homeworking fun

28 Ideas On How To Make Homework Fun For Students

Do your children seem to need continual nagging to complete their homework? If your answer is “yes,” then don’t worry; we’ve all been there. Parents naturally want their kids to advance and do well in class, but after a full day of paper, pens, and books, many students won’t feel like doing their assignments.

No matter what the ages or grades of the students are, academic burnout may happen to any student, which affects overall learning and development. To solve this issue, we have brought 28 ideas on how to make homework fun and interesting for students of any age. Not only for parents but also if you are a tutor, these tricks and tips will come to your use.

28 Ideas on How To Make Homework Fun for Students

Homework enables the students to revise and evaluate the classroom learning and develops a habit of self-study, which in turn helps the students to score better. But it can be energy-draining, challenging, monotonous, and difficult to focus upon for students of any age.

Getting students to enjoy their homework and assignments could be immensely difficult at times. Especially after a long break or vacation, they find it difficult to focus on homework. Simultaneously, the importance of home tasks cannot be ignored. Wondering what the solution is?

It’s easy – why not make the homework fun and engaging? Yes, this is the ALL-IN-ONE solution to create a spark of interest in homework. There is practically a plethora of ways to let students feel enthusiastic while doing homework. However, not every strategy suits every student.

For instance, some students love to go outdoors and complete their homework or study amidst nature. On the other hand, some students simply want to stay indoors and complete home tasks in their study area.

So, while implementing a strategy or adopting ways to make homework fun and interesting, you must make sure you are doing the right thing for the right individual so that the student receives maximum benefits.

Here are 28 brilliant ideas that will guide you on how to make homework fun for elementary, middle, and high schoolers. Take a look:

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1. rewards are magical motivators.

It’s nothing new to provide children with little rewards in the classroom. But when it comes to the concept of homework for students, these approaches are rarely used. Instructors aren’t always aware of what’s offered or if it’s useful, and some parents may create their rewards. A great idea is to offer rewards inside the classroom.

Giving out vouchers, stickers, snacks, toys, or meal coupons that let youngsters earn money by doing their homework is something we advocate. The advantages of these magical motivators include having a friend sitting next to you in class, access to the internet, and unscheduled time in the classroom. If they link accomplishing their tasks to positive classroom experiences, students will be more engaged and motivated both inside and outside of the classroom.

2. Get Some Favorite Snacks

How to make homework fun and captivating? Let’s face the truth: A hungry student will be disinterested, uninspired, and miserable. Give them something healthful and palpable to eat while they do their schoolwork because most young kids are ravenous when they get home from school. Some options are apple slices, popcorn, grapes, crackers, flapjacks, and cheese.

If you want to attempt something a little more systematic, make a list of nutritious after-school snack suggestions and recipes and try them out every day. A delicious, crunchy apple is one of the healthiest nutrients for youngsters’ brain development. Some other nutritious and palpable snacks for students are Pancakes, Butter Popcorn, Fruit-flavored Yogurt, nut mix, sliced pears with ricotta cheese, Banana Smoothies, etc.

3. Beat the Clock

This is perfect for young kids who are reluctant to complete their schoolwork. Try it out, and you’ll thank us later. Young children like competing in races. By creating timed tasks, you may make schoolwork feel more like a race. For instance, keep track of the number of words they can spell properly or the number of arithmetic problems they can do in five minutes. Challenge your child to beat their previous best the next day.

To make it more fun, a little competition with siblings or best friends will work great. Nevertheless, make sure that the competition is healthy and doesn’t turn into an aggressive one. Often, students’ psychology works differently, and they tend to be violent in these kinds of situations.

4. Get A Homework Buddy

Allow your child to have a buddy or two over to study if they struggle with a particular topic or have difficulties concentrating in a quiet, empty room. If a second child is too distracting, set an example by helping your youngster. You may pay bills, prepare supper, respond to emails, or even work on a crossword puzzle or other mental exercise while they are doing their schoolwork.

Working on homework teaches children that work is a part of life, not just school, and fosters friendship without being overpowering.

5. Design an Awesome Workspace

Improve the area where your kids complete their schoolwork to increase efficiency, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Have tools and materials available, such as cool notepads or notebooks, colored pens, highlighters, and sticky notes, to assist students in completing difficult projects.

Use calendars, whiteboards, chalkboards, corkboards, or even simply paper and tape to help them visualize and keep track of all they need to complete. You may also decorate it with art and other items that inspire you. For pupils older than 5 years old, you may also hang up some aesthetically pleasing motivating quotations and photos in their study space to help them stay focused and goal-oriented.

6. Make Them Feel Comfortable

The comfort level of the students is the first and foremost thing you have to take care of while making them complete their homework. Not every learner has the same comfort level in the same ways, and these levels tend to differ from one person to another. It’s the responsibility of a parent or a teacher to understand their comfort zone and then plan accordingly.

For instance, provide them with a variety of alternatives or let them design their strategy. You might also inquire as to what time they like to complete their assignment. You won’t need to repeatedly remind people of their duties if you reach an agreement.

7. Incorporate Intervals and Breaks

Some learners might be able to finish their entire load of homework in one sitting. If your class has any pupils that can’t sit still, think about introducing breaks into the assignment process. Weekly study regimens can accommodate breaks.

Give a food break, allow them to complete one level of a video game, or let them talk to a buddy during a quick break. To establish expectations for when and how homework breaks should be taken, teachers might talk about these concepts with parents and students.

This functions in two main ways. It first rewards pupils for finishing their schoolwork. In addition, it gives them a mental break so they can come back to their job reenergized and motivated.

8. Role Plays Work Wonders

Create your little school and let your youngster take the role of the instructor to make enjoyable learning-based games. Assume the position of the student, and have your youngster explain a concept to you in the teacher’s role. This game will help players better comprehend the topic and develop their logical and reasoning abilities. It works especially well with courses that call for theory, like science.

By letting your kid pick their favorite stuffed animals and playthings and placing them in their little classroom, you can make schoolwork enjoyable. Begin by registering, saying “mummy,” “gift,” “Mr. Teddy,” etc. Since kids love to pretend to be teachers, you’ll soon notice that your kid is becoming more self-assured.

9. Make Them Stay Positive and Focused

Ensure to keep the students’ attitudes toward school and the values of their schoolwork are always positive. To keep them inspired and on track, shower your youngster with compliments on how great they’re doing. If they are getting pissed off with the pressure of homework, make them understand its importance and how positively it can impact their learning.

Spend five minutes after each homework session going over your child’s accomplishments. Have a look at our selection of free-to-download home learning packs if you’re out of things to do. To keep them motivated, you can reward or recognize their achievements in front of their peers. This will not only boost their confidence but also will help them maintain a positive outlook toward homework and studies.

10. Take It Outside

Outdoor learning is one of the most feasible ways to do homework with fun in a natural environment. If the weather is good, create a cozy and safe study space outside and let the student finish all the homework outdoors.

Studies also demonstrate that being outside, nearer to nature enhances productivity. The fresh air can aid students’ attention if they have spent the entire day in a classroom. In between jobs, rewarding them with a brief game of football or Frisbee will keep them engaged. You can conduct some fun outdoor Math or English fun homework activities.

11. Altering the homework concept

Many kids feel burdened by their homework assignments. What if, though, you adopt a whole new approach to homework? It can be argued that schoolwork has a lot of unfavorable associations. These concepts usually start early in life and persist into college.

By referring to assignments in different ways, teachers can change these mental habits. Better ways to describe homework include home learning, brain workouts, and study time. You might try using these phrases in place of homework in the classroom.

12. Get Help If You Need

Homework can be frustrating if your child doesn’t understand the material or gets bored easily. Furthermore, excessive pressurizing or insisting on too much can mess up the student’s psychology. To be honest, in extreme cases, none of the methods will work. If your child or student is struggling beyond the normal limit, get them some expert help!

Education Advisors have plenty of advice for students who are not able to cope with homework. They also conduct counseling sessions from time to time in case it’s required.

13. Go for Audio-Visual Resources

Engaging additional senses in the at-home learning process is another technique to cheer up your boring assignments. Focus may be improved by using a child’s perception of touch, smell, or taste in a unique manner.

Sending kids home with instructions for making scented play dough, for instance, improve learning. The dough may be used in classes including math and spatial concepts. Plus, the aroma of scented/colored clays keeps kids focused while they work. Additionally, it enables children to link the smell to what they learned, improving memory and recall.

Another item that teachers might give their pupils as a take-home is a stress ball. Before, during, or after tasks, using a stress ball can encourage creative thinking and anxiety reduction positively.

14. Meditation Can Reduce Stress

Stress is not something that happens only to adults. With the increased competition in academics, young learners nowadays are suffering from severe stress, which ushers’ negative impacts on their mental health. Sometimes, both the little children and older students can’t express this stress and fail to explain how they are feeling.

Homework pressure often creates such challenging situations which disrupt the emotional equilibrium of youngsters. In situations like this, meditation can reduce stress and improve focus. Positive thinking, fear and the tension and anxiety that lead to depression may all be lessened by meditation. Being aware without judgment is one of the foundational elements of meditation, and this attitude of acceptance may ward against unpleasant thoughts.

15. Make It a Group Effort

Since time immemorial, team working is super effective for any activity. The same applies to homework as well. If students sit for the home task in a group, they will be able to wrap all the assignments up quickly.

Now the question is – how? Teamwork involves group discussions as well as brainstorming, which gives rise to new ideas. Students try to develop new ways to complete homework through mutual discussion.

16. Take Help from Learning Apps and Libraries

If your child struggles with their homework, it can be difficult for you as well. Games and visual examples in amusing math practice applications may be a terrific way to give your youngster practice with things he is having trouble with. Therefore, make schoolwork enjoyable for your youngster by downloading an app that simplifies the subject.

There are so many online applications and libraries that will help students enjoy fun and encouraging homework sessions. If the toddler or an older student specifically refers to a particular app or a website, talk to him/her about it properly. Then visit the online resource, and if you think it is a legit and helpful one, let your child or student use it during his/her homework time.

17. Tell Them Not to Take It Too Seriously

There are more important things in life than homework and grades. Too much focus on grades can affect your child’s love for learning. Think about what values you want to instill in your child and make sure the homework is not getting in the way.

If you believe your child’s teacher is giving out too much homework after you see your child demonstrate an understanding of the subject, don’t be afraid to voice your concern. Even if nothing changes, it will show your children that you care and empathize with them. That matters a lot!

18. Storytelling Can Be a Great Idea

Storytelling is a fantastic idea to make children complete their homework without facing any boredom. Especially for specific subjects like Math, History, and Literature, storytelling develops a context that allows the students to grasp things very easily.

If you find a student is finding it difficult to understand a concept and complete assignments on it, you can give a try to the storytelling method a since it works well. Storytelling has the power to captivate learners and keep them engaged irrespective of their age and grades.

19. Create A Homework Mood

Creating a mood for homework is a bit difficult for younger students but setting the right environment can help them complete the tasks as quickly as possible. However, it’s not an issue for the senior students but can be a bit overwhelming for the little kids.

You can select a comfortable location for them to study and use their favorite stickers, lights, etc., to decorate the space. Keeping in mind the results as well as their abilities to take the pressure, set goals and establish rewards. It’s vital to make them understand the goals and disclose a bit about the rewards but don’t let them know exactly what’s going to happen. This will create an enthusiasm to complete the homework in no time.

20. Turn on Some Music

The psychological effects of music are undeniable. Music brings concentration and helps to focus on a particular work pleasantly. Then why not use it for your children’s homework? Science dictates that music is the best aid for studying.

Play some soft music while the student is doing his/her homework and this will help to create an ambiance. You can also play cool, energetic, upbeat music since it radiates energetic vibes and the student will find immense energy as well as positivity to complete the tasks.

21. Ask Them to Do the Tough Tasks First

One more cool thing to try out is doing the tough tasks first. It’s a perfect strategy if the student has a list of various tasks of different levels of complexity. You will be able to realize how much time he/she needs to complete the tasks and edit afterward if needed.

Completing the more complex tasks at first enables a student to think and decide critically. The remaining time can be enjoyed with much lower stress while doing the easier assignments. If your child gets bored very quickly you can try this method out.

22. Get Creative

Wondering how to make homework fun creatively? Homework doesn’t sound exciting to students. To be more specific, solving sums after sums or writing science projects doesn’t sound fun alone. Rather, if you mingle these tasks with an artsy adventure, the same old boring homework sessions become interesting.

For instance, you can ask them to paint out the math problems, prepare a model for their science projects, or act a portion of the history or literature books. Some other effective ideas may include creating a range of paintings while explaining a paragraph to a child, making clay characters, and doing some moves with the music.

23. Doing Homework at School

Nowadays, as the syllabuses are changing, students have too much pressure from homework to deal with. After coming home from school, it’s quite natural for them to feel exhausted. At times it becomes impossible for a kid to keep their eyes open for homework.

The best remedy here is to complete the majority of their homework at school. Your child also doesn’t have to stay up all night looking for answers or trying to understand how to remember academic facts. They can use their free time at school to complete some of the homework to stay relaxed later. Also, completing homework with peers involves so much engagement and fun.

24. Ask Them to Work on Different Subjects in a Session

Are you trying to know how to make homework fun without putting in much effort? Plan a routine for your child so that they can work on different subjects in a single session. Try to mix and match the subjects to make them feel comfortable with the pace of the study.

Working on a maximum of 3 subjects a session will help a student to get rid of the homework quickly without considering it as a pressure. Ensure they are not in a rush to complete one subject after another. Make it as systematic and orderly as you can to avoid any unwanted confusion.

25. Get Academic Help

Getting a little homework help is a feasible way to make homework fun. Nevertheless, you must make sure that none of you, the teachers, or the program facilitators are not spoon-feeding them, or else it will affect the student’s development in terms of learning.

If there is a math problem that is too difficult to solve or a paragraph with heavy words, you or the tutor can give your helping hand to the student so that he/she can complete it on his/her own. For instance, you can give a clue to solve the sum or narrate the context of the paragraph.

26. Planning Is the Key

Planning is a powerful habit to make homework sessions fun and organized. Not only at school, but also this habit will help a student throughout his/her life. It’s required for a student to be extremely serious about homework in a studying period and systematic planning can help in completing all the assignments on time.

If your child is in high school or middle school, you can guide him/her to make homework routines. However, elementary school kids and preschool students need their parents’ or teachers’ assistance to make advanced homework plans.

27. Ask Them to Write on Their Favorite Topics

Working on something you love will make you feel more connected to the work. The same applies to both the kids’ homework and older students’ homework. If you are thinking about how to make doing homework fun, you can ask them to write a paragraph or a short essay on their favorite topics.

To implement this strategy, first, talk to the students on a one-on-one basis and try to know their individual preferences in terms of writing. Then assign them a task where they will write whatever they want on their favorite topics. This will act as a warm-up session before doing the homework.

28. Provide Choice

One of the key reasons why younger and older students become disengaged with their homework is they find it meaningless. This is where the mentors and the parents have to play the biggest role. They need to make the student understand why homework is important and how it can benefit them in the future.

This will make the kids’ homework sessions more engaging and they will be able to connect emotionally or personally. How to make homework fun in this way? It’s simple, provide the students with more choices while assigning the homework. For instance, if there is a tough project, they can choose to work alone on it or work with partners.

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Elementary school homework tips.

Homework gives elementary students a way to practice the concepts. But you have to be very careful while making them do the home tasks as at this age they don’t develop an understanding regarding the benefits of homework. To them, homework is just something that parents and teachers use to restrict them from doing what they want.

Below are some effective tips on how to make homework fun for kindergarten students.

• Make sure kids have a creative, engaging, and well-lit place to do the homework.
• Give the kids delicious snacks from time to time so that they don’t get distracted due to hunger.
• Encourage the children to complete their homework by giving them small rewards or recognizing their efforts to make the entire process more manageable.
• Instead of dictating to them what to do and threatening them, be a mentor, a leader, and a motivator.
• Create a homework routine for elementary students manually or use desktop app for planning your homework. Don’t forget to keep short breaks in between.
• Try to keep distractions to a minimum. This means no phone calls, loud music, and TV during homework time.

Set good examples for them but without comparing them with anybody. Have you ever seen your little one saving money? Point that quality out, praise him/her for it, and set it as an example.

Middle School Homework Tips

Middle school students develop a fair understanding of the importance of homework. So, you are not supposed to face much trouble to make them complete their tasks. Check out these middle school homework tips below. These tips will work wonders if you are looking for ways to make homework fun for 7th graders or 8th graders.

