It’s a mistake to think that everything worth studying is interesting. Sometimes it’s just not. Reading a chapter about the history of the Gallup poll is better than a sleeping pill, yet this information has to be absorbed in order to reach the worthy goal of obtaining a bachelor’s degree from school, no matter what the major may be.
In addition, we all lead busy lives. When our lives are filled with work and children, there is not as much room for sleep as there used to be, especially when school study and homework again become part of life.
Before you break out the jug of ice water, try some of the following techniques I use to get through studying the more ponderous sections of homework without giving in to the sandman.
Eight Tips to Stay Awake Through Homework
Don’t be tempted by Reddit
There are a lot of ways to get distracted on Reddit. Everything from depressing corporate memes to subreddits to endorse political candidates and of course, a boobquake of pornographic subreddits (you’ll have to find those on your own, though). Your attention span is no match for social media. Like salty potato chips, once you pop you can’t stop.
Just because you think you need some sleep doesn’t mean you have to fall into the rabbit hole of users who claim they’re the best essay or homework service on Reddit.
Get as much sleep as possible at night.
It’s good to figure out how much sleep helps you to study well, and then aim for that. A good way to test that is to go to bed at a reasonable hour for your schedule, and then sleep fully and wake up without an alarm clock or other means. How long did you sleep? When I do this, I sleep approximately nine hours. That then becomes the goal. It’s undeniable that it’s easier to learn and remember new information when the brain is rested and firing on all cylinders.
Make time for a nap if possible.
We wrote another article earlier on ways to beat insomnia. Those same benefits certainly apply for students in school as well. When it becomes harder to study effectively, and I find myself reading but not absorbing any of the information, then a short 10-15 minute nap will make my mind sharper again.
Don’t get comfortable.
I used to do my homework sitting, which eventually became lying, which eventually became sleeping. This is not a good idea.
Standing is better for homework, especially if video watching is involved. Standing forces me to stay alert. Pacing is even better. If my muscles are moving, my blood is also flowing more freely and keeping me alert.
Try talking back.
Vocalizing during homework can also help. Studying with a partner from school is excellent for keeping awake, as long as you are also able to keep on topic and not fan out into non-related items too much. Don’t worry about feeling crazy because you’re talking to yourself if you are flying solo on your homework. We all talk to ourselves at one time or another. Reading your homework assignment aloud can also helps me retain information better than if I simply read silently to myself.
Study in short sessions.
If you’re not passionately interested in the subject you’re studying, but it’s something you really need to learn for school, cut it down into smaller chunks of studying. Plan a reward for yourself when you finish – watching a funny video on YouTube for a few minutes, a drink of water – something that will help your mind reset and digest what you’ve just learned. Then go back to the subject again for a short burst again. Studying in short sessions will also help with information retention, rather than long, drawn-out homework sessions where you’re not taking in as much.
Caffeine users beware of overdoing it.
Extra cups of coffee or a gallon of Jolt cola at one a.m. seems to be the miracle answer for those who need to study longer to get their homework done, but such techniques have a physical cost you cannot avoid down the road. It’s too easy to get dependent on such tactics and hurt your health in the long run.
Coffee is not required to stay awake. Lots of people function very well on minimal to no caffeine. Your body has a built-in answer to caffeine. It’s called sleeping. It has no side effects. You’ll feel better, and perform better in school if you allow for enough time to sleep.
Most importantly, stop reading this article and start working!
The act of studying homework can lead to sleeping inadvertently, unless you’re prepared to stay awake. Give these tips a try and see if you don’t successfully surmount the workload of your school classes.
