Have you ever done your homework on the way into school on the bus? Let's be honest, it probably wasn't your best piece of work, was it?
Knowing when you work best can really help you to understand how you work best. Watch our short video and read the tips below and you might think twice the next time you reach for your pen and history homework on the school bus!
Our Homework Helpline heroes are comedians Louise Young, Inel Tomlinson, and actor Lenny Rush – happy to help!
Lenny: Okay, we've got all coming through.
Florence: Hello, my name is Florence. I'm in Year seven and my question is: I never know when's the best time to sort out my homework? After school or in the morning? Help.
Inel: Oh, I hear you Florence, I hear you. I was in the same position, I was always shattered. Like, doing more work was the last thing on my mind
Louise: But the experts say well, you know, it's not just what works best for you.
Inel: You've got to listen to your body and your mind, like some people they work great in the afternoon. Some people, it's the evening for them. For me personally, I like waking up really early and doing my work, and maybe that's what's best for you. As long as you have you breakfast and you don't miss your bus.
Louise: Oh, yeah, definitely. And I find if you do things sooner rather than later, the whole thing feels just much less daunting.
Inel: Yeah. There's a couple of times I tried to do my homework on the school bus, and let's just say weren't the neatest or the best so I wouldn't recommend it.
Louise: No, but you say that, and I actually really enjoy like writing on a train. But you can't really rely on it because you don't know what's going to happen. It could be chaos. It could be so noisy, it just might not work.
Inel: Yeah, or you might not get a seat.
Louise: There's that as well, yeah, and you have to ask yourself, I suppose, like am I more focused? Or would be more focused at home or in the library?
Lenny: Yeah, I think whatever or whatever time you decide this best for you, then you can reward yourself with little breaks.
Inel: This is what I'm talking about! You gotta reward yourself, maybe a little breather, glance out the window, that sort of thing.
Louise: You've got to think as well, what works for everybody else might not be right for you. You've got to sort of experiment and figure out how you work. Like, when are you your most productive? And if you're not sure, you may think I've got no idea, well, maybe ask someone who knows you really well and they might know when you're at your best you're in the day.
Inel: Yeah, exactly!
Louise: Right to recap. Find out when you're at your most productive, and if you're not sure ask someone for some help.
Inel: Yeah, find out whether working from home school or another environment is most productive for you.
Lenny: Whatever the best time of day is, try not to put your homework off for too long.
Louise: And there's loads more homework help tips and tricks on BBC Bitesize support.
Our expert's advice about when to do your homework
When do you work best?
Reflect on when you work best, and think about this as you carry out work. Do you find it easier to focus in the morning or the evening? Do you find it better to get down to your homework as soon as you come in from school, or do you need a bit of time to relax first?
Be honest with yourself
If you quickly get distracted by other things, and homework gets pushed back to later in the evening when you’re tired, change your routine. It’s generally best to get on with homework as soon as possible, and to try not to let it build up.
Location, location, location
Think about where you choose to complete your work. It might feel efficient to complete your homework on the bus or train to school, or during your lunchbreak, but consider whether you are really focussing on it as fully as you would if you did it once you got home.
Reward yourself
You might find it works well to have regular breaks, and to reward yourself after half an hour of solid work, before returning to your homework again.
Get into a routine
The important thing here is to develop an effective routine that works for you. As the pressure and intensity of homework increase throughout the school years, you'll feel equipped to keep up with it. The other key thing is to adapt your routine if it’s not working, even if that means you get slightly less time playing on your games console!
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.
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