• Designate a specific amount of time for homework. This will help them to complete work on time.
• Help them prioritize which tasks to do on a priority basis. In this way, they will develop the ability to make decisions.
• Continuously encourage them to evaluate their work so that they can find the mistakes and correct them on their own.
• Put away the phone to prevent them from being distracted from time to time.
• When needed, help them to complete homework instead of spoon-feeding the whole thing. Give clues to solve a sum, point out some important areas, or explain them in a paragraph so that they can complete the next tasks by themselves.
• Don’t pressurize or force yourself to do homework. Parents need to know when to stop, especially when they are feeling exhausted, frustrated, and confused.

High School Homework Tips

When it comes to homework, high school students are better able to manage their time, stay focused and finish their tasks. This enables them to understand the value of homework. They don’t do any tantrums and get less distracted because they understand the consequences of not completing home tasks on time. But if you want to know how to make homework more enjoyable for high school students throughout the school year, here are some effective tips:

• Tell them to write down their homework every day in a notebook, or a planner to keep it more organized.
• Ask them to write their homework with a blue pen on a white sheet to remember their writing. Also, it’s the best combo to do homework faster.
• Help your teens to divide their homework schedule in a planned way and keep short breaks to freshen up their minds. For instance, if they work for 30 minutes, they can take a 5 minutes break.
• Doing homework with buddies is a proven method to complete homework on time and also in an accurate manner.
• If they get stuck while doing any specific homework, ask them to take help from online resources, libraries, video demonstrations, and journals.

Homework Dos and Don’ts

Let’s face it – nobody loves homework although it’s super important for your child’s learning and development. While high school students understand the importance and need of doing school assignments at home, elementary and preschool children can’t develop the understanding at their age.

Several things are to be kept in mind while expecting homework from students in proper time. To make the students complete their homework happily, we have brought some amazing dos and don’ts that parents or teachers need to follow:

Homework Do’s

1. monitor the answers.

After your child has completed his/her homework, check it once to find what went right and what went wrong. If you find any mistake in his/her work, try not to point that out directly. Instead, give your youngster clues so that he/she can find out the mistakes now.

2. Remove the Distractions

Thinking about how to make homework more fun for your child? Remove the distractions from the study room first including social media on the computer, mobile phones, unnecessary toys, etc. Remember, a decluttered environment is the reason behind a decluttered head. They will be able to focus more on the homework when there isn’t a pile of distractions around them.

3. Be A Cheerleader

Always be your child’s motivator when he/she is doing homework. Students may not be correct always but humiliating them may make them demotivated and frustrated at the same time. Celebrate small successes such as completion of the tasks within time, the maximum number of correct answers, the maximum time the child has devoted to homework, etc. Give treats like candies, stickers, pens/pencils, and colored boxes to celebrate their success.

4. Work in Collaboration

The parents and the children need to work together in terms of homework. There must be a proper channel of communication between both parties so that the child’s overall performance can be monitored.

Homework Don’ts

1. don’t force them to homework.

Forcing a student to do the homework can bring immensely negative results. Children won’t like homework – it’s quite normal but forcefully making them do it is tremendously fatal as it will develop a permanent fear or discomfort that will hamper their overall growth.

2. Don’t Show Them Your Frustration

Kids have a lot of tantrums. Especially, the tantrums increase while doing homework. Often teachers and parents get frustrated but showing them the frustration is not at all a good idea. Not only will the child become stubborn but also, they will develop a fear of doing assignments or getting help from you. If you want to make homework fun for 6th graders or students of any other grades, don’t show your frustration in front of them.

3. Don’t Compare with Their Peers

Comparison is something that demotivates a child to a great extent. It develops a deep resentment in their mind which doesn’t fade away even after growing older. Comparing their grades or skills with their peers is probably the worst idea to make students do homework.

4. Don’t Keep Electronic Devices in Front of Them

Yes, you can give the students electronic gadgets for a few minutes as small rewards but don’t keep the devices in front of them all the time when they are doing homework. This may loosen their concentration and will make them distracted from their respective tasks.

How A Homework Planning App Can Help a Student?

A homework app is the best time-management tool that enables students to organize everything they need to do throughout a week, month, academic year, or semester. It’s an easy way to keep your homework sessions organized. In case you are still thinking about how to make homework fun for your child, software with proper features of homework planning can help him/her out.

The academic pressure on school children sometimes becomes too difficult to handle, especially when there is so much to do. This is where student planners for their home assignments are found to be beneficial. Here is an explanation of how an efficient home assignment planning tool can help students finish their tasks on time:

1. Gives Students A Break

It might also be helpful to make sure that kids have some downtime to unwind and not become overburdened with assignments. If teachers are assigning homework through software, they will see how long a piece of homework will take to be completed, and they can allocate the tasks accordingly scheduling breaks in between.

2. Reduces Stress

Homework pressure may not sound like a big deal to you because you have already left those days behind but to your child, it’s a headache. The fear of being scolded by parents/teachers is one of their biggest concerns to them. Thanks to digital planners, these tools know exactly how to help each student in a customized way.

3. Increases Productivity

How to make homework interesting? Students who use a school planner are more productive and can manage their time more effectively. Students today struggle with procrastination because the internet age offers so many diversions. However, if they have noted down the tasks they must complete, they will be more motivated to complete them.

4. Easier for Parents and Teachers

A homework app with intuitive features of planning helps to complete an assignment within time in a systematic manner. Younger students who still rely on the help of their parents and teachers to do their schoolwork often fail to inform them about their homework status. Having homework software can easily sort this problem out and reduces mentors’ work and hassle.

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How to make homework fun with clarifi.

To assist students to achieve their highest potential, Clarifi is a homework software that acts as an ideal digital homework attention coach. We are dedicated to helping students achieve their academic goals. The pupils may complete their homework independently with the help of this digital planning app for homework.

It is a straightforward and uncomplicated desktop program that gives them more confidence to finish their assignment as quickly and effectively as possible. It is the only research-backed desktop application that enables children who are easily distracted to do their schoolwork without a parent watching over them. Monitoring student behavior is the only way to be sure they are doing their assignments.

However, keeping track of pupils’ activity is a time-consuming and important duty. However, Clarifi is available to make this procedure as easy as possible. With the aid of this program, students can effortlessly enter each homework assignment and keep track of the due dates for each one based on the class or the current day.

They receive prizes from the automated coach for maintaining concentration and doing their homework. When all pupils turn in their schoolwork on time, they will receive diamonds as a reward. This element motivates pupils to develop the positive habit of finishing their home assignments on time. Clarifi is an easy digital homework attention planner that provides kids with the ability to filter out distractions, improve their executive functioning, and keep all of their assignments organized in one location.

Clarifi guarantees to raise their capacity for concentration and focus as well as their academic performance. It incorporates functions that provide users the means to remain centered, motivated, and organized while finishing their schoolwork on their own. When kids use the app, it is specially designed with cutting-edge technology that blocks all other apps.

Generating an undistracted and focused environment for students with Clarifi is the answer to “how to make homework less boring.”

Students Can Now Complete Homework with Fun!

With these tricks and tips, students can now efficiently engage themselves in homework. Learners need to study and complete their homework/assignments with a positive mindset and not forcefully. As soon as a student starts doing his/her homework strenuously, the interest is eventually lost, leading to mistakes and burnout.

But with the tricks mentioned above, homework sessions can now be immensely fun and interesting. Whether you are a teacher, parent, or student, these are some tried and tested ways to complete home tasks engagingly. Stay tuned to Clarifi for similar informative blogs like this. If to need help with your children’s homework and know more about how to make homework fun get in touch with Clarifi today.

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How to Make Homework Fun

• Post author By admin
• September 6, 2023

Discover engaging strategies for how to make homework fun. Explore personalized study spaces, gamification, collaboration, and more to make learning enjoyable.

Hey there, homework warriors! Let’s face it, homework often gets a bad rap for being a total buzzkill. The mere thought of it can make us want to escape to a world of video games, socializing, or anything but those looming assignments. But guess what? It doesn’t have to be that way!

In this article, we’re about to embark on a journey to uncover the secret sauce of making homework downright fun. That’s right, we’re flipping the script and turning the dreaded “H-word” into an exciting adventure.

So, if you’re ready to banish the boredom and inject some pizzazz into your study sessions, keep reading. We’ve got 15 game-changing tips coming your way to transform homework from a chore into a choice activity!

Table of Contents

How to Make Homework Fun?

Have a close look at how to make homework fun:-

Design a Homework Haven

Transforming a corner of your room into a cozy study nook is all about creating an inviting space that inspires productivity. Consider adding a:

Comfy Chair

Choose a chair with good lumbar support and a cushioned seat for long study sessions.

Soft Cushions

Scatter a few soft cushions on your chair or on the floor to make the nook extra inviting.

Motivational Posters

Hang up posters with motivational quotes or images that resonate with your goals. For instance, a poster featuring a quote like “You’ve Got This!” can provide daily encouragement.

Set a Homework Schedule

Creating a daily study schedule tailored to your rhythm can significantly boost your productivity. Here’s how to go about it:

Identify Your Peak Hours

Pay attention to when you feel most alert and focused during the day. Are you a morning person, or does your energy peak in the evening?

Designate Prime Study Time

Once you’ve identified your prime hours, set aside that time for your most challenging subjects or tasks. For example, if you’re a night owl, designate 8 PM to 10 PM as your prime study time.

Set Goals and Rewards

Setting goals and rewards can turn studying into a thrilling game. Here’s how to make it work:

Task-Based Rewards

Break your study session into smaller tasks. For instance, if you have a 2-hour study session, set a timer for every 30 minutes. When you complete a task within the allotted time, reward yourself with a mini-break or a quick treat.

Dance Breaks

After accomplishing a particularly tough assignment or study session, treat yourself to a five-minute dance break to your favorite upbeat song.

Group Study Sessions

Studying with friends can make homework a social and interactive experience. Here’s how to organize a productive group study session:

Choose Study Buddies

Invite friends who are equally committed to studying. Avoid distractions and focus on collaborative learning.

During breaks, enjoy some snacks and refreshments together. It’s an excellent opportunity to bond and recharge.

Gamify Your Homework

Turning your assignments into a game can make them engaging and competitive. Here’s an example:

Math Challenges

For every correct math problem you solve, award yourself points. Set a target, like 100 points. Once you reach that goal, treat yourself to a favorite dessert or activity.

Use Technology Wisely

Leveraging educational apps and websites can make learning enjoyable. Consider:

Learning Languages

Apps like Duolingo and Babbel gamify language learning with interactive lessons and quizzes.

Science Simulations

Websites like PhET Interactive Simulations offer fun science experiments and simulations.

Listen to Music

Creating a playlist for different study moods can set the tone for productive work:

Upbeat Playlist

Compile lively tunes for subjects like math or science to keep your energy high.

Chillout Playlist

Use calming melodies for reading assignments or essay writing to stay focused.

Change Your Study Materials

Enhance your study materials with colors and visual appeal:

Colorful Notes

When taking notes, use different colored pens for headings, key points, and examples. Highlight important concepts with bright markers.

Create a Homework Playlist

Crafting a motivational playlist can boost your enthusiasm for study sessions:

Personalized Mix

Include songs that motivate you. Whether it’s energetic rock, inspiring pop, or calming instrumental, curate a playlist that resonates with you.

Relate Homework to Real Life

Connecting assignments to real-life situations can make them more meaningful. For example:

Applying Math

If you’re learning about percentages, practice by calculating discounts while shopping online. It’s a practical application of what you’re studying.

Ask for Help When Needed

Don’t hesitate to seek assistance when you’re stuck:

Online Tutors

Utilize online tutoring services like Khan Academy or Chegg when you need clarification on complex topics.

Celebrate Your Achievements

Reward yourself for completing challenging assignments:

Mini Rewards

After finishing a tough essay or solving a set of difficult problems, treat yourself to a favorite snack or a short episode of your favorite TV show.

Use Colorful Visual Aids

Visual aids can make complex topics easier to understand:

Timeline for History

Create a timeline of historical events using colorful markers and sticky notes. It helps you visualize the sequence of historical occurrences.

Stay Organized

Organization is key for effective studying:

Digital Planner

Use digital tools like Google Calendar or Todoist to keep track of assignments and due dates. Set reminders to stay on top of your tasks.

By incorporating these detailed strategies and examples, you can transform your homework routine into an enjoyable and productive experience tailored to your preferences and learning style.

These examples demonstrate practical ways to infuse fun and engagement into your homework routine, making the learning process more enjoyable and productive.

What are ways to make homework fun?

• Create a Comfortable Space: Design a cozy study spot with your favorite things.
• Set a Schedule: Stick to a regular study routine that suits you.
• Break Tasks Down: Divide homework into smaller, manageable chunks.
• Reward Yourself: Treat yourself after completing tasks or goals.
• Study with Friends: Make it social by studying with buddies.
• Use Apps: Try fun and educational apps for learning.
• Listen to Music: Create a motivating study playlist.
• Make It Visual: Use colors and visuals to make notes pop.
• Connect to Real Life: Relate homework to everyday situations.
• Stay Organized: Use planners to stay on top of assignments.

These simple tips can make homework less daunting and more enjoyable.

How do I make my homework less boring?

Want to jazz up your homework and banish the boredom? Here’s the lowdown:

Create Your Happy Place

Start by transforming your study spot into a haven of fun. Add some quirky decorations, fairy lights, or even a cozy blanket fort – whatever makes you smile.

Slice and Dice

Homework can feel like a mountain, right? Well, cut it into bite-sized chunks. Tackling one piece at a time feels way less overwhelming.

Goals with a Side of Rewards

Set yourself mini-goals and sprinkle rewards on top. Finish that math problem? Treat yourself to a victory dance or a mini snack party.

Study Squad

Invite a friend for a study date. You can help each other out and share some giggles during breaks.

Homework Gamified

Turn your homework into a game. Assign points or rewards for completing tasks. Hit a certain score, and it’s time to indulge in your favorite treat.

Dive into educational apps or websites. Learning becomes a blast when it’s interactive and entertaining.

Musical Motivation

Craft a playlist with your favorite tunes. Pop on some energetic beats for those math equations, or soothing melodies for reading assignments.

Colorful Creativity

Don’t just take notes, make them a work of art with colorful pens and highlighters. Visuals can make studying way more interesting.

Real-World Homework

Connect your assignments to real life. If you’re tackling percentages, apply them to calculate discounts while shopping online.

Stay Organized and Sane

Keep your homework organized using planners or digital tools. No more last-minute panics about forgotten deadlines.

With these tricks up your sleeve, homework will become a breeze, and you might even have some fun along the way!

How do I make myself enjoy homework?

Making yourself enjoy homework can be a challenge, but it’s possible with a few mindset shifts and strategies:

Find Purpose

Understand why you’re doing the homework. Connect it to your long-term goals and how it benefits you. Knowing the “why” can make it more meaningful.

Positive Mindset

Approach homework with a positive attitude. Focus on the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel when you complete it.

Set Realistic Goals

Break your homework into smaller tasks and set achievable goals. Completing each part can give you a sense of progress and satisfaction.

Create a Comfortable Space

Design a cozy and organized study area that you enjoy spending time in. A pleasant environment can make a big difference.

Mix up your subjects and tasks to avoid monotony. Switching between different assignments can keep things interesting.

Set a Schedule

Establish a study routine that suits your natural rhythm. Find the time of day when you’re most alert and use it for more challenging tasks.

Reward Yourself

Treat yourself after completing homework or reaching specific milestones. It can be as simple as a small snack, a short break, or doing something you love.

Stay Engaged

Try to actively engage with the material. Ask questions, discuss concepts with classmates, or relate it to real-life situations.

Study Groups

Consider joining or creating study groups with friends. Discussing topics and helping each other can make the process more enjoyable.

Celebrate Progress

Celebrate your achievements, even small ones. Recognize your efforts and improvements.

Mindfulness Techniques

Practice mindfulness or relaxation techniques before starting homework to reduce stress and increase focus.

If you’re struggling with a particular subject, don’t hesitate to ask for help from teachers, classmates, or online resources.

Visual Aids

Use visual aids like diagrams, charts, or flashcards to make studying more engaging and easier to grasp.

Incorporate Interests

If possible, relate homework topics to your interests or hobbies. It can make the material more relatable and enjoyable.

Use planners or digital tools to keep track of assignments, due dates, and progress. Being organized can reduce stress.

