and-tell session. Of course, a good old-fashioned treasure box may help as well.

If students are unwilling to ask questions in front of the class, try implementing a large poster paper where students are encouraged to use sticky notes to write down their questions. Teachers may refer to the questions and answer them at a separate time. This practice is called a “parking lot.” Also, consider allowing students to share questions in small groups or with partners.

Student motivation: how to motivate students to learn

Just as in the face-to-face setting, relationships are crucial for online student motivation as well. Build relationships by getting to know your students’ interests. Determining student interests will also be key in the virtual environment.

Try incorporating a show-and-tell opportunity where students can display and talk about objects from around their home that are important to them. Peer-to-peer relationships should also be encouraged, and accomplishing this feat in an online class can be difficult. Here is a resource you can use to help plan team-building activities to bring your students together.

Game-based response systems such as Kahoot! may increase motivation. These tools use gamification to encourage motivation and engagement.

Incentives may also be used in the computer-based setting. Many schools have opted to use Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Rewards . This curriculum nurtures a positive school culture and aims to improve student behavior. Points are earned by students meeting expectations and can be exchanged for items in an online store.

To further develop strong relationships with students and parents, remark on the relevancy of the materials and instill a student-centered learning approach that addresses autonomy. You may also wish to include alternative means of answering questions, vary your teaching methods, and implement collaborative learning.

Top 17 Exercises for Positive Education

Use these 17 Positive Education Exercises [PDF] to enhance student engagement, resilience, and wellbeing while also equipping students with valuable life skills.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

We have many useful articles and worksheets you can use with your students. To get an excellent start on the foundations of motivation, we recommend our article What Is Motivation? A Psychologist Explains .

If you’re curious about intrinsic motivation, you may be interested in What Is Intrinsic Motivation? 10 Examples and Factors Explained .

Perhaps using kids’ reward coupons such as these may help increase motivation. Teachers could modify the coupons to fit their classroom or share these exact coupons with parents at parent–teacher conferences to reinforce children’s efforts at school .

For some students, coloring is an enjoyable and creative outlet. Try using a coloring sheet such as this Decorating Cookies worksheet for when students complete their work or as a reward for good behavior.

If you want to integrate the evidence-based principles of positive psychology into the classroom, consider this collection of 17 validated positive education exercises . Use them to enhance student engagement, resilience and wellbeing while also equipping students with valuable life skills.

“The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.”

C. S. Lewis

While we know how challenging it is to motivate students while teaching our specific subjects and attending to classroom management, we also understand the importance of motivation.

You will have some students enter your classroom with unequivocally developed intrinsic motivation, and you will have students enter your classroom with absolutely no motivation.

Teachers have to be able to teach everyone who walks into their classroom and incite motivation in those who have no motivation at all. Motivating the difficult to motivate is challenging; however, it can be done.

As Plutarch asserted, it is better to think of education as “a fire to be kindled” as opposed to “a vessel to be filled.” In addressing the needs of students with little to no motivation, it will take more time, patience, and understanding; however, implementing a few of these strategies will put you on the fast track to lighting that fire.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Education Exercises for free .

