How to Do Homework in the Morning

Co-authored by Jennifer Kaifesh and Amber Crain

Last Updated: June 28, 2021 References

If you want to get some homework done in the morning, that's awesome! Just make sure you get everything ready the night before so you can get right to work in the morning. We've created a list to help you do just that! We'll start by walking you through some ways to prepare the night before and then share a few pointers to help you have a stress-free morning.

Method 1

Method 1 of 10:
Figure out how much time you'll need in the morning.

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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.^{[1]
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- Don't forget to leave plenty of time for eating breakfast and getting ready!
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Method 2

Method 2 of 10:
Leave your homework out so it's ready to go.

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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.^{[2]
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- If you think you might need stuff like a dictionary, graph paper, or a ruler, go ahead and grab it now.^{[3]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 10:
Pack your lunch and set out your clothes at night.

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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.^{[4]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 10:
Set your alarm to wake you up in the morning.

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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.^{[5]
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- 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.

Method 5

Method 5 of 10:
Go to bed at a sensible hour so you won't be tired.

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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.^{[6]
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Research source} 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.^{[7]
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- Put your phone on a sleep timer if your friends have a habit of calling or texting you late into the night.
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Method 6

Method 6 of 10:
Sit at a desk or table to finish your homework in the morning.

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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.^{[8]
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- 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!

Method 7

Method 7 of 10:
Do logic-based homework first.

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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.^{[9]
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Method 8

Method 8 of 10:
Get up and move around if you start to feel sleepy.

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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!^{[10]
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- Be careful not to get distracted! Limit your break to 1-2 minutes.

Method 9

Method 9 of 10:
Leave enough time to get to school before the first bell.

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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.^{[11]
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Method 10

Method 10 of 10:
Give yourself more than a day for tough assignments.

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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.^{[12]
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- 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.^{[13]
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Community Q&A