Remember that enjoying homework might not happen overnight, but by implementing these strategies and maintaining a positive mindset, you can make the process more enjoyable and rewarding.

How can I make my high school homework fun?

Making high school homework fun requires creativity and a positive attitude. Here are some tips to make your high school homework more enjoyable:

Personalize Your Space

Create a study environment that reflects your personality and interests. Decorate your study area with posters, photos, or artwork that inspires you.

Set a Homework Routine

Establish a consistent homework routine that aligns with your energy levels. Determine the best time of day for you to focus and stick to it.

Break Tasks into Smaller Steps

Divide your assignments into smaller, manageable tasks. Completing each step feels like an accomplishment and keeps you motivated.

Incorporate technology into your homework. Explore educational apps and websites that make learning interactive and engaging.

Study with Friends

Organize study groups with friends to tackle assignments together. You can explain concepts to each other and share different perspectives.

Gamify Your Learning

Turn your homework into a game. Set challenges, time limits, or point systems for completing tasks. Reward yourself when you meet your goals.

Create playlists for different subjects or moods. Upbeat music can boost your energy for math, while calming tunes can help you concentrate on reading assignments.

Experiment with different study materials. Use colorful pens, highlighters, or digital tools to make your notes visually appealing.

Real-Life Applications

Relate your homework to real-life situations whenever possible. For example, if you’re studying economics, analyze current events or business news .

Seek Support

Don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed. Reach out to teachers, classmates, or online resources for clarification or guidance.

Celebrate Achievements

Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small. Reward yourself with a treat, a short break, or an activity you enjoy after completing homework.

Use planners, to-do lists, or digital tools to stay organized and track assignments and deadlines.

Challenge Yourself

Set personal challenges to make homework more engaging. Aim to finish assignments faster or with higher accuracy than before.

Whenever possible, relate homework topics to your interests or future career goals. It can make the material more relatable and engaging.

Stay Positive

Maintain a positive attitude toward your homework. Focus on the sense of accomplishment and knowledge gained through your efforts.

By incorporating these strategies into your high school homework routine, you can make the experience more enjoyable and productive while achieving academic success.

In conclusion, making homework fun is not just a distant dream; it’s a practical approach that can transform the way you tackle your assignments.

By personalizing your study space, setting goals and rewards, collaborating with friends, and gamifying your learning, you can turn the once-dreaded homework into an engaging adventure.

Incorporating technology, music, colorful materials, and real-life connections adds an extra layer of enjoyment. Remember to celebrate your achievements along the way and stay organized to reduce stress.

With a positive mindset and these strategies in your arsenal, you can embark on your homework journey with enthusiasm, making it not only bearable but genuinely enjoyable.

So, let’s turn the page and dive into the exciting world of learning, one fun homework assignment at a time!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i really make homework fun.

Absolutely! With the right approach and mindset, homework can be an enjoyable part of your academic journey.

What if I can’t concentrate with music?

Not everyone finds music helpful. Experiment with different study environments to discover what suits you best.

How do I avoid procrastination?

Creating a schedule and setting achievable goals can help you stay on track and avoid procrastination.

What if I still find a particular subject boring?

Try to connect it to your interests or real-life situations to make it more engaging.

How can I make studying with friends productive?

Ensure that your study group remains focused on the task at hand and avoids distractions.

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How to Enjoy Homework

Last Updated: April 19, 2023

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. This article has been viewed 52,262 times.

Homework can often feel stressful and boring. Unfortunately, if you're in school it's a part of life. If you consistently dread doing homework, you should look into ways you can enjoy the task. This way, school will be more pleasant for you overall. You can start with subjects that interest you, give yourself breaks and rewards, and work on changing your mentality regarding homework in general.

Planning Homework Time

• It may help to take a few days to measure your natural ebb and flow of energy. You may find that, during late afternoon, you feel a sudden slump in energy. However, as it gets closer to the evening hours, you may suddenly have a boost in energy. Therefore, instead of doing homework after school, try to do your homework after dinner each night.
• You'll feel happier and more productive if you're studying during a time when you're experiencing a peak in energy. Homework will seem to go by faster, and you will not struggle as much to concentrate.

• You can alternate between subjects you like and dislike. This can help give you motivation while moving through subjects that bore you. For example, if you love science but hate history, do half of your science assignment, then half of your history one, and then return to science.

• Even small changes can make homework time more enjoyable. You could, for example, move your desk near the window. Natural light may lead to a more calming environment, and you can occasionally look up and enjoy the view.
• You can also think about studying outside the house. If you love hanging out at a local coffee shop, try doing your homework there. You can get a latte or a coffee as a treat as you move through your homework.

• You may have to experiment with different songs. Some songs may be distracting. If a song makes you want to get up and dance, for example, it may not the best to include on a homework playlist, as you will lose focus in your homework. Some people find that classical music is very helpful when studying.
• Not everyone can concentrate with music in the background. If you find music is making it harder for you to study, you may want to nix the playlists and focus on other means to enjoy your homework.

Giving Yourself Motivation

• Good examples of what to do during your breaks are taking walks, meditating, stretching, or getting yourself a snack.
• Many people find it's most effective to work in short spurts. You may want to plan to work in half hour to 45-minute intervals, for example, and then take a 5 to 10-minute break.
• Be careful with breaks, however. Make sure you time your breaks wisely so they don't end up running over. If you allow yourself a 10 minute Facebook break every 40 minutes, set a timer on your phone to make sure you do not end up procrastinating on social media for hours.

• Be careful who you include in a study group. While you want to be able to enjoy yourself, you also want to get work done. Choose people who are serious enough students that you won't end up distracted all night.
• Together as a group, you can brainstorm ways to have fun. For example, you can agree you'll do homework in silence for 40 minutes and then take a 15 minute break to chat.

• Be careful, however, not to do sloppy work. If you're trying to break a record, you may speed through your homework. Strive to work efficiently rather than quickly.
• Talk to your parents to see how the topic your studying may affect them in the present day.
• Be careful not to get distracted in this extra research or you’ll lose focus on your homework. Set a timer for yourself so you don’t spend too much time doing it.

Changing Your Mindset About Learning

• It can help to make a to-do list. Your studies are items you can check off the list, allowing you to relax and unwind. You'll also feel a sense of achievement with each item you check off your list.
• Stop and think about what you've accomplished when you finish your homework. Try to feel proud of yourself for getting your work done. You'll learn to work towards this sense of accomplishment in the future.

• If you dislike your writing assignments, pause and consider how good writing skills can help you get a job. If you dislike your computer class, try to keep in mind that basic computer skills will be important in college and the working world.

Expert Q&A

• If you have a friend who's a serious student, ask him or her for tips on how to make homework fun. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you are reviewing for a test, review it for 15 minutes then give yourself a break. Go back to studying for 15 minutes and then take another break. This method can help you to process the information, which in the end should result in better results! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/how-to-enjoy-studying-flow/
• ↑ https://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/studying-fun.html

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

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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10 Ways to Make Homework Fun

• By Rachel Pinn Updated On March 23, 2020

As adults, we often think of homework as a bad thing; tasks we are required to do after school that take precious free time away from our home life. But for kids, that's not the case! Starting in pre-K, kids are taught that homework can be fun, and it seems like the processes that adults find daunting are seen as play for little kids. So how do we capture that interest, spark and joy that our littlest students come home with, and keep it for as long as possible into our children's elementary and even teen years? Let's make homework fun again!

Designate a homework workspace for each student. This can be an area at the kitchen table, a spot in your home office or their own lap desk. It's not always possible to have a dedicated space for work 24/7, so it's perfectly fine to have a desk caddy with the tools your student needs ready to go when homework time comes.

Calming jazz, symphonies or upbeat rhythms can do a lot for productivity. Lyrics can often get in the way of certain types of homework, so it's best to consider the type of work before selecting. Spotify and Pandora have a lot of free options for listening while working.

As kids get older, homework can become more and more intense. Make sure to build in check-ins and breaks to make sure they're giving their eyes and brains a rest. Perhaps a snack, drink or short dance party is just the thing to refresh them for the rest of their work. 

Color and light are important to a workspace. If your child's favorite color is green, snag some green contact paper or construction paper and put it on their workspace. Make sure the space is well-lit as well, because squinting is no good for homework effectiveness.

Colorful pens, paper, pencils and other tools make doing homework more fun. These can even be a reward themselves, as getting to head to the dollar store or shop online for desk accessories can be just as fun as using them.

When you're working with your student, give them your full attention. Put away your work, your cell phone and other distractions while you help them prepare for some dedicated homework time. If you have to make dinner or get back to work, make sure to at least bookend the time with a few minutes before and after the homework period, which shows you're invested in their success.

Communication

Homework often requires a bit of communication with your child's teacher in order to squeeze the full learning out of it. There may be parts of a lesson that your child doesn't understand, in which case it's a good idea to make sure you communicate with teachers so you can assist where needed.

It can be hard to teach kids to filter out distractions and get to work, but sometimes a reward can help get them there. Maybe it's dinner at a restaurant they've been wanting to visit, "points" toward a new toy or even something as simple as an extra book at bedtime. Find what motivates your student, and let that motivate them toward homework success!

The best way to learn is to teach, so once your student completes their task, have him or her explain it to you. Let them tell you how he or she thought about the problem, how they came up with the solution and how they got there. That act of explaining will cement those learnings in their mind.

The key here is that if tasks ever become too challenging for your student, stay positive. Don't bring up thoughts of your own childhood; rather, move on to something else and come back to that challenge later. Remind them that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to learning. and if everything was easy for us, it wouldn't be fun at all.

READ THIS NEXT: 11 Painfully Hilarious Homework Tweets from Parents

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10 Helpful Ways to Make Homework Fun and Engaging

Sidrah Qayyum Education , Learning , Learning Skills , Life , Parent , Parenting 0

Homework… The word alone is enough to bring on a huge yawn. Your children come home after spending a long day at school and now you want them to sit down quietly and do their homework. What kind of torture is that?

After hours and hours of staring at the board, surrounded by books and quizzes, and listening to lectures, there is a possibility that kids will throw a small tantrum when you ask them to complete their assignments. Well, let’s fight off the scowls and tears, and turn the nightmarish homework time into a productive and fun-filled sessions. Here are a few tips that will make even math equations bearable!

Table of Contents

1. A Funky Timer

Monday blues are real, and after an adventurous weekend, it can be hard to settle back to your old routine. That’s why it is important to have a fixed schedule. Even on weekends, don’t go completely lax and try to set some time apart for school work. When your child comes home from school, allow them to play and rest after lunch. Once they are well-rested, it is time to begin the work. Most kids find it difficult to start their homework.

One way to avoid the troubled beginnings is to use a timer. A colorful and funky timer can do the trick. Place it on their desk, set the time and go! Children love having their own little things and a cutesy timer may motivate them to apply themselves and plug away. Most of the time, one uninterrupted hour is more than enough to finish the daily tasks. Reset if needed.

Search Timer on Amazon

2. Work Together

“How come you are watching television while here I am… slaving away? That so not fair, mom! (or dad!).” Yes, parents, your school days are long gone, and you are not obliged to spend hours hovering over a pile of books. But hey, such is life! Your child needs your attention and support. They definitely don’t want to feel left out of the fun. You must have some of your own little tasks to sort out. Take this quiet time to wrap up those. Sit next to your child and while they are working on their assignments, you can work on your chores. It can be an office presentation, monthly budgeting or even a novel you really want to finish… Err… this year. At the same time, you can attend to your little ones when they need your help with the homework.

3. Beneficial and Productive Rewards

Honestly speaking, I am not in a favor of offering rewards in return for completing homework, but they can be useful sometimes. I hated math as a kid. It was so painful for me to solve all the word problems and fractions. To get me down to work, my mom would tell me I could play Scrabble with her once I finish my mathematics homework. It worked! I loved Scrabble and loved playing it with my mom even more. My baby brother didn’t make a good competitor for obvious reasons.

When a child absolutely loathes a task and there is no way around it, you can bribe them with a board game, time for some crafty activity, a quick run or play outside, an educational field trip or something equally beneficial.

Don’t promise them video games, extra television hours, screen time or even sugary treats as it can adversely affect their concentration.

4. A Platter of Scrumptious Snacks

Come on, you know how it goes! When you are having a hard day at work, and suddenly a colleague appears with a large box of freshly baked brownies, things start to look up. You gobble down a couple of them, and the day doesn’t feel so bad all of a sudden. Similarly, you can brighten up things for you child with yummy treats in between the tasks. Keep it in balance though and offer them healthy and creative snacks such as cupcakes, homemade cookies, smoothies, fruit salads, pretzels, and chips with delicious dips.

If your child usually does their homework in evening, it is likely they will feel slightly hungry. Having healthy snacks can give them a much-needed boost of energy and may even help them look forward to homework sessions. Be sure to give them snacks in a limited amount. You don’t want them to skip their dinner because they are feeling too full!

5. Let the Creative Juices Flow

Don’t know how to make your child understand the laws of Newton? Get creative! For instance, drawing and labelling can solve many issues. During Botany lectures, I couldn’t understand a thing about different parts of plants. But when I saw the drawings, it was far easier to comprehend apical and axillary buds. For many children, sitting still like a statue and pouring over the books just won’t cut it. They need to reinvent and improvise. Together you can act out a part from the play they are currently studying in class, or they can create a presentation to understand the complicated rules of Organic Chemistry.

For preschoolers, finger-painting the letters and numbers, singing out the poems, and educational toys can help them engage their senses and grasp the concepts. For fidgety children who can’t stay still, exercise balls, fidget toys and bands can help them focus.

6. Their Own Little Nook

Homework can be extremely fun when a child has their own productive space dedicated to their books and their studies. You can set up a study table or a small desk and place a compact bookshelf alongside it. Add some unique pencil holders, a study lamp, and a globe. Make sure the chair is comfortable but not too much or it might put them to sleep. Help them arrange their books neatly on the book rack. Don’t place any gadgets and screens nearby to avoid unnecessary distractions.

Having a special spot for homework can help encourage a child to be productive and creative. Encourage them to use the space for quiet time and reading on a rainy day too. Teach them how to keep their own space neat and tidy and somewhere they can be proud of.

7. A Dose of Colors

Colors instantly brighten up a dull day! In their study corner, hang a colorful board on the wall and put up their weekly timetables along with motivational quotes and pictures of their favorite characters. Visuals, especially when they are delightfully appealing, can give your child motivation to work.

Use a colourful planner where they can list all the things they have to do, they will know what tasks they have to finish and how much is left. Once they are done, they will enjoy crossing completed tasks off the list.

Similarly, colorful stationery and crisp notebooks can do wonders. Take a trip to a stationery shop, or have a look online and allow them to choose some cool-looking school kits especially for use at home.

8. Short Breaks are Essential

Kids are energetic little munchkins and expecting them to sit still for hours is highly unreasonable. When homework sessions are longer than usual, or exams are near, let them study efficiently by allowing them short breaks in between. They can use this time to wander around the house to stretch their muscles and have some snacks and drink, perhaps even read a couple of pages from a favourite story book. Don’t let them use smartphones or devices during these breaks or they might feel demotivated to return to books.

An ideal break would be about 5 minutes long after every 20 minutes or so. Research has shown that 20 minutes is really the optimum amount of time that the brain can function at it’s peak. Anything more than that, and things typically start to become stagnant – think staring at same page and reading the same thing over and over again.

Of course, if something is particularly engrossing for your child, whether it’s a new art piece or they’ve finally cracked those Algebra problems, don’t stop them mid-way.

9. Come Back to it Later

There are times when it feels as if you are talking to a wall. You’ve tried to explain a concept hundreds of times, in a million different ways – You talked them through it, you’ve given brilliant examples, and you’ve even drawn a superb illustration to simplify the concept. Yet sadly, they just aren’t able to grasp it.

When times like that occur, and they undoubtedly will (and you wonder exactly what is going on in school), remind yourself to take a step back and come back to it later.For some reason, my brother took a long time to spell ‘exercise’ correctly. It was frustrating for my mom but she eventually managed to help him memorise with a silly song.

Some concepts, like ‘telling the time’ or ‘fractions’ even learning the alphabet and reading are things that require a certain maturity of thought and some kids will learn certain things faster while others will just take a while to piece certain things together.

Some days are just hard on both parents and kids. Don’t push too hard, especially if they are already trying their best but just aren’t able to perceive it. Often it helps to come back to it, after a break, with a fresh mind.

