How to Do Homework in the Morning

Figure out how much time you'll need in the morning.

Review your assignments and estimate how long it will take you to finish each one. Once you know how much time you need to finish everything, you can decide what time you need to get up in the morning. Don't forget to leave plenty of time for eating breakfast and getting ready!

Leave your homework out so it's ready to go.

Organize your work now so you don't waste any time in the morning. Put your textbooks, worksheets, writing utensils, calculator, and whatever else you need for your homework on your desk. Make sure your workspace is set up neatly and everything is ready to go for the morning. If you think you might need stuff like a dictionary, graph paper, or a ruler, go ahead and grab it now.

Pack your lunch and set out your clothes at night.

Get everything ready now so you don't have to think about it later. Go ahead and pack up your backpack, make your lunch, take a shower, and lay out your outfit for tomorrow. Anything you can do now, do it! That way, you can devote most of your time in the morning to homework.

Set your alarm to wake you up in the morning.

Put your alarm out of reach so you have to get up to turn it off. If you tend to hit the snooze button when your alarm goes off, try leaving your phone or alarm clock on the other side of your room. That way, you have to get out of bed to turn it off! Once you're up, fight the urge to duck back under the covers. If you have a family member who wakes up early, ask them to make sure you’re awake in the morning and to wake you up immediately if you’re still snoozing.

Go to bed at a sensible hour so you won't be tired.

Kids need 8-10 hours of sleep to feel rested the next day. If you have to get up early for homework, make sure you go to bed early enough that you're still getting plenty of sleep. Power down your laptop and put your phone across the room so you won’t be tempted to scroll through social media or get distracted by anything else before bed. Put your phone on a sleep timer if your friends have a habit of calling or texting you late into the night.

Sit at a desk or table to finish your homework in the morning.

It’s hard to focus and get stuff done if you try to do homework in bed. It’s early, and your bed is warm and soft—don’t try to work there! You might get super tired or even drift back off to sleep. Get up to work at a desk or table and sit in a straight-backed chair that isn’t too comfy. If your bed is starting to look a little too appealing as you’re working at your desk, get up and go work at the kitchen table, just in case!

Do logic-based homework first.

It’s easier to focus on simple, logic-based work in the morning. Homework that requires abstract thought, like writing or artwork, can be tough to do in the morning since it can quickly lead to daydreaming. Do stuff like math, science, or vocabulary first to help you to focus. Leave your creative work, like essay questions, for last.

Get up and move around if you start to feel sleepy.

Walk around or do a few quick stretches to wake yourself up. If your attention starts to drift or your eyes are getting heavy, get up and spend a few minutes moving around. You can walk across your room a few times, get a drink of water, stand and stretch lightly, or even do some jumping jacks! Be careful not to get distracted! Limit your break to 1-2 minutes.

Leave enough time to get to school before the first bell.

Wrap up your work on time so you aren't late for school. Don't forget to give yourself time to eat breakfast, brush your teeth, and get dressed. You can do stuff like check your work and fix any last-minute mistakes once you get to school.

Give yourself more than a day for tough assignments.

Waiting until the last minute is stressful, especially if you don't have enough time. Don't put off tough homework until the day it's due, especially big assignments like science projects, essays, and book reports. It can help to get a planner or make a homework to-do list with all the deadlines listed so you can work on the big stuff in smaller chunks. If you're procrastinating because you don't understand the assignment, don't be afraid to ask your teacher to clarify! Ask for clear instructions and examples so you can get started.