• Benabou, R., & Tirole, J. (2003). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The Review of Economic Studies , 70 (3), 489–495
• Cole, K., Schroeder, K., Bataineh, M., & Al-Bataineh, A. (2021). Flexible seating impact on classroom environment. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET , 20 (2), 62–74.
• Doğan, F., & Yücel-Toy, B. (2020). Development of an attitude scale towards asking questions for elementary education students. Ilkogretim Online, 19 (4), 2237–2248.
• Frenzel, A. C., Goetz, T., Lüdtke, O., Pekrun, R., & Sutton, R. E. (2009). Emotional transmission in the classroom: Exploring the relationship between teacher and student enjoyment. Journal of Educational Psychology , 101 (3), 705–716.
• Homer, R., Hew, K. F., & Tan, C. Y. (2018). Comparing digital badges-and-points with classroom token systems: Effects on elementary school ESL students’ classroom behavior and English learning. Journal of Educational Technology & Society , 21 (1), 137–151.
• Järvelä, S., Volet, S., & Järvenoja, H. (2010). Research on motivation in collaborative learning: Moving beyond the cognitive–situative divide and combining individual and social processes. Educational Psychologist , 45 (1), 15–27.
• Kippers, W. B., Wolterinck, C. H., Schildkamp, K., Poortman, C. L., & Visscher, A. J. (2018). Teachers’ views on the use of assessment for learning and data-based decision making in classroom practice. Teaching and Teacher Education , 75 , 199–213.
• McFarland, L., Murray, E., & Phillipson, S. (2016). Student–teacher relationships and student self-concept: Relations with teacher and student gender. Australian Journal of Education , 60 (1), 5–25.
• Peled, Y., Blau, I., & Grinberg, R. (2022). Crosschecking teachers’ perspectives on learning in a one-to-one environment with their actual classroom behavior: A longitudinal study. Education and Information Technologies , 1–24.
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology , 61 , 101860.
• Schunk, D. H., & DiBenedetto, M. K. (2020). Motivation and social cognitive theory. Contemporary Educational Psychology , 60 , 101832.
• Setiawan, M. R., & Wiedarti, P. (2020). The effectiveness of Quizlet application towards students’ motivation in learning vocabulary. Studies in English Language and Education , 7 (1), 83–95.
• Shatz, I. (2014). Parameters for assessing the effectiveness of language learning strategies. Journal of Language and Cultural Education , 2 (3), 96–103.
• Sheehan, R. B., Herring, M. P., & Campbell, M. J. (2018). Associations between motivation and mental health in sport: A test of the hierarchical model of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Frontiers in Psychology , 9 , 707.
• Tóth-Király, I., Morin, A. J., Litalien, D., Valuch, M., Bőthe, B., Orosz, G., & Rigó, A. (2022). Self-determined profiles of academic motivation. Motivation and Emotion , 1–19.

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How to Motivate Yourself to Finish Big Tasks

Choncé Maddox

• Business Tips

Thursday, July 25th, 2019

Is your to-do list so long it’s running off the table and down the hall? Having a to-do list and a schedule for tasks can be helpful, so long as you’re doing the work.

Often, we let our to-do list pile up as we procrastinate on certain things. Usually, it’s the toughest, big tasks that get passed over as we take care of the smaller easier things first.

The problem is that when it comes to working, those significant and sometimes mentally challenging can have a considerable effect on your business and lead you to make substantial progress. While being your own boss means you have individual freedoms and flexibility, it also means that you have to buckle down and motivate yourself to finish big tasks.

This can seem overwhelming at first, so consider using these tips to help you get started.

Set a Deadline

Deadlines can be extremely useful when trying to motivate yourself to finish big tasks. If you thrive on deadlines, you’ll feel motivated to get your assignment or project completed by the assigned time. It’s no longer good enough to have tasks on your list.

You need to fill in your calendar with projects and responsibilities by assigning a deadline . Even if you don’t thrive on deadlines, setting one will put some pressure on you to get it done.

Also, be sure to prioritize the deadlines you give yourself as a commitment. Too often, we don’t value the commitments we make to ourselves. Promising to do something for your business is just as important as a commitment that you make to someone else.

View your deadline as firm and just get started even if you don’t have much motivation. It will come.

Break It Up

If a task or project seems too big or overwhelming, break it up so you can complete it over time. This is what I do with very time-consuming projects. For months, I had told myself I was going to work on a project, but I just never got around to it.

I realized I was unintentionally dodging the work because it knew it would be time-consuming and I didn’t think I had the time. After deciding to break the task up, I was able to get it completed in a single weekend.

Start by determining how long it will take you to do the task. Then, break it up into chunks and fill in your calendar. For example, if you think something will take you five hours, break it up into three-time chunks on three separate days and get it done.

Who knows, you may even be able to complete the task quicker than anticipated.

Choose a Reward

Adults can still thrive with a rewards system. You probably had one at your last job, and you may even have one in your business today. In one of my previous jobs, we could earn bonuses if we accomplished certain things.

To motivate yourself to finish big tasks, choose a reward that you’ll obtain once you finish. It always doesn’t have to be a monetary reward.

You can reward yourself by taking an afternoon or morning off. Or, you can treat yourself to a nice meal or catch up with an old friend. When I was setting weight-loss goals for myself, I decided to reward myself with a professional massage when I hit a particular milestone.

Rewards give us something to look forward to once we put in the effort and hard work.

Change Up Your Environment

Sometimes, switching up where and how you can be exciting and motivating. If you usually are working from a desk at home, head to a coffee shop for a few hours, or an outdoor patio.