10. Step Back – Help Them See the Bigger Picture

Sometimes your kids are happily doing their homework when they stumble upon something that requires some revision. For instance, in math, to understand new knowledge and concepts, all the prior principles must be clear. It is like a puzzle. To appreciate it, all the pieces must be in place.  Moreover, children need to learn mathematics with understanding. It is not something that they can just memorise.

Haven’t we all wondered, ‘When will I ever need to use Algebra in my life?’ or ‘Why should I need to know how to calculate molar ratios?’ To make it fun and engaging, help them incorporate their learning in to everyday life. This helps your kids see how their learning can be useful in everyday life such as, angles in cutting up a pizza, how to calculate percentage discounts during a sale, monthly budgeting and totalling up grocery bills.

While academic learning may not always seem relevant to life, sometimes, it is useful to be able to call upon knowledge and principles that we already know.

Gear up, parents! You know you can do it. Just keep your cool and don’t lose patience. Your child’s school going days may seem never-ending now and homework sessions are painful, but they will be gone in a blink of an eye. Before you know it, they will be off to college waving you goodbye.

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Making School Fun at Home

This article was previously published on 7/30/2019.

12 Ways to Make School Fun at Home for Students of All Ages

Back to school will look different this year as families and schools continue to navigate the uncertainty of COVID-19. Getting kids to enjoy (or even accept) doing their homework can be a struggle at any age, especially in the fall when students adjust to smaller classes, alternate schedules and a continuation of virtual learning that began in the spring.

For some families, new ways of learning are further complicated by parents’ work schedules and a lack of technology access. According to the Afterschool Alliance, 1 in 5 kids are unsupervised after the school day ends. And millions of families don’t have internet access at home.

During challenging times and busy parenting schedules, there are still ways to make learning at home fun, safe and constructive for students. Over the years, our trained youth mentors and program facilitators have developed lots of strategies and ideas to make homework more fun. Get tips on how to make virtual learning and homework fun in high school, middle school and elementary school so you can help your kid succeed at every age.

Ideas to Make Homework Fun for Elementary, Middle and High Schoolers

Many kids find homework assignments boring or simply get restless when asked to sit down and study – but that doesn’t mean they all need the same kind of motivation. Avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to homework help by using these age-appropriate tips.

Elementary School Homework Tips

Little kids frequently have trouble focusing on virtual learning and homework, especially when there are so many distractions and fun things to play with at home. The solution? Make learning more like playtime.   

• Create fun focus spaces. Kids often work on homework in their rooms or wherever there’s a little spare table space – but kids’ rooms and common areas are usually filled with distractions. Before this school year starts, create a special “homework zone” in part of the home that’s more peaceful. (A “homework fort” is always a hit with young kids, as long as it’s well lit.) Stock this area with lots of colorful school supplies so there’s no reason to leave until their homework is all done.
• Beat the clock. Young kids love racing to the finish. Make homework more like a race by setting up timed challenges. For example, count how many words they can spell correctly or math problems they can solve in the span of 5 minutes. The next day, challenge your kid to beat their own record. (A little competition can work great with siblings, too.)
• Try learning apps. Support the subjects your kid studies in school with apps that make learning about it more fun. This tip is especially helpful for subjects that you or your kid struggle with. Some of our favorite educational apps include DragonBox for math, Spelling Stage for spelling, and DuoLingo , which offers learning-based games in Spanish, French and many other languages.
• Team up with tunes. Just like the Alphabet Song teaches kids their ABCs, there are plenty of songs out there to help specific subjects stick. Search YouTube to find songs covering a range of subjects, including the planets in our solar system, the days of the week and months of the year, U.S. states and capitals, how to add or subtract, and pretty much any other educational topic you can imagine. If you can’t find a song on a given subject, try making one up together.

Middle School Homework Tips

In middle school, students gain more independence to work alone or with peers. Encourage their developing maturity with a little structure and loads of support.

• Use power hours. Power hours challenge kids to focus for a certain amount of time. Once the timer goes off, they can take a quick break before diving in again. Offering little rewards after productive power hour sessions is a great incentive at this age, too.
• Plan study dates. If your kid struggles in a certain subject or has trouble focusing in a quiet, empty room, let them invite a friend or two over to study. Just remember to follow current safety and social distancing guidelines. If another kid is too much of a distraction, set the tone by working alongside your child. While they do homework, you can pay bills, make dinner, reply to emails, or even work on a crossword puzzle or another brain game. Doing “adult homework” creates a sense of companionship without being too overbearing – and it can help kids learn that work is a part of life, not just a part of school.
• Make a routine. Lack of routine can be stressful for kids. Setting a regular schedule for homework, or the school day for kids learning at home, can help reduce resistance and improve consistency. Beyond planning time for homework, come up with other little rituals that can help your kid focus, from putting on their current favorite album in the background to using prizes and other incentives to reward good work, like a small treat for every complete assignment.
• Stay positive. Your attitude has a huge impact on how your kid sees the world, especially in the formative middle school years. Keep tabs on your own attitude toward your kid’s homework. If you see helping your kid with homework as a chore, your kid will probably feel that way about it, too. Instead, try to see homework help as a fun, productive time when you both can learn and hang out together.

High School Homework Tips

When students reach high school, having parents hanging around to nag them about homework doesn’t always help. Instead of implementing these homework strategies for high schoolers yourself, show this list to your teenager and help them come up with a plan they can stick to. Then, take a step back. Check in with your teen every week or so to see if their plan needs tweaking.

• Get organized . High school is the perfect time to start preparing for the life you want to lead after you leave home. To achieve your goals, you have to make plans and stick to them. It’s the same with homework. When you get your assignments for the week, month or semester, take some time before jumping in to sort through the deadlines and requirements. Then, come up with a schedule and a realistic plan of attack. Use a day planner, calendar app, or time management app like Asana to make to-do lists for yourself – trust us, it feels great to cross stuff off your list.
• Reward yourself . It’s easier to work hard when you know there’s a reward at the end of it. Set a study timer, and if you’ve focused on homework until the timer goes off, reward yourself with a favorite snack, a funny video, an epic solo dance party or a little social media time.
• Upgrade your workspace. Spruce up the place you do virtual learning and homework to fuel your productivity, imagination and problem-solving skills. Keep tools and supplies on hand to help you work through challenging assignments, like colorful pens, highlighters, sticky notes, and cool notepads or notebooks. Decorate with art and other objects that inspire you, and use calendars, whiteboards, chalkboards, corkboards, or even just paper and tape to help visualize and keep track of everything you have to do.
• Turn up the beats. Spotify has tons of playlists dedicated to productivity, from ambient noise to instrumental hip-hop. Find a few go-to playlists that help keep you focused and put one on whenever you have to zone in. Explore movie soundtracks and other kinds of instrumental music to avoid distracting lyrics.

Homework Help from BGCA

Every day, thousands of kids and parents rely on Boys & Girls Clubs of America for homework help and out-of-school support, especially in the crucial hours after school lets out and during the summer months. Explore our website to learn more about our programs , find your nearest club or support BGCA today.

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7 Ways to Make Homework Fun (Seriously!)

Make homework fun by changing the way you look at it

Your kids just spent all day at school. And now you’re asking them to do what? Homework? Hey, that’s kind of like having school at home. After an entire day of paper, pencils, and books, your child may resist (and that’s putting it politely) getting down to business during the after-school hours. Don’t stress out. Whether your child has to study a vocab list, do a few zillion math equations, or finish a few extra assignments, we’re sharing seven tips that can magically transform homework from a super-struggle to some serious fun!

1. Work Together Why not be hands-off when it comes to your kid’s homework, while still working beside one another? Return emails, answer your co-worker’s texts or work on the PTA fundraiser, modeling focused work to your child as the two of you spend QT together. If you think this seems like you’re not paying attention to your child or you’re slacking when it comes to parenting—you aren’t. Instead, you’re creating a shared workspace where the two of you can get business done together.

2. Get Creative Sitting like a statue and calculating problem after problem on a math worksheet isn’t exciting, so consider turning a study session into an all-out artsy adventure! As your kid reads a chapter from the assigned text, use the opportunity as a chance to put on a play. If not acting, paint out math problems, sculpt letters or turn American history into a song.

Other ideas (perfect for older kiddos) include more sophisticated setups like creating a series of paintings explaining a text the child is trying to interpret or interpreting a poem using their musical notes. Kindergarten-aged kids set can get back to basics and finger paint letters, make clay characters from a story or bang on pots and pans to learn about patterns or counting.

RELATED:  11 Math Games That Equal Tons of Fun

4. Take It Outside If there’s an outdoor space where they can spread out and study in your home, encourage it. A study showed that workers saw a 45% increase in productivity after being outside for about 30 minutes. Plus, offering up 10-minute breaks in the sun is a huge perk.

4. Make It a Group Effort Start a study group. Have your kiddo invite classmates to read, write and do math equations together. If your student is old enough to handle organizing and delegating, take a step back and let your kid take on a leadership role. Younger kids may need more help—think of this as a mini-educational play date for them.

5. Design an Awesome Workspace Take a page from some of the coolest places on Earth to work. Google, Apple and other tech giants all have fab workspaces for their employees. Why? To increase productivity. Create a communal workstation that all your kids (or all your family) can share instead of sending your little learners off to their room alone. Mix it up with a tall desk (by using a shelf), so your child can stand and work, or swap out desk chairs for a yoga ball or a twisty stool.

RELATED:  17 At-Home Learning Spots to Keep Kids on Track

6. Engage the Senses There is a reason those darned pop-its were suddenly in every kid’s hands. While engaging their sense of touch, smell or sight might seem like a distraction, it helps them focus. Try doing a sensory activity like making your playdough . You can also engage other senses: Stash a stress ball in the homework area to engage the sense of touch or play white noise to break the quiet distracting to your child.

7. Hold Office Hours Your child needs some homework help. Instead of hovering (no helicopters here) or taking over and writing your very own book report, set up office hours—just like your college professors did. Make the living room couch or the dining room table into your “office.” The kids can schedule a time to ask questions or can come to your “open hours.” This lets you help your child without actually doing the work yourself

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11 Strategies to Make Homework Fun and Manageable

Posted by Erica Warren on May 11, 2021

Homework Don'ts:

• Never pair homework with a punishment. When this is done, students associate homework with unpleasantries, and it can have a negative impact on future assignments.
• Don't call home assignments, "homework." Who wants to take their work home? Besides, when it is called work, it becomes work. Personally, I like to call it, "home fun!"

Homework Dos:

• Create enticing names for home assignments. For example, I never teach script or cursive. I teach roller-coaster letters! 
• Generate excitement about upcoming assignments by sharing your own excitement and enthusiasm for the content. 
• Bring creative options such as drawing, sculpting, and music into assignments.
• Introduce the fun factor to your lessons. Many students enjoy making games as well as playing them, so try to weave these into the curriculum. Encouraging these entertaining options can make academics more memorable too. 
• Bring color into assignments. Instead of requiring your students to write in pencil or a black pen, encourage them to use an array of erasable colors, highlighters, and pens.  Personally, I love to use Frixion pens , highlighters , and markers .
• Offer a variety of assignment options. Students possess different strengths, and they also have their own preferred ways of learning . Providing options allows them to share their knowledge and choose an approach that appeals to them. 
• Limit the amount of homework. Students are often cognitively exhausted after a long day of schooling, and they need time to relax and also get involved in other afterschool activities.
• Offering students extra credit for completing home assignments can be very motivating.  One of my favorite assignments is offering students the opportunity to make test corrections. This way, students can learn from mishaps and any misconceptions can be corrected.
• Offer homework passes: We all need personal days.

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7 Ways To Make Homework Fun For Back To School

Whether you are heading back to school or have been back for a bit, perhaps you are tired of the same old same old homework. Hopefully, you’re coming back with some new energy. Why not infuse that into creative, new activities that you send home with students to consolidate skills? 

Here’s how to make homework fun!

Start with these free fun homework ideas

Free phonics worksheets & activities.

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Fun homework ideas for the whole year

One of the things that keeps homework from getting stale is to have a variety of activities and approaches. This does three things:

• It keeps students from getting bored with a fill-in-the-blank worksheet every single day
• It provides options for students to draw in different skills and learning styles
• It allows you to practice the same skill in multiple ways. 

Here are some creative ideas to put into the mix. 

Homework bingo

At the beginning of the week give students a bingo card with different activities related to your focus on a particular subject. For example, a phonics bingo card might include activities like: make a list of at least 10 words with the long e sound, sort the list of words into groups based on how the long e sound is spelled, write sentences using 5 long e words, draw pictures of 5 of our long e words and label them, look around your house for long e words (books, labels, sign, clothing, etc.). Instruct students they need to do five activities this week. If a word list, a game, or other resource is useful for completing the activity, you can attach it to the bingo card. You can even use the same card for more than a week. Let students know if they can repeat any activities or have to do all new ones in week 2.

Cootie catchers

Do you remember these folded paper playground games? You might have called them fortune tellers or chatterboxes. Kids still love them, and they are a great way to practice phonics or math. Cootie catchers can be a two-person activity (students can practice with a friend or somebody in their home), but they can also be used individually. 

Make a poster

Have students make a poster about a specific topic or something they learned. For example, students could make a poster illustrating with examples the different ways to spell the oo sound. Hang the posters in the classroom. 

Math card games

Card games can be a fun way to practice math. I’ve used math card games to build math fluency, practice adding on, and come up with different ways to get to the same number, among other things. You can find some step-by-step math card games here. If students don’t have playing cards at home, you can print out number cards to work with. 

Phonics card games

When it comes to card games, math might come to mind first because playing cards have numbers, but you can print word cards for any word list you are using for students to use for phonics card games. You can have students sort the word cards based on certain criteria. Or they can play classic games like Go Fish or Concentration. Some games, like Go Fish, only work with another player, but some like concentration or sorting games can work for individuals. 

I use task cards in lots of ways. I put math task cards in my math station, use them as a morning warm-up, have them available for early finishers — and I use them for homework. Send a stack of them home at the beginning of the week and have students complete them all by the end of the week. 

Mix it up worksheets

I mentioned at the beginning that creative activities saved students from the boredom of worksheets, so I wanted to be clear. I’m not anti-worksheet. Worksheets can make home practice easy on teachers, students, and parents. The key, I think, is to have a variety of options when it comes to worksheets, so students are not doing the same thing day after day. Maybe one worksheet has them fill in the blanks, but another has them unscramble words or match words to a picture or cut and sort. There are so many homework ideas in worksheets alone. 

Need creative and easy homework ideas 

If you were trying to figure out how to make homework fun, I hope one of these homework ideas inspired you. And if you were inspired, but you’re not sure you have the time or energy to pull it off, I’ve got some good news. You don’t have to create it to have creative homework activities. 

Here are two DONE FOR YOU ways to freshen up your homework ideas: 

Phonics homework for the ENTIRE year

You get 100 weeks of engaging, skills-based phonics activities, ready to print and go. They cover blending, segmentation, phoneme manipulation, fluency, vocabulary, and punctuation and give students practice in CVC words, more complex words, digraphs, alternate spellings of many sounds, suffixes, and double consonants. In addition to a variety of skills, there’s a variety of activities too! Easy homework? Done: https://topnotchteaching.com/downloads/fun-phonics-homework/

Top Notch Teaching membership

Looking for ways to make homework fun beyond phonics? The Top Notch Teaching Membership has you covered with done-for-you lessons, activities, and projects you can use for literacy, math, science, PE, and more. No more getting lost down a Google rabbit hole. Instead, you have one place to go for done-for-you printables and digital products you know you can trust. Homework ideas, lesson plans, classroom management? Done: https://topnotchteaching.com/members/

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Khan Academy Blog

Making Homework Easier: Tips and Tools for Parents 

posted on September 20, 2023

By Stephanie Yamkovenko , group manager of Khan Academy’s Digital Marketing Team.

Homework can present challenges for parents and children alike. You naturally want to provide support for your child’s learning journey and ensure they are reaching their full potential. In this blog post, we will delve into practical strategies to assist your child with their homework. From fostering understanding and offering encouragement to breaking down tasks and implementing rewards, we will explore a variety of effective approaches to help your child achieve academic success.

Step 1: Set Up Your Child for Success

Your child’s study environment can have a significant impact on their homework performance. Create a space that is free from distractions like the television, smartphones, or noisy siblings. The study space should be comfortable, well lit, and have all the necessary materials your child might need, such as pens, papers, and textbooks. If your child’s workspace is noisy or uncomfortable, they may have difficulty focusing on their homework, resulting in lower productivity. 

For example, if you live in a small apartment, consider setting up a designated corner with a small desk or table where your child can focus on their work. You can use dividers or screens to create a sense of privacy and minimize distractions.

If the only place to do homework is in the dining room or kitchen, try to establish a routine where the area is cleared and organized before study time. This can help signal to your child that it’s time to concentrate and be productive.

Remember, it’s important to adapt to your specific circumstances and make the best of the available space. The key is to create a dedicated study area that promotes focus and minimizes interruptions regardless of the size or location of your home.

Try Confidence Boosters for Your Child Here!

Step 2: make it fun.

It’s important to make homework fun and engaging for your child. Here are some examples of how you can do it:

• Use games : Incorporate educational games like card games, board games, or puzzles that align with the subject your child is learning. For instance, use Scrabble to practice spelling or Sudoku to enhance problem-solving skills.
• Turn it into a challenge : Create a friendly competition between siblings or friends by setting goals or time limits for completing assignments. Offer small rewards or incentives for accomplishing tasks.
• Make it interactive : Use hands-on activities or experiments to reinforce concepts learned in class. For science or math, conduct simple experiments at home or use manipulatives like blocks or counters to visualize abstract concepts.
• Use technology : Explore online educational platforms or apps that offer interactive learning experiences. There are various educational games, virtual simulations, and videos available that can make homework more enjoyable.
• Incorporate creativity : Encourage your child to express their understanding through art, storytelling, or multimedia presentations. For example, they can create a comic strip to summarize a story or make a short video to explain a concept.

Remember, by making homework enjoyable, you can help your child develop a positive attitude towards learning.

Step 3: Use Rewards

Rewards can be a powerful motivational tool for children. Offering positive reinforcement can encourage them to complete their homework on time and to the best of their ability. 

Here are some examples of rewards our team has used with their children:

• Extra screen time: “I use Apple parental controls to add screen time on their iPad.”
• Access to a favorite toy: “My eight year old has a drum kit, which drives us all up the wall. (Thanks, Grandma!) But when they’ve been doing a lot of school work, we put on headphones and let him go nuts.”
• Praise for a job well done: “Specific, measurable praise is what works best.” 
• Trip to the park: “A trip to the park is good for everyone, especially for the kids to run around with the doggos.”
• Movie night: “I know every word and song lyric in Moana ; we now reserve showings for good behavior.” 
• Stickers or stamps: “Gold stars were such a thing growing up in the 80s; turns out they still work.”
• Stay up a little later: “An extra 30 minutes feels like a whole day for my young ones; use this reward with caution as it can become the expectation!”

So, celebrate your child’s efforts and encourage them to continue doing their best.

Step 4: Break Down Difficult Tasks

When facing daunting homework assignments, follow these step-by-step instructions to break down the tasks into smaller, manageable chunks:

• Understand the requirements and scope of the task.
• Break down the assignment into individual tasks or sub-tasks.  
• Splitting the middle term
• Using formula
• Using Quadratic formula
• Using algebraic identities
• Determine the order in which tasks should be completed based on importance or difficulty. 
• Start with the easiest task. Begin with the task that seems the least challenging or time-consuming.
• Progress to more challenging tasks: Once the easier tasks are completed, move on to more difficult ones.
• Take breaks: Schedule short breaks between tasks to avoid burnout and maintain focus.
• Check completed tasks for accuracy and make any necessary revisions.
• Finish the remaining task(s) with the same approach.
• Celebrate small achievements to boost confidence and keep motivation high.

By following these steps, you can make daunting homework assignments more manageable and less overwhelming for your child.

Step 5: Get Targeted Help

If your child is struggling with homework, it might be worth considering seeking personalized assistance. You have the option to search for professional tutors or explore online tutoring platforms, such as Khan Academy’s AI tutor, Khanmigo .

This AI tutor can offer personalized guidance and support tailored to your child’s specific needs, helping them grasp complex concepts and practice essential skills. Incorporating this approach can effectively complement your child’s learning and enhance their homework performance.

Enhance your child’s learning and boost homework performance!

Homework can be a challenge for both parents and children. But with the right approach, you can help your child overcome difficulties and support their learning. Encourage and understand your child, create a comfortable environment, break down difficult tasks, use rewards, get professional help when needed, and make it fun. With these tips and techniques, you can help your child achieve success, develop a love for learning, and achieve academic excellence. Remember that each child learns differently, so it’s essential to adjust your approach to meet their unique needs.

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13 Fun Homework Ideas: The Best Ways To Make Homework Fun For Kids Quickly & Easily

Ellie Williams

Figuring out how to make homework fun can be a tricky task for parents.

Does it feel like you’re constantly nagging your kids to do their homework? If your answer is yes then worry not as we’ve all been there! It’s natural for parents to want their children to progress and do well in school, but after an entire day of paper, pencils, and books many youngsters will resist getting on with their homework – and that’s putting it mildly!

Top Tips To Make Homework Fun:

• Work together
• Use rewards and incentives
• Sort them a snack
• Make it visual
• Try different learning apps
• Set up a homework play date
• Turn it into a game
• Let them play teacher
• Use a timer
• Create a special homework space
• Remember to be positive
• Get help if you need i t

Thankfully, there are ways of making homework less boring and that little bit more fun for your child. Whether they need to practice spellings, learn their times tables or revise for an important exam, our top fun homework ideas will help you to magically take the ‘work’ out of homework.

KS2 Maths Games and Activities Pack

A FREE downloadable games and activity pack, including 20 home learning maths activities for KS2 children to complete on their own or with a partner.

1. Work together

Adults often work best in the company of others, and the same can be said of kids, so why not sit with your child while they’re studying and get on with some of your own work or life admin?

Whether you’re returning emails, doing your online banking or organising the next primary school PTA fundraiser, creating a shared workspace and modelling focused work is a great way to spend quality time together while they complete their homework. Win-win!

Quick win : Whilst your child is tackling their fractions homework, you could sit down with them and take a look through your finances or even test yourself on the work that your child will be doing in their SATs .

2. Use rewards and incentives

Rewards and incentives are great when it comes to getting your children to follow your household rules and routines, and homework is no different. Things like stickers or the promise of time on their iPad or games console for slightly older children can all work wonders in getting them to do their homework without a battle.

Quick win: For every few questions they answer they could get a minute of screen time!

3. Sort them a snack

Let’s face it: A hungry child is an unfocused, unmotivated and unhappy child.

Most children come out of school ravenous, so let them nibble on a nutritious after-school snack while they get on with homework; things like popcorn, apple slices, grapes, flapjacks, or crackers and cheese are all great snack options.

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, Netmums has a list of healthy after-school snack ideas and recipes to try.

Quick win: One of the best brain foods for kids is a nice and crispy apple! So when your child is craving something sweet just cut up an apple and let them munch away.

4. Make it visual

Help to eliminate the late night ‘Oh, I forgot to do that’, and create a weekly homework chart so your child can see what they have to do each day and check off each homework ‘To Do’ as it’s been completed.

Again, Pinterest has some great free printables to help keep kids organised. Get them involved by letting them colour it, or decorate it with their favourite stickers, and pin it up somewhere at their height, where they will see it easily every day as a reminder. Some exciting new stationery and colourful pens might help too.

Quick win: An easy way to make homework fun is to grab a piece of paper and get your child to draw out and decorate a ‘homework chart’ consisting of 5 days. Stick it on the fridge and add a sticker to each day after they’ve done their homework, when they’ve collected 5 stickers they get a treat!

5. Try different learning apps

If your child prefers to be online, there are some great online apps around that children will have fun using, yet encourage learning too. Here are our favourite free maths websites for example. Speak to your child’s teacher too and see which apps the children use in school so you can support what they’re doing at home.

Quick win: One of our favourite apps that makes homework fun is Times Tables Rockstars!

6. Set up a homework play date

Holding a homework playdate where your child can invite one of their best school buddies over to do homework together can be a great way for them to learn and make sure the work gets done, especially slightly older primary children.

Plus, it’s likely that their parents will be delighted!

Younger children may need a bit more support and guidance but can still gain a lot from the experience of learning together with a friend – think of this as a mini-educational play date for them – with a special tea afterwards of course!

Quick win: Let your child and their friend play for a while, and then get them to work through their homework with the incentive of a yummy ‘tea party’ when they’ve completed all of their homework.

7. Go outside

If the weather allows, create a comfortable outside study space and allow your child to do their homework outdoors.

The fresh air can help kids with their concentration if they’ve been stuck in a classroom all day, and studies also show that being outside, closer to nature, can increase productivity. The reward of a quick game of Frisbee or a kick-around of a football between tasks will help them stay motivated too.

Quick win: Check out this fun outdoor maths activity for some inspiration of ways you can make homework fun. 

8. Turn it into a game

Who said home learning had to be boring? If children enjoy what they’re learning, they’re more likely to remember what they’re being taught, so turn their learning into a fun game. Using sweets like Smarties to help with maths and number work can turn the experience from a chore into a treat. If they get the right answer, they get to eat some!

Another trick that you can use when your child is learning spellings is to write them in foam or in magnetic letters. It sounds simple, but  we can guarantee that it will make homework a lot more fun for your child.

These maths games for kids and times tables games are a great place to start.

Quick win: If you’re looking for some fun homework ideas then check out this simple multiplication activity you can do at home, it’ll even get in one of your child’s five a day!

9. Let them play teacher

Make another fun homework game by creating your own mini-classroom and letting your child step into the role of teacher.

Have your child explain a concept to you as a teacher, as you, or their sibling, plays the role of the student. This game works particularly well with subjects that require theory, like Science for example, as it will improve their understanding of the concept and build logic and reasoning skills.

Quick win: Make homework fun by getting your child to choose their favourite teddys and toys and setting them up in their own mini classroom. Start off with registration, ‘mummy’ ‘present’, ‘mr teddy’ ‘here’ etc. You’ll soon notice that your child is growing in confidence regardless of the topic as children love playing teacher!

10. Use a timer

Some children may have difficulty working for prolonged periods of time without a break, so using a timer can be great for getting them to complete homework without the whining. For example, if your child is given 20 maths problems for homework, you can say “Complete the first 10 questions then we’ll take a 5-minute break, then complete the next 10 questions”.

Many children will need a mental break and will work more effectively when given the opportunity to take one. At the end of the task, they get to pick an activity of their choice. If your child gets easily distracted, a timer game can work well to keep them focused on the task in hand.

Quick win: Put the timer on your phone so that your child can see the countdown whilst they’re working.

11. Create a special homework space

A special study space can make homework more fun and help motivate your child to get it done! Choose a space in your house that’s least likely to distract your child, and create a simple, organised, and kid-friendly homework HQ.

You could hang up some of their artwork above the desk, and have all their school essentials nearby so everything is close to hand.

Quick win: Make sure that they aren’t surrounded by things that will distract them. Televisions and iPads are a no go at homework time!

12. Remember to be positive

Remember to always be upbeat and positive about school and the importance of their homework. Give your child lots of praise and encouragement about how well they’re doing to help them stay motivated and on track.

Quick win: After every homework session spend five minutes talking through what your child has accomplished. If you’re running out of activities to do, have a look at our list of home learning packs – all free to download.

13. Get help if you need it

Homework can be frustrating if your child doesn’t understand the material or gets bored easily. If your child is struggling, get them some expert help!

Quick win:  Third Space Learning has plenty of advice on learning maths for kids and parents but if you need more support, our primary school maths tutors are easy to organise and very affordable.

DO YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO NEED MORE SUPPORT IN MATHS?

Every week Third Space Learning’s maths specialist tutors support thousands of students across hundreds of schools with weekly one to one tuition designed to plug gaps and boost progress.

Since 2013 these personalised one to one lessons have helped over 150,000 primary and secondary students become more confident, able mathematicians.

Learn how pupils make accelerated progress or request a personalised quote for your school to speak to us about your school’s needs and how we can help.

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Use as a prompt to get pupils started with new concepts, or hand it out in full and encourage use throughout the year.

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10 easy Ways How to Make Homework Fun

Homework is essential for students to learn new skills, practice old ones, and develop good study habits. It also helps teachers assess student progress and provide feedback on areas that need improvement.

When kids return home from an extended day at school is typically not something they wish to complete. Parents, getting your children to complete their homework can be exhausting and stressful . 

So, what can a teacher do? Is it not possible to eliminate homework completely ?

There is a way to help make homework more enjoyable and thrilling for parents and their children. If you want to take a different approach to homework and engage your students , try these simple tips to make homework more enjoyable.

Table of Contents

1. Set up a Homework Game Board

To make homework more enjoyable, try setting up a board with different activities kids can do at home. You can use a whiteboard, poster board, or even cardboard boxes. Just make sure that the items on the board are age appropriate.

2. Create a Homework Journal

A homework journal is a great way to keep track of assignments and help kids stay organized. It’s also a good idea to set aside some time to review homework before bedtime. This will help kids feel less stressed when they wake up.

3. Write a Homework Routine

If you’re looking for ways to make homework more enjoyable for your child, try writing a homework routine. You can use a notebook or a simple spreadsheet to record the steps in completing the task. Then, every night, write down what needs to happen next.

Keeping a routine and maintaining a log book of the work done daily will help you access your child’s progress and can also help you make adjustments in our teaching method.

4. Play a Homework Game

Once you’ve written out your homework routine, play a game with your child. Ask them questions about what’s happening at home. What do they think will happen when they finish their homework? What do they believe will be the most challenging part? What do they think should happen first?

5. Reward your kid with a Homework Prize

You might not realize it, but kids love prizes. They’re excited to win something just because they did well on a test or finished a project. So why not reward your child and yourself too? If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, try asking your children what they’d like as a prize.

6. Get a Homework Buddy

Turn homework into a play date. Invite your child’s friends to join them and encourage them to complete their work with them. It is essential to establish some rules before time. In the end, you can reward your kids with time off and ice cream after completing their tasks. 

learning in a group makes the experience more joyful and fulfilling.

7. Be positive

Your attitude dramatically influences how your child views the world, especially during the middle school years of transition. 

Be aware of your attitude towards homework assignments for your child. If you think of helping your child with assignments as a burden, your child will likely feel that way. 

Instead, it would help if you thought of homework help as an enjoyable and productive activity where you can learn and have fun together.

8. Work beside your student

Being in the classroom while the entire family is having fun can make it difficult for children. Instead of leaving your child to do her work independently, be a part of them to complete some work independently. 

When you’re trying to catch up with emails or pay your bills, create a budget or plan a trip, make it happen with your child. It will not only make your child feel like she’s not the only one working and also allows you to set an example.

Spend time together with them and be there to answer any concerns she may ask.

9. Study with a partner

Let’s discuss working in the business. This could be your family members, or you could be helping your child cope with his work. 

Perhaps you are wondering how to concentrate on your homework in a business ? It’s not too tricky when you are trying. If you’re helping your child, you can perform your work right alongside him. 

This will inspire your child to put in the effort and emulate your actions. A shared workspace is an excellent way to test different scenarios, much like the office of our company.

10. Try your favorite snack or drink

You’re not productive If you’re hungry. You just have to take care of it. A child who is hungry is more susceptible to distractions than adults. 

Keep this in mind before working on your homework. Find a delicious snack or beverage menu and begin working. If you are hungry, you can eat a slice of pizza or something similar without the need to get to the kitchen.

This approach will work in most cases but pay attention that this should not be counterproductive as the child will be busy eating and not studying.

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THANKS FOR AN INCREDIBLE 2024 HAPPY MOM SUMMIT!

3 Simple Ways to Make Homework Fun

I’m going to be blunt.

Right now, your child’s homework time just plain sucks.

You dread it every night.  “Hey, have you done your math homework yet?

“NO!  I can’t do my homework.  I don’t want to do it yet.  Can’t I watch TV? I’ll do it after dinner.”

So much back and forth and back and forth. It’s become too much.

The question is, how do you make your child want to do homework?  How do you make homework less boring?

Read: What to do when your child cries over homework

Let’s define fun.  

If you’ve ever spent time outdoors, you might know about the fun scale .

The fun scale described three sorts of fun.

Type 1 fun is what you typically think of as fun.  It’s easy with very little challenge. Relaxing, new, and novel with maybe a bit of adrenaline.

Then there is Type 2 which is not fun… in the moment.  Shivering in 30-degree weather when you’re trying to sleep in your tent or wading through a cold river with the water up to your waist. 

These experiences aren’t fun at the time, right?  But when you look back you have a sort of fondness for them because you endured something or surmounted a challenge.