Surround yourself with other people who are working hard and are motivated. Motivation will rub off on you. I started going to a coworking space , and even though I don’t know most of the people in the office yet, the change of scenery helps me eliminate distractions and stay motivated.

Plus, since I work from home most of the time, I feel I do get too comfortable with my work setting and procrastinate on specific tasks. Working outside of the house for even a few days can help you motivate yourself to finish a big job and move on to the next thing.

Just Get Started

This is one of the simplest ways to jumpstart your motivation . Sometimes, we let our thoughts and mindset psyche use out of working on a project. Maybe we think it’s too hard, too boring, or will take too long.

In reality, those are just thoughts, and you never know until you get started and try. Commit to starting a task and working on it for at least 20-30 minutes. Stay focused during this time and ignore all distractions.

When time is up, you’ll likely have more focus on the project and be willing to continue working on it. Even if you aren’t, you’ll have made progress during the 20-30 minute time streak.

The thing is, once you get started, it’s not too hard to keep going and finish up . You’ll often transition to a state of intense focus, and even if it’s not for long, you’ll get closer to finishing the big project nonetheless. Also, if getting started means doing 10-15 minutes of research and outlining, it’s better than nothing and will push you forward in the right direction.

What do you do to motivate yourself to finish big tasks?

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Choncé Maddox is a professional writer who recently left her job in the web design industry to produce killer content and manage her own writing business full time. She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs be more productive and create a life they love by doing fulfilling work. On the side, she runs a podcast and blogs about getting out of debt at MyDebtEpiphany.com.

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How to Start an Assignment

Last Updated: January 29, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD . Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. There are 8 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 111,246 times.

Getting started on an assignment or homework can often times be the hardest step. Putting off the assignment can make the problem worse, reducing the time you have to complete the task and increasing stress. By learning how to get started and overcome the urge to procrastinate, you can get your assignments done on schedule and with less stress, opening up more free time.

Restructuring Your Assignment

• For example, you might research areas of a report that you find most interesting before moving on to other areas.
• If your math assignment has different types of questions, try doing those that you enjoy the most before moving on to the others.
• You might also try tackling smaller or easier tasks first so you can cross a few items off your list. Seeing that you've already made progress may help you feel motivated to continue.

• Promise yourself that you will meet your goal of working for five minutes on the assignment.
• Once you get started, you may find that you don't want to stop working. Otherwise, you can take a break and come back to the assignment, knowing you're at least five minutes closer to finishing than you were before.

• Try to set reasonable periods of time that you know you can meet. For example, you might set aside two hours on a Friday to dedicate to your assignment. If you don't have that much time all at once, try to carve out a few 20- or 30-minute blocks.
• You may or may not wish to continue working after your time limit has gone by.
• Have a realistic understanding of how fast you can write and plan your schedule accordingly.

• It can help to read the assignment as soon as you get it and then ask any questions you might have.
• If you're not sure if you understand the assignment, try rewriting it in your own words or explaining it to someone else. If you find you can't or have a lot of questions, you may need more information.
• You should have an overview of the assignment, understand the main task, and understand the technical and stylistic requirements.
• Look for important words in the instructions to understand the assignment. These words might include define, explain, compare, relate, or prove.
• Keep your audience in mind and write a paper that would best deliver information to them.

• Goals that are too big or not well defined can be difficult to start working towards.
• Smaller and well defined goals can seem easier to achieve than larger ones.
• For example, you could break a research paper down into several smaller tasks: 1) do preliminary research, 2) write an outline, 3) draft an introduction, 4) draft body paragraphs, 5) write conclusion, 6) revise. Each of these is much more do-able on its own.

Changing Your Focus

• You might want to go for a quick walk after working for a set amount of time.
• Try reading a website or book that you enjoy for a few minutes after working.
• Alternatively, try a quick burst of exercise before setting to work. Exercise releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins and can also help boost your memory. [8] X Research source

• Instead of dreading your work, focus on how good it will feel to make progress. You won't have it hanging over your head. You can actually enjoy the weekend instead of feeling guilty.
• Keeping your eye on long-term rewards can help you stay motivated to finish your assignment.

• Avoid moving your workspace constantly.
• Don't get lost on tangential research.
• Don't take constant breaks to get a snack.