Ironically, Type 3 fun isn’t fun at all.  It’s pure suffering. Think about that movie with James Franco rock climbing when he lost his hand. 

 There are really two types. One, you can have fun with the unexpected.  Something new and novel is always fun.

For homework, type 1 is out because there is a challenge.  It’s hard. But type 3 is also out because we don’t want it to be miserable.

When people approach just the right amount of challenge and have the skills and help to achieve it, that challenge can be fun.

We can make homework solid type 2 fun.

That’s the kind of fun we want to attain with homework.  Here’s what to keep in mind:

Read: How to Build Grit in Kids: When to Push and When to Comfort

1. Make homework fun by putting it entirely in the child’s control

You know that fight that happens every night about WHEN to do homework?  

If you’re fighting all the time, you’re assuming responsibility over your kids’ work.

They feel no inner drive to get it done because they know you’ll remind them.

Instead, switch that responsibility to them.

When my daughter struggled with her homework in Kindergarten, we sat down and brainstormed everything she had to do after school.

She wrote down: unpack backpack, have a snack, feed the cat, do homework. 

Ok.. I had to coax her on that “do homework” task.

Then, I asked her to write down the order she wanted to do the tasks we agreed on.  

The first day she came home from school, I didn’t have to nag.  She followed the list.

Days after that, I didn’t have to nag, I simply pointed at the list and she started.

The time of the task was in her control.  

But she still had trouble with one more thing.

2. Teach your child how to cope with overwhelm to make homework easier

You know the feeling: when you have this massive to-do list in front of you and you don’t know where to start.

Everything feels equally important.

You do what you can not to hyperventilate and drown your sorrows with the nearest box of girl scout cookies.

That’s NOT Fun.

Your child is dealing with the same.  

What is fun is if we turn that overwhelm into a game.

Take out a timer and ask your child how long he or she thinks he can stay working on homework without getting distracted.

I would start low, say 2 minutes. 

Give your child the timer – remember the control – and ask them to press start and then work for that time.

You’ll see a renewed determination in your kid to stay focused and finish as much as they can.

When the timer goes off, point out how much they did!  Did they ever think they could do that much in two minutes?  What do you want to set the timer for next?

They’ll tell you.  

3. Teach kids how to reward themselves

Rewards are best when they’re unexpected.

But it’s even better to teach kids how to reward themselves so that they’ill always have a trick to self-motivate.

Rewards can be super simple – a pack of fruit snacks with one gummy for every timer completion.

A sticker they can put on their notebook.

Twenty minutes of screen time. 

Simple stuff they can give to themselves.  Ways they can connect the task with that feel-good reward.

The best part is that they eventually won’t need to reward themselves for doing homework.  Only when they’re building the habit.

The trick to make homework fun

These three skills of controlling their own schedule, making homework time a game and knowing how to reward themselves puts kids ways ahead when it comes to making homework fun.  

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My daughter used to leave the kitchen table and throw herself on the couch.

“I can’t DO it,” she wailed, “It’s TOO hard.”

Every afternoon became a neverending negotiation –  one I dreaded.

I just wanted to pour myself a glass of wine and hide in the closet.

What do you do at that point?

Tell me if this sounds familiar.

Your child brings home a page of a page of double-digit subtraction problems.

You know… the kind where you have to “borrow” from the tens place to do the operation in the ones place.

You got this, you think…

But no, your kid politely informs you. You aren’t supposed to borrow. Instead, your child needs to use a method where he “counts up” from the number.

What in the world? This isn’t subtraction…at least not the way you learned it.

How are you expected to help your kid when the method doesn’t even make sense?

While researching my book Drama Free Homework: A Parent’s Guide To Eliminating Homework Battles and Raising Focused Kids, I talked with lots of moms who were doing EVERYTHING – but since their child was still struggling, they considered themselves failures.

As they described the struggle at home, I noticed that four distinct “homework personalities” kept reappearing.

Do you recognize any of them in your house?

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We all want kids who take care of themselves and their families, but many families struggle with how to get there.

These simple, yet far from easy, parenting tips are a great place to start.

Want to get homework organization under control this year?  All you need is this simple box!

10 Ways to Make Homework Fun for Your Kids

3 minute read

After a full day of reading, writing, math and trying to sit still in a chair, sometimes the last thing a child wants to do is come home and do homework. Why does homework time have to be such a chore for both children and their parents?

With these 10 tips, maybe it doesn’t have to be.

10. Dedicated Homework Area

While most kids tend to do their homework in their bedrooms or at the kitchen table, these places tend to create plenty of distractions.

Try and create a “homework” zone somewhere in your house that is well lit, quiet, and has plenty of table space for your child/children to work. Ensure it has all the supplies they need are organized and easily accessible. If possible, add in some bookshelves where they can place things on or inspirational and fun pictures for them to look at while they are working away.

There’s a reason why techy giants like Microsoft and Google offer some incredible workspaces to staff. That’s because it increases productivity !

9. Set a Timer

Sometimes the hardest part is simply getting motivated to start. Really, who wants to dive into piles of homework when procrastination is so much easier?

With that said, setting a timer for each subject can make things fun. Plus, it offers a breather break once it is done.

Besides, kids just love “beat the clock” games, so why not incorporate this idea when it comes to homework?

8. Ensure There’s a Routine

There’s nothing more kid’s love than a solid routine. In fact, children thrive on them. So, if possible, ensure your child’s homework is done on the same day(s) and time weekly.

Most importantly, be consistent about it!

7. Fun Snacks

A child can’t learn on an empty stomach. In fact, if homework time happens to be right after school, before dinner, or before bedtime, ensure to offer a fun healthy snack for them while they work away.

6. Add in Some Tunes

While music may not always be possible during homework time, if there is an opportunity to add in some tunes while working away, then why not?

For younger children, music may also be able to help them with their homework. For instance, music can help with learning colors, the alphabet, and shapes.

5. Stay with Them

While there’s plenty to do around the house, sitting down with your children as they are working away offers them a sense of comradery . While you don’t want to give your children answers or do their homework for them, being at the table makes you easier to approach for guidance.

So, grab your favorite book, work on the household budget, or pay some bills on the laptop. You can still be productive while offering homework support to your kids.

4. Study Dates

Speaking of comradery, there’s nothing more fun than working on homework with your favorite buddy . Having said that, ensure the friend they invite over doesn’t offer too much of distraction to the task at hand.

A little reward after homework time can be a huge motivator for kids. Whether it’s stickers on a chart, some television time, or the opportunity to play outside with friends, your kids will look forward to zipping through their homework to get to what’s next.

2. Learning Apps

It’s all about apps these days and guess what? There are a ton of educational ones for kids to help make learning fun!

An app might be especially helpful for those subjects that your child may be having issues with or ones you can’t personally help them with.

1. Be Positive, Stay Positive

Encourage your kids to stay on track with homework by being and remaining positive about school . Place assignments or tests that they’ve done well with on the fridge, offer encouragement, and talk about homework milestones they have accomplished with friends and family.

While homework can be a struggle for parents and kids alike — some more than others — creating an environment where homework can be fun will make all the difference. At the end of the day, it will be beneficial for your child, their grades, and your sanity.

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9 things you can do to make working from home more joyful

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Some people love working from home, and they can’t imagine anything better than a day with their laptop clad in pajama pants. Others miss the structure and the casual chats with coworkers that happen at their offices. Whether you love it or hate it, working remote — for those who can do it; not every job lends itself to this kind flexibility — is common for many of us due to the pandemic.

For those of you new to working from home, there’s lots of advice out there about how to deal with the pitfalls and stay productive and sane (“Take a shower!” “Don’t spend too much time on social media!”).

But from my own experience, working from home can be a real delight if you let it. So I’d like to share a few ideas for creating a workspace and routines that will make working from home a joyful, sustaining  experience. And who knows? You might not even want to go back to the office!

1. Take care of your body

In her book Proposals for the Feminine Economy , Jenn Armbrust offers a series of principles, the first one being: “You have a body.” Sounds simple, but working from home can make it easy to forget about your body’s basic needs. At your office, you probably had an ergonomic desk chair or an adjustable workstation. However, unless you work from home regularly, your workspace may consist of a kitchen table and basic chair.

You don’t need to invest in a whole home-office setup, but rather pay attention to how your body feels as you work from home. One advantage to working from home — as opposed to being in an office — is that you can change positions frequently. Try out lots of postures, whether that’s sitting in a chair, standing at your kitchen counter, relaxing on the sofa, or sitting on a yoga block on the floor with your coffee table as a desk. It took me a long time (and some serious shoulder pain) to realize that the best position for long writing stretches for me is sitting on a backless bench at my dining table. Testing different positions can help you find physical ease faster.

Another thing to pay attention to is movement. You likely do some walking in the course of an office workday — to the office from the train or bus or parking lot, between meetings, to the café for more coffee — and these movement breaks disappear when everything you need is within a couple of rooms in your home. When I first started working from home, I was surprised to find that I sometimes got in fewer than 1,000 steps in a day!

The flexibility of home work means, though, that you can largely move when you want to. Try setting a timer for a yoga or workout to break up a long email session. While writing my book Joyful, I took impromptu dance breaks whenever I was stuck on a section, which cleared my head but would’ve been hard to do in the office. I also started to take a long walk in the park at the end of every day. In the summer, I’d print out the latest draft and take it with me and sit in the shade while marking it up. In the winter, I’d do this at the kitchen island after coming home.

2. Use your commute

How long was your pre-pandemic daily commute? For many people, it can range between 30 minutes to 2 hours (or more), round trip every day. It also really adds up. Even at the short end, that 30 minutes per day adds up to two and a half hours that you’ve now gained per week!

The key is being intentional about how you use that time. Schedule it in your calendar — it doesn’t have to be at the same time as your commute — just as you would a meeting.

You can also block that time out for free, unstructured time, something most adults don’t get enough of. But then make sure to put tools down when the calendar alert goes off and give yourself space to enjoy it.

3. Create a sensory landscape

With their dull color palettes, synthetic carpets and humming HVAC systems, most workplaces have a joyless sensory landscape. Add in the noise from open-plan seating, and the fact that many spaces are often too cold or hot, and the typical office can be deeply unpleasant to spend time in, much less get focused work done.

While many of us often see the problem as overstimulation, in fact offices are just as likely to be understimulating. Workspaces have traditionally been designed based on the belief that to maximize productivity you need to minimize distraction, leading to bland, featureless spaces. But research shows that when people in these “lean” workspaces are compared to people working in “enriched” spaces that have art, plants, and more sensorial stimulation, the workers in the enriched spaces are 15 percent more productive. And if the workers have control over the placement of things in their workspace? They’re 32 percent more productive.

When you work from home, you can be like those workers in the study who controlled their own workspace — and create a sensory landscape that works for you. Part of this may mean eliminating unpleasant sensations, by getting noise-cancelling headphones to tune out distracting noises or adjusting the temperature so that it’s comfortable for you.

Also, look for ways to add pleasant sensations into your workspace. Hang up an image that gives your gaze something to rest on while you glance away from your screen. Play nature sounds. Choose a brightly colored mug for your morning coffee.

The senses of touch and smell are particularly understimulated during the hours we’re tapping away at a keyboard, so look for ways to appeal to them. For example, I cover the bench I sit on when writing with a sheepskin, which has a decidedly unofficelike soft texture. I keep a bottle of essential oils on my desk, and sometimes use a diffuser to scent the air.

4. Get some sunshine

One poorly designed aspect of many traditional offices is how little daylight exposure is available in workspaces. For most workers, the only light during the day comes from the dull fluorescents overhead. Yet research shows that workers who get more exposure to daylight sleep better (up to 46 minutes more per night), are less stressed, and are more active during the day. Light regulates key hormones and neurotransmitters, influencing everything from our alertness to stress levels, our immune system to our moods.

In your home, you have more control over where you choose to work, so if possible, choose a space near a window. And if you don’t have much natural light in your space, use lamps to boost the brightness. Just as too much blue light from our screens can keep us up at night, a healthy dose of bright artificial light during the day can also help keep our 24-hour internal clock in sync.

Also, when you used to commute to work, you likely got at least a little sunlight on the way, which you lose if now you jump straight into work first thing. Light has the greatest impact on our circadian rhythms in the morning, so try to go outside for a brief walk before you sit down.

5. Green your workspace

One simple thing to do to make your workspace more joyful is to add greenery. Plants that might struggle in the dim light of an office can thrive in your home, and you gain the extra benefit of getting to enjoy them when you’re not working as well. You don’t have to have as many plants as Summer Rayne Oakes does in her home workspace , but even just adding a few has been shown to reduce stress and restore your ability to concentrate.

6. Make a “get to work” playlist

One challenge I’ve found in working from home is transitions. It can be hard to stop doing all those home things (emptying the dishwasher, folding laundry, etc.) and get down to work, especially if there’s work you’re avoiding. In fact, many writers joke that their home is never tidier than when they’re working on a book.

One thing that helps is having some sort of ritual that marks a transition into a work session. I have a couple of “Get to Work” playlists that help with this: one for writing, one for email. The playlists always start with the same song, so it becomes like a sonic trigger that primes me to focus.

Other transition ideas might be pouring a fresh cup of tea or coffee, doing a quick stretch, or setting a focus timer (I use the Tide app on my phone).

7. Make snack time special

A lot of work-from-home guides advise you to take a real lunch, but I confess that when I’m in flow, I much prefer to eat at my desk. This doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in taking breaks, though. As I mentioned above, the most important features of breaks for me are to get outside and to incorporate movement into my day.

I also love a good snack break. We often think of snacks as fuel, but for me, they’re more of a treat. And, as writer Gretchen Rubin has pointed out, treats can help make us feel cared for, energized and motivated. Having access to your own kitchen means that you don’t have to rely on the processed foods that constitute a snack in most offices, nor do you have to eat it out of a bag.

I’m a big fan of cutting up fruit and arranging it in a wheel around my plate, or making little sampler plates from the fridge of pickles, olives and other nibbles. I also make energy balls or banana bread and freeze some so I can have it for a mid-week treat. You’re your own office manager now, so think about what would make you feel cared for and create space for it in your daily routine.

8. Be playful

Offices have been designed with work in mind, and the prevailing view is that work is somehow the opposite of play. But, as play researcher Brian Sutton-Smith says, “The opposite of play is not work. It’s depression.” Bringing your work home gives you a chance to invite more play into your workflow. And this can start with your workspace.

A playful workspace creates more opportunities for play in your day. These can be small, like the miniature spinning tops I keep on my desk to spin when I get stuck on an idea, or they can be larger, like having a trampoline to bounce on or a hula hoop to play with. Changing out a desk chair for an exercise ball can also bring a sense of play. A giant bowl of Legos or a big puzzle can keep hands busy while your mind is working through ideas.

You can also experiment with adding playful forms of decor, like children’s drawings on the wall, or cute objects for your desk. I put googly eyes on my stapler, for instance. Cute things may even benefit our productivity, according to research out of Japan, by enhancing our ability to focus.

Imagine: If you’d never been to an office before, what would you want it to look like? When you work from home, there’s no reason not to create a space that lets your imagination run free.

9. Pack it up and put it away

Perhaps the worst thing about working from home is that it’s hard to know when the workday ends. Writer Kevin Roose has found, for example, that remote workers take shorter breaks and fewer sick days, suggesting that boundaries can be an issue. This is even more challenging if you don’t have a dedicated home office space. When your laptop sits on the dining table or your coffee table is covered in stacks of folders, it’s hard to fully feel like you’ve turned off.

This is one reason why I insisted on building in two tiny home offices in our current renovation. I still will probably spend time working at the dining table, but I wanted a place to put everything at night so that I can close the door on it and not be distracted by the things I didn’t get done.

You don’t need a spare room to do this, though. Simply having a basket or closet to tuck your laptop and papers into at night will do the trick. Creating a physical boundary will help you reset your mind and reclaim your home as your home.

This post was originally published on The Aesthetics of Joy site .

Watch her TED Talk now:

About the author

Ingrid Fetell Lee is the founder of the blog The Aesthetics of Joy and was formerly design director at the global innovation firm IDEO.

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How to work from home in 2023: 30 tips for success

While working from home gives you flexibility (goodbye, commute), it often means less structure and more distractions from your housemates. As such, you may have to switch up your schedule and learn new ways to succeed in a remote work setting. Get 24 tips to help you find balance—including ways to set boundaries, create productive routines, and virtually connect with your coworkers.

With the rise in both part-time and full-time remote work opportunities, you can say farewell to long commutes and office cubicles. 

Thriving in these new circumstances can be challenging, so we’re covering 30 work from home tips for boosting productivity .

Build remote communication best practices

Remote collaboration can take some getting used to, but you can overcome this hurdle by setting clear communication norms. Here’s how:

1. Set communication guidelines

To ensure everyone on your team is on the same page, establish guidelines for the frequency, timing, and means of communication. Additionally, determine how cross-departmental communication will work. 

Decide which communication medium would be best in a given situation. For example, if questions or issues can be addressed in an email or chat message, there’s no need to set up a meeting. 

Conversely, if the situation calls for frequent back-and-forths in real time, a quick call would be more ideal. 

2. Set project goals and expectations early

To account for the delays in communication, it’s best to set expectations early, especially when you’re working on highly cross-functional projects. Be clear in setting individual and team priorities. Provide detailed guidelines, goals, and dates for projects. 

After setting initial expectations and goals, be prepared to address questions or clarify things as they come up. Once projects are underway, provide regular feedback to ensure expectations are being met.

It’s also important to be flexible and prepare to shift dates around if needed.

3. Overcommunicate when working in different time zones

Work-from-home jobs may provide remote employees the flexibility to work from anywhere. However, when people work from different time zones, response times are prolonged. To avoid losing time between exchanges, be as detailed as possible in your messages or emails. 

Here are some ways to do this:

Provide as much information upfront as possible

Specify project deadlines or when you need to hear back by

Link to resources or related discussion threads 

Supplement your message with images or screenshots 

Let team members know when you’ll be away ahead of time

Getting the hang of asynchronous communication will help you avoid losing time on projects and ensure your team has everything they need to move forward on their work. 

4. Record team meetings

Larger team meetings or all-hands meetings are good opportunities to connect with other team members and get company updates. However, not everyone may be able to attend these meetings due to time zone differences or if they’re out sick or on vacation.

To ensure that all team members feel included and have access to the same information, record and share these virtual meetings with everyone. 

This also goes for training sessions or other important presentations. Make the recordings and slide decks accessible so team members can review and get up to speed at their own pace.

Create ways to stay productive at home

Just because you're not in the office doesn't mean you can't be productive. Try these strategies to boost your focus while working remotely:

5. Find your productivity window

It’s helpful to knock out high-priority tasks in the morning, but working from home gives you the freedom to do your most important work when you’re at your most productive. 

Are you a morning person who loves to knock out tasks before lunch? Do you get your energy late in the day and even into the night? As long as you’re getting enough sleep and making time for yourself, schedule your high-priority work during your best windows of productivity. Then, you can do lower-priority work whenever you want. 

Recognize when your peak production hours are and schedule that time to do uninterrupted work. If it’s outside regular working hours, talk to your manager about creating a schedule that works for you. 

6. Combine your to-do list with time blocking

It’s easy to get off track or procrastinate when you’re working from the comfort of home, so it can be helpful to use time management or task management strategies. For instance, you can use to-do list software and time blocking to schedule tasks in order of importance.

Visualizing your tasks can help you stay on track and get things done on time. If you start the day with a clear idea of what you want to accomplish, it’ll help you focus on finishing one task at a time and prevent multitasking. 

7. Limit distractions

When your personal and professional lives intertwine at home, external interruptions during work hours are inevitable—understandably so. That said, you can also take steps to limit distractions as much as possible.

Here are some things you can do to reduce distractions when working:

If you don’t need your phone, set it to silent or airplane mode

Disable app notifications during designated focus time

Wear noise-canceling headphones to block out distracting sounds 

8. Commit to heads-down time

Even when working from home, it’s necessary to tune out coworkers sometimes. If you need to commit to a project for a little while, turn off chat and email notifications so you don’t find yourself scatterbrained.

Take advantage of status updates in chat to let your team know when you’re in focus mode. Make sure you’re scheduling head-down time the same way you would a meeting.

9. Tackle high-priority tasks in the morning

As Mark Twain once said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning.”

When this quote is applied to task prioritization, it’s a sound piece of advice. By eating your “frog”—or tackling the biggest or most important task—in the morning, you’ll feel more accomplished and less stressed throughout the day as you move onto less demanding or time-sensitive tasks. 

You’ll likely be able to direct more of your undivided attention to a task first thing in the morning, since there will be more distractions later on as other tasks and notifications start to come in.

Optimize your space and your life

When transitioning to work from home, it’s important to create a space and routine that will support your productivity. Try these techniques to optimize your work environment and schedule:

10. Create a morning routine

Transitioning to remote work might have thrown off your schedule, so getting back into a daily morning routine can help you feel ready to start your workday. 

Set up your own “commute” to ease into your workday. For example, get dressed like you’re going to work, take a shower, and make a cup of coffee. If you’re intentional about “going to work,” you’re also more likely to be productive . 

Similarly, you can also create a routine to wrap up your workday and decompress. For example, you could review what you finished for the day, change your clothes, and take some time to meditate or clear your mind.

11. Stick to a schedule

Telecommuting, hybrid jobs, and other home opportunities can come with the perks of flexible hours and convenience, but keep in mind that it may take longer to get things done if there are constant disruptions to your workflow. 

You don’t have to work a strict 9–5 day, but you should designate work hours and stick to them when possible to keep up a continuous workflow. 

Don’t forget to schedule breaks so you have time to recharge. Taking regular breaks lets your brain relax and refocus, helping you remain productive throughout the day.

It can also be easy to lose track of time when you’re working online, so using time-tracking software can help you follow your schedule. 

12. Define a separate physical workspace

It may be tempting to work from your bed or the kitchen, but your productivity might take a hit since there are distractions all around you. It’s better to separate your home life and work environment so there are clear boundaries. 

If you don’t have a separate room to use as an office, carve out a section of any room as your workspace. Invest in a good desk and chair so that you can work comfortably and focus. 

Having a designated workspace can get you in the right mindset for work and signal to other members of your household that you’re at work. 

13. Create your ideal office

Working from home gives you the power to create the office of your dreams. You can get the standing desk you’ve always wanted or finally play your working music out loud without distracting anyone. 

Being the architect of your own office allows you to craft a space where you’ll be happy, and therefore more productive. The most important thing is to create an office where you’ll be comfortable and focused. Limit the distractions around you but also design a space you won’t dread going to every day. 

14. Declutter your workspace

It can be hard to focus on work when your desk is messy. Research has shown that clutter can make us feel more stressed and anxious. 

To avoid this, take the time to come up with a system to organize your workspace at home. A tidy workspace will save you time in cleaning and finding things you need.

Here are some ways to stay organized:

Develop a digital or physical filing system for organization

Organize your browser’s toolbar with bookmarks and frequently used features

Declutter your desk during breaks

At the end of the day, leave your desk the way you’d like to see it the next day. 

15. Communicate expectations to your housemates

To keep everything running smoothly both at work and at home, it’s crucial to set expectations for your housemates. 

Let them know your work schedule as well as how to reach you while you’re working. 

If you’re a parent and you’re sharing caregiving responsibilities, coordinate your schedules accordingly. For example, you can divide the day into shifts, alternating working and focusing on child care.  

It’s a good idea to set expectations for your housemates on how to get your attention during work hours. For example, when your door is closed, it means they should slide a note under the door instead of knocking. 

Communicating this will help prevent conflicts at home and hopefully set clear work expectations. 

16. Align your skills with a WFH role

If your current job doesn’t let you work from home, consider exploring some roles that let you stay in your pajamas. There are a number of ways to work from home, so look for a position that matches up with your skill set. Some popular work from home jobs include: 

Blogger: One of the most popular and inexpensive work-from-home jobs, blogging truly offers the freedom to work whenever and wherever you want. However, you have to be patient, as it can take some time to build an audience and bring in revenue. 

Online educator: Online education provides an alternative for teachers who prefer to work in a virtual classroom. This profession ranges from tutors to K–12 and adult learning teachers. 

Virtual assistant: Virtual assistants handle administrative tasks like scheduling appointments and booking flights. Working largely behind the scenes, virtual assistants can perform their duties from the comfort of their homes. 

Transcriptionist : Transcriptionists transcribevoice recordings into writing. This job requires training and certification, as it demands precision and patience. 

Editor : Being an editor requires focus and precision. Editors are experts in refining written work so it reads well, speaks to the correct audience, and is free of grammatical errors. 

Website tester: Web testers gauge the performance and user experience of a website. If you have an eye for good web design and a background in computer science, you’ll likely be a good web tester. 

Bookkeeper: Bookkeepers manage financial documents and offer recommendations on spending trends. You don’t need a degree or certification to become a bookkeeper, as most gain experience and training on the job. 

Support your remote team

Even if you can't see your teammates in person, you can still connect with them virtually. Here are some ways to stay in touch with your team and make sure they feel supported:

17. Recognize your team’s successes

It’s important to recognize and celebrate team members’ contributions so they feel valued and motivated. Whether it’s through an email or a public shout-out on chat or during a meeting, find ways to show your appreciation and support.

This type of recognition is also a way to model positive behavior and performance for other team members to follow.

18. Provide opportunities for team engagement

Working remotely can get lonely since it can be harder to connect with other team members. But it doesn’t have to be that way. To keep your team engaged, create opportunities for social interaction. 

Here are some ways to engage your team:

Do virtual team-building activities

Schedule social hours

Share some team motivational quotes

Connect through virtual lunches or coffee breaks

These activities not only help team members feel connected but are also good ways to strengthen team bonds, which improves cohesiveness and collaboration.  

Configure your remote collaboration tools

When working remotely, the number of emails you send and receive will likely go up, so you need to make sure you can access your work email from home. 

In addition to emails, every team uses different tools to collaborate. Your team should decide on what tools to use for messaging and video conferencing, as well as keeping track of projects. 

Agree on the remote collaboration tools your team needs and check that all your login credentials work ahead of time. Make sure you have solid Wi-Fi so you don’t risk losing your work or cutting out of meetings.

20. Implement a team collaboration tool

Managing remote teams requires a lot of flexibility when it comes to scheduling. You might have to learn how to use a new set of tools, embrace asynchronous communication , and get creative with problem-solving. 

It’s also beneficial to set up a centralized project management platform where you can plan and track your team’s projects and tasks. You can do this by building spreadsheets, creating shared folders for each project, or using project management software to automate processes. 

With a robust project management system setup, team members will be able to find the information they need and submit deliverables in one place, reducing the number of extra emails and meetings.

21. Schedule regular check-ins

Communication is key when it comes to collaboration, and even more so when working in remote teams. 

To maintain communication, schedule regular meetings with your direct reports, whether it’s daily, weekly, or every other day. By holding these check-ins, team members will be able to address things that are hard to convey over email or chat. You’ll also be able to get more detailed updates on how your teammates are doing. 

Here are some talking points you might want to include in the meeting agenda :

Get updates on current projects

Give feedback on past or current projects

Check on teammate’s overall well-being

Discuss upcoming projects 

Provide additional resources or training

These can help create a more productive and engaging meeting. 

Prioritize your mental health

Remote work can pose challenges to our mental health—like unclear boundaries and a feeling of isolation. Here are some strategies to nurture your mental and physical well-being while working from home:

22. Reach out to other team members

The isolation of remote work can take a toll on our mental health. Having a network of people that you can reach out to can be immensely beneficial.

Find a work buddy that you can connect with and reach out to share challenges and successes, work- or non-work-related. That way, you can also continue to build work relationships even when you can’t meet each other in person. 

Additionally, bring up any concerns with your manager. They’ll be able to readjust your workload or provide mental health care resources as needed. 

If you need to rearrange your work hours or have questions about taking mental health days, reach out to your human resources team for support. 

23. Schedule time for yourself

Setting up a structured routine is important when balancing work and hobbies. How detailed you get with your plan is up to you, but in general, creating a rough schedule of daily tasks can be helpful to keep yourself accountable. 

It is especially important to make time for the things you love. It can be easy to make work your first priority, but penciling in time for yourself can decrease the likelihood of burnout in the long run. 

Your personal schedule could include tasks such as:

Take a 15-minute walk

Read a chapter of a book

Call a friend or family member

It’s a good feeling when you get to cross those activities off your list at the end of the day, and it can help fuel your passion for work the next day. 

24. Practice gratitude

Without face-to-face collaboration, it’s easy to feel like the work you’re doing is less personal, and therefore less important. 

When reviewing work or collaborating on a project, let your coworkers know that they’re doing a great job. A simple kudos or short message celebrating someone’s progress can go a long way. 

25. Be patient with yourself and those around you

This tip applies to both working parents and those without kids. Whether you have distractions around you or are merely distracting yourself, patience is key. 

You can only direct your attention to so many things at once, so at times you may need to ease up on rules. For instance, it’s OK to allow yourself to take incremental breaks. Just don’t drop the ball on work deliverables.

Balancing work, self-care, and relationships with those around you can be tough. Planning in advance is immensely helpful, but even so, unexpected things can always come up. Let your team know when that happens and figure out a backup plan. 

Above all, be patient with yourself. Accept the fact that some days will be better than others, since everyone needs time to adjust.

26. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule

As work hours become more flexible, it can be tempting to stay up later to watch Netflix or sleep in until noon. However, disrupting your circadian rhythm might leave you with varying energy levels or fatigue throughout the day.

It’s recommended that adults get seven or more hours of sleep each night. Stick to that rule of thumb so you’ll be able to feel your best at work and maximize your concentration.

27. Set work boundaries

When the boundaries are blurred between home and work life, it can feel more difficult to separate the two. In fact, 71% of workers experienced burnout in 2020. Plus, 87% of employees report working nearly two hours later every day.

To prevent burnout and achieve proper work-life balance, it’s crucial to set clear boundaries, which is where creating a schedule comes in handy. Define your work hours and when people can contact you. 

Once you’re done with your workday, leave everything work-related until the next day—even those emails that come in after work. Take time to focus on yourself, your hobbies, and your relationships. 

28. Take breaks from screens

Staring at a screen for hours on end and processing large amounts of information can be physically and mentally exhausting. 

Whenever you have a longer break, step away from the screen to give your eyes and your brain a rest.

Cut back on social media

Go on walks during breaks

Turn off work notifications until the next workday 

Put away your work equipment after work

A change in scenery can also help you get your creative juices flowing. 

29. Prioritize exercise

While working from home allows you to spend more time on the couch, it’s important to implement regular exercise into your schedule. 

Whether it’s a run before work or a walk during your lunch break, exercise gets your endorphins flowing and keeps your brain sharp throughout the day. Try starting your day with a workout or doing some midday yoga. See if these changes affect your productivity. 

30. Take time off

Just because you’re not going into an office every day doesn’t mean you don’t deserve time off. 

Time off is more important now than ever. With looser hours and fewer boundaries, it’s pivotal that you schedule time off and take mental health days. If you take a mental health day, try to stay active. You can do activities like:

Exercising 

Reading and writing

Meditating 

Catching up on tasks around the house 

Calling a family member or friend 

Doing one of your favorite hobbies 

Make sure your team is prioritizing time off and mental health days, even in the era of remote work. 

Boost your productivity at home

It takes some time to get the hang of balancing home and work life, whether you work at a startup or enterprise business. Stay flexible and communicate your needs with your team as you go.

Once you’re equipped with the right tools and home office setup , you’re ready to settle into remote and tackle working from home. Don’t forget, work-from-home jobs have their benefits, especially when you practice some of these remote work tips.

Related resources

What is a workcation? (And when should you take one?)

6 ways to develop adaptability in the workplace and embrace change

5 steps to creating a stakeholder engagement plan

Return to office: 7 ways to help your team do great work

Kinda Frugal

16 Fun Work-From-Home Jobs That Are Hiring Now

Posted: February 10, 2024 | Last updated: March 4, 2024

Have you ever considered trading your daily commute for a short walk to your home office? What about swapping those formal suits for comfy pajamas? Yes, we’re talking about working from home!

And no, it’s not just for freelancers or entrepreneurs – you can do plenty of fun and exciting jobs right from your living room.

Companies are hiring for these positions right now – so if you’re ready to explore the top 15 fun work-from-home jobs that are hiring at this instant, keep reading.

1. Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistants are in high demand, and it’s not hard to see why. With the rise of remote work, companies increasingly seek versatile professionals who can provide administrative, creative, or technical services from a home office.

As a Virtual Assistant, you could manage emails, schedule meetings, create content, and more while wearing your favorite comfy clothes. To get started, you need a reliable internet connection and a knack for organization.