• For every hour you waste procrastinating, you can limit how much television you watch that night.
• If you waste too much time procrastinating, you might deny yourself a favorite snack later on.

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/solving-unsolvable-problems/201408/4-steps-stop-procrastinating
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/friendship-20/201405/the-surefire-first-step-stop-procrastinating
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/procrastination/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/understanding-assignments/
• ↑ https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/ab22ff64-3358-4387-9761-8c58878a6b84/resource/3ee38320-17e4-46f9-b24f-c95f9f345eb9/download/ipp7.pdf
• ↑ http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/07/how-exercise-can-help-us-learn/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/happy-life.html

About This Article

To start an assignment, try working on the most enjoyable or easiest parts of the assignment first to get the ball rolling. Even if no part of the assignment seems enjoyable or easy, set a timer and try to make yourself work for at least 5 minutes, which is usually enough time to build momentum and overcome procrastination. You can also try breaking your assignment up into smaller, more manageable tasks and scheduling yourself regular breaks so it doesn't seem as overwhelming. To learn how to stay positive and avoid procrastination while working on your homework, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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A Guide to Motivating Yourself at Work

• Rakshitha Arni Ravishankar

Feeling burned out? Use these tips from our authors.

Sixty percent of employees feel emotionally detached from their jobs and 50% report feeling stressed on a daily basis, according to a recent global survey from Gallup. While your first instinct may be to quit your job, it might not be the most sustainable option. Know that you have the agency to create better working conditions for yourself.

• Understand the impact of your work. Take the time to learn how our work contributes to the larger mission of our organization can help us reenter a more positive state of mind.
• Once you know the impact of your work, pick one area or project and overdeliver. A better way to stay engaged and grow in your role is to identify and prioritize the tasks that will be most recognized by your manager and organization.
• Build habits that help you move through the stressful moments. Practice flourishing or connect to your sense of purpose in life and appreciate your accomplishments even during life’s challenging moments.
• Amplify the parts of your job that you do enjoy. Try job crafting. That is redesign your daily tasks to focus on your strengths.
• Figure out what gives you meaning outside work. Work is not the only place we should seek to thrive. Our interests, goals, and aspirations outside of our jobs can be just as meaningful.

My first job was a dream come true. I was working at a news organization, reporting on some of the most important stories in the world. In the beginning, my work gave me a real sense of purpose — I was reporting on stories that mattered. But slowly, my satisfaction faded. I started dreading the long hours. My pay barely covered my living expenses. The more time went by, the more my tasks began to feel monotonous. Six months in, I was entirely disillusioned and demotivated.

• RR Rakshitha Arni Ravishankar is an associate editor at Ascend.

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Royals Could Get Much-Needed Offensive Help As Slugger Begins Rehab Assignment

Jackson roberts | 16 hours ago.

• Kansas City Royals

Not much has gone right for the Kansas City Royals this week.

Losers of seven straight entering play Wednesday, the Royals' usually-potent offense has gone stone cold. Everything changed when first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino broke his thumb on Thursday in Houston, but there have been other key losses on offense as well.

On Aug. 25, right fielder Hunter Renfroe went on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring. In the time since Renfroe's injury, the Royals have averaged just over 3 1/2 runs per contest, and have lost eight of 11 games.

Though the Royals have done everything they can to retool on the fly, adding veterans , it's hard to replace a steady contributor who's been around all season. Thankfully, though, it appears Renfroe is close to a return.

On Wednesday, the Royals announced on X that Renfroe would begin a rehab assignment with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals. He will report to Springfield, Missouri, where the Naturals are taking on the local St. Louis Cardinals affiliate.

Renfroe's overall numbers in 2024 aren't eye-popping, but the righty has been very solid after a dreadful first month. Since May 12, Renfroe has a .282/.357/.467 slash line, with 24 extra-base hits and 34 RBI in 64 games.

For the season, Renfroe's offensive numbers are barely below league average. He has a .710 OPS/96 OPS+ in 104 games. But if the Royals can get the version of Renfroe back that helped keep the offense ticking all summer, they'll be in a much better place.

There is no telling yet how long Renfroe's rehab assignment will be, but fans seem to hope it will be a quick one. The sooner Kansas City can put a trusted bat back in the lineup, the better.

More MLB: Ex-Royals All-Star Blasts MLB Pitchers' Control Issues: 'It's Driving Me Nuts'

JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: [email protected]

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