Some experience in administrative work can help, but many companies offer training. You can find opportunities on job platforms like LinkedIn, Fiverr, Upwork, or specialized Virtual Assistant job boards.

2. Customer Service Representative

Home-based Customer Service Representatives are becoming hot in today’s job market . Companies need these professionals to provide round-the-clock support to their customers, offering convenience for both parties involved.

As a Representative, you’ll handle queries, solve problems, and keep customers happy, all from the comfort of your home.

Experience is often preferred but not always necessary – check out job boards like Indeed or FlexJobs to find companies looking to fill these roles.

3. Social Media Manager

Working from your home as a Social Media Manager has never been more in demand. With the rise of paid social media skills, businesses are searching for savvy digital experts to manage their online presence.

As a Social Media Manager, you’ll create and curate content, engage with followers, analyze performance, and drive brand awareness across multiple platforms.

No specific degree is required, but familiarity with social media platforms and marketing strategies is necessary. Create a solid online portfolio, then explore job postings on LinkedIn, Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer platforms.

4. Content Writer

Content is king, and the demand for talented writers is always high. From copywriting to blog writing to social media content, businesses rely on skilled writers to convey their message and convince customers.

If you have a way with words and a passion for storytelling, consider working as a Content Writer from home.

You can find opportunities on job platforms like LinkedIn, Fiverr, and Upwork. Or, you can create your portfolio and reach out to businesses or agencies directly.

5. Web Designer

Web Designers working from home are in high demand these days. Why? Because every business, big or small, needs a well-designed website to reach its audience effectively.

Your role as a Web Designer will be to create visually stunning and user-friendly websites that reflect the brand’s identity. Knowledge of design principles and proficiency in design software are key.

Although a degree in related fields can give you an edge, your portfolio is your most significant selling point. Search for opportunities on popular job platforms, and let your creative skills shine.

6. SEO Specialist

In today’s digital age, an SEO Specialist job is a hot ticket. Why? Every business wants to be visible online, and that’s where SEO specialists come in.

These experts optimize websites to improve search engine rankings, making them easier to find and increasing traffic. A good understanding of SEO practices and analytical skills are vital for this role.

No specific degree is required, but relevant certifications can give you an edge. To get started, build your website or blog to showcase your SEO skills and apply for roles on job platforms.

7. Graphic Designer

Graphics such as ads, logos, and illustrations are essential to the modern business world – visual content is the most effective way to grab people’s attention.

As a Graphic Designer, you’ll create engaging and appealing visual content for businesses. You must have skills in design software, typography, and creativity to excel.

You don’t need any degree or previous experience to get started, but you’ll need a portfolio that showcases your design skills. It’s a high-competition field, so keep practicing and looking for opportunities on job platforms.

8. Bookkeeper

Businesses these days have a lot to do – marketing, product development, and customer service are priorities. So they don’t want to spend more time on their finances.

They outsource their bookkeeping work to professionals, making the Bookkeeper job demand high. You must be good at math and using financial software such as Quickbooks or Xero.

While it’s not a requirement, a degree in accounting or finance can give you an edge. You’ll also have to build a portfolio of your work and market yourself to small businesses.

9. Illustrator

Like graphic designing, illustration is a form of visual art businesses use to convey their messages.

As an Illustrator, you’ll create original and unique designs for companies to use in various forms, such as ads, packaging, and social media posts.

You have to be good with tools like Adobe Illustrator and understand color theory, composition, and typography. You can find jobs on freelance platforms, by contacting agencies on social media, or by cold emailing.

10. Video Editor

Videos are the most engaging form of content for businesses. As a Video Editor, you’ll be responsible for combining footage and audio to create compelling videos for different purposes, such as ads, YouTube tutorials, or social media posts.

You need advanced skills in video editing software like Adobe Premiere and After Effects. You need a captivating portfolio to showcase your work and attract clients on freelance platforms or through networking events.

11. Online Marketer

Those days are gone when TV and newspaper ads were the only way to reach a wide audience.

With the rise of social media and online platforms, businesses invest in Online Marketing professionals to grow their online presence and attract customers.

From social media to search engines like Google, Online Marketers use various channels to promote a company’s products or services.

As an Online Marketer, you must have excellent communication skills and a deep understanding of online marketing strategies and tools. You can find job opportunities in digital marketing agencies or work as a freelancer for multiple clients.

12. Voiceover Artist

Ad agencies, YouTube Channels, and businesses with visual and audio content need a voice to narrate their videos.

As a Voiceover Artist, you’ll be responsible for recording voiceovers for commercials, animations, audiobooks, and more.

You can take voice acting classes and learn about recording equipment and techniques to improve your skills.

You need to have a clear and pleasant voice, good pronunciation skills, and the ability to convey emotions through your voice. You can find work on freelance platforms or contact businesses directly to offer your services.

13. Transcriptionist

A Transcriptionist listens to audio files and converts them into written documents, such as meeting minutes, interviews, podcasts, or lectures.

The job of a Transcriptionist requires excellent listening skills, attention to detail, and fast typing speed. Transcriptionists can work for various industries, including legal, medical, or media companies. It’s flexible; you can work from home and choose your hours.

You can find opportunities on freelance platforms or find work through transcription companies.

You can take online courses and practice transcribing different audio files to improve your skills.

14. Consultant

The role of a Consultant is increasingly sought-after in the home-based job market . Why? Because businesses value the insight and expertise that consultants bring.

As a Consultant, you’ll provide professional advice to organizations to help them solve problems, improve performance, or make decisions. You might specialize in a specific field like marketing, HR, or IT.

Identify your expertise and build a strong portfolio showcasing your skills and experience.

15. Software Developer

In the digital era , Software Developers are in high demand. Every sector needs digital solutions, and that’s what software developers provide.

From creating apps to developing systems, they use their coding prowess to solve problems and improve efficiency. This job can be done entirely from home so that you can work with clients worldwide.

There’s no specific degree required, but proficiency in programming languages is a must.

16. Proofreader

And last but not least, we have the role of a Proofreader.

Proofreaders are responsible for reviewing and correcting written documents for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting errors. They work with different types of content like books, articles, websites, or advertisements.

To become a proofreader, you must have excellent language skills and attention to detail. Go to freelance platforms to find clients or LinkedIn to connect with businesses that need proofreading services.

Work From Home Is So Much Easier Now

Working from home has never been easier, thanks to technology and the rise of remote work opportunities. But remember, working remotely requires discipline and time-management skills. The competition could be high, but remote work has endless possibilities if you have the right skills and experience. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and explore different options in the virtual job market.

18 Jobs Where Skills Trump Intelligence

Our society often judges people’s intelligence based on their professions. While it’s an unfair practice, some jobs have unfortunately been associated with a stereotype of lower intellectual capabilities. Let’s dispel some misconceptions as we explore 18 professions unfairly branded as “requiring less brainpower.”

12 High-Paying Jobs That Are Perfect for People Who Want a Better Work-Life Balance

Welcome to the hustle and bustle of the 21st century, where time is money, and work-life balance seems like a far-off dream. But what if I told you there’s a way to work less and make more? Yes, you heard it right! This article will reveal 12 high-paying jobs perfect for those who crave a healthy bank account and a balanced lifestyle.

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• Your Health
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Health Inc.

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For patients with disabilities, this doctor prioritizes independence — and fun

Dan Gorenstein

Leslie Walker

Kevin Carlson, with nurse Joshua Lee (right) and respiratory therapist Eric Mathewson (left), watches a WWE match on October 2, 2023 in San Jose, Calif. Gabriel Torres hide caption

Kevin Carlson, with nurse Joshua Lee (right) and respiratory therapist Eric Mathewson (left), watches a WWE match on October 2, 2023 in San Jose, Calif.

From his seat in the stands, Kevin Carlson's eyes lock on a giant of a man straddling the top rope of the ring.

Carlson, a self-described WWE wrestling junkie who has cerebral palsy, boos the reviled wrestler along with the other 15,000 fans who pack the arena in downtown San Jose, Calif.

As the 62-year-old watches the giant fly across the ring landing on top of his opponent, a respiratory therapist suctions Carlson's lungs, and a nurse checks his catheter.

Carlson is here because his health care team snagged a row of wheelchair-accessible tickets, packed up extra ventilator batteries and oxygen tanks, and shuffled staffing schedules to free up three workers to accompany Carlson for the night.

Holistic health care like this is rare among the country's 2 million adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Carlson's doctor, Clarissa Kripke , says this is what it looks like when health care "does better" by people with disabilities; it takes money, effort and, importantly, the conviction that sometimes physical health takes a second seat to joy. Kripke's goal is to provide care that extends beyond medical transactions.

Investigations

A hospital is suing to move a quadriplegic 18-year-old to a nursing home. she says no.

"Health care is about helping people to participate fully in their lives," Kripke said, "not just about curing disease."

A promise of 'less restrictive living' for people with disabilities

Twenty-five years ago this June, the Supreme Court's landmark Olmstead v. L.C. ruling slammed the door on a dark era in U.S. history: decades of states institutionalizing hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities like autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in the majority opinion that locking people away had denied them "the pleasure of ... less restrictive living."

Kevin Carlson enjoys the wrestling match in San Jose with a nurse and respiratory therapist. Gabriel Torres hide caption

Kevin Carlson enjoys the wrestling match in San Jose with a nurse and respiratory therapist.

Since then, the number of people in large, state-run facilities has plummeted from nearly 200,000 in the 1960s to below 20,000 today. People with Down syndrome now live close to 60 years on average, compared to just 26 years in 1950.

But according to the 30 sources Tradeoffs spoke to, the freedom to live fuller and healthier lives remains elusive for many.

One key culprit is the U.S. health care system. The evidence suggests that the patchwork of doctors, hospitals and insurers that has replaced institutions as people's go-to source for care is falling short, limiting people's independence and harming their health.

Patients too frequently meet doctors and nurses who are untrained and uncomfortable caring for them; struggle to enter inaccessible exam rooms; and encounter insurers who deny their requests for essential equipment.

A limited but troubling body of research captures this system's shortcomings, showing that these patients are less likely to get preventive care such as dental exams and mammograms , and are more likely to take avoidable trips to the emergency room.

"People with intellectual disabilities need to be treated and respected the same way that we do every other patient who shows up at the doctor," said University of Chicago public health researcher Harold Pollack. "We are a long way from that."

Kripke, a family physician and University of California, San Francisco professor, has devoted her career to blowing up the obstacles patients with disabilities face.

Over the last two decades, in collaboration with partners like the advocacy organization, The Arc San Francisco and the Health Plan of San Mateo , a county-run health insurer, Kripke has gradually reshaped care for adults with complex disabilities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The doctor has turned the traditional primary care model inside out. She's ditched the typical rushed, 15-minute visits in cramped exam rooms, and instead heads out to the small group homes where her patients live.

House calls, said Kripke, allow her to ask questions like, "How do you want to spend your day? Where do you want to go? What do you want to do?"

Dr. Clarissa Kripke making a house call to the group home where Kevin Carlson lives. Kripke focuses on holistic care to give people with intellectual developmental disabilities the best quality of life possible. Leslie Walker/Tradeoffs hide caption

House calls and 'hidden work'

Kripke has developed a unique way to deliver care, particularly for those with complex medical needs.

She relies on staff in group homes — she calls them her eyes and ears — to monitor people's health and their progress on personal goals, like taking more outings or gaining life skills.

It's a level of attention that requires follow up and follow through, or what the doctor calls "hidden work" — coordinating with specialists or appealing insurance denials. Kripke estimates that for every hour of direct patient care, she spends another six on these other tasks — roughly triple what doctors caring for other types of patients spend.

Rather than billing for every test she runs or call that she makes, Kripke charges each patient's insurer or group home a flat monthly fee. She caps her patient-list at 100 people — less than 10% of the lengthy roster a typical primary care doctor manages.

Kripke's approach has paid off for Carlson. During a visit to his five-person group home in Redwood City last fall, Carlson said proudly that his weight had climbed from a dangerously-low 70 pounds to 111 since Kripke took over his care. Staff also slashed through insurer red tape to secure Carlson, a naturally gregarious guy, a speaking valve that helps him communicate while on his ventilator.

It's unclear if Kripke's model reduces spending; her program has yet to be studied. But perhaps the clearest sign it's a good deal: Group homes choose to pay her fee when, instead, their residents could get treated at local clinics for free.

Potentially, the longer Kripke keeps the most medically complex patients living in the community, rather than an institution, the bigger the payoff. Carlson's group home, for example, costs Medicaid and the state of California roughly $27,000 a month, whereas an intensive nursing facility — runs closer to $34,000 .

When problems land people like Carlson in the hospital, as his kidney stones sometimes can, Kripke keeps a close eye on her patients' care there, too, and believes that helps them get home sooner and in better shape. That, theoretically, could save taxpayer-funded programs like Medicaid and Medicare money.

More training and a better pay structure could spread the model

Kripke estimates some 50 other doctors in the country are honing innovative models to deliver high-quality care to this population. She, herself, has trained thousands of caregivers, advocates and providers.

Yet, it will be difficult for approaches like hers to spread more widely without more training for frontline clinicians. The workforce lacks both specialists for people with the most complex conditions and primary care providers with the insight to respectfully treat patients with disabilities.

"It's as hard today for adults with developmental disabilities to find attentive, loving, expert care as it was in the early 2000's when I was starting out," Kripke said.

A recent national survey of physicians found just 4 in 10 felt "very confident" in their ability to provide the same quality of care to patients with a disability as those without one. Only about 15% of U.S. medical schools have joined a national initiative to bolster training.

Without more pay, many clinicians may be reluctant to invest the extra time and training to do this work. A bipartisan House bill introduced in 2023 — the so-called HEADs UP Act — would boost certain payments for providers serving this population.

Ari Ne'eman , who served on the National Council on Disability during the Obama administration, said scaling work like Kripke's requires both insurers and providers to make big shifts.

"We really need additional training," he said, "And we need to ensure that [pay is] aligned with the amount of time it takes physicians to provide competent and accessible care to people with disabilities."

New federal rules signal hope

Kripke's approach is focused on caring for adults with the most medical needs — a small slice of the broader disability community. New and forthcoming federal regulations aim to improve care and inch closer to delivering more independence for all U.S. adults with developmental disabilities.

Starting last year, group homes began facing closer scrutiny over the amount of privacy and autonomy they offer residents, for example, locking their bedroom doors or setting their own schedules.

Federal officials expect to finalize rules this spring that target discriminatory policies like relying on the inaccessible medical equipment that still litters America's hospitals or putting people with disabilities at the end of the organ transplant line.

"It is critical that people be able to get in the door and that people be able to get on the table," said Alison Barkoff, who leads the Administration for Community Living at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "The lack of accessibility has been a huge barrier to preventative health care."

People with disabilities can spend months — even years — wading through webs of approvals to get critical care, like more help at home or a new wheelchair. A regulation finalized this year to take effect in 2026 requires Medicaid and private Medicare insurance plans to make faster, more transparent decisions about whether they will cover these services.

'There's a waitlist for everything'

Better health care is one piece, advocates say, in their decades-long fight to help people with disabilities live more independently. What's also required is an expansion of a wide range of services, from housing to help preparing meals.

"There's a waitlist for everything when you have a disability," said Melissa Crisp-Cooper, who has cerebral palsy and works for The Arc San Francisco .

A lack of paid health aides who help people shower, shop and get to work have led to fewer options. "Because of low wages and a lack of respect," said Barkoff, "we are at a point where the vast majority of providers are turning down referrals and even closing services ."

Between 200,000 and 700,000 people are waiting for at least one service they need to live in the community, and some data suggest Black and Hispanic people are hardest hit.

Some family members of people with disabilities — and even doctors — frustrated by these resource constraints insist that a return to larger, institution-like settings is necessary.

"That's just not true," said Kripke.

Over her 20-year-career, she's seen enough proof that people can thrive outside of big institutions — even patients with the most complex needs, like wrestling fanatic Kevin Carlson.

"People didn't know that could be done before," said the doctor, but now that they do, the onus is on policymakers — and the health care system — to make living freer and fuller a reality for all.

This story comes from the health policy podcast Tradeoffs . Dan Gorenstein is Tradeoffs' executive editor, and Leslie Walker is a senior reporter/producer for the show, where a version of this story first appeared. Sign up for Tradeoffs' weekly newsletter to get more health policy reporting in your inbox.

• cerebral palsy
• intellectual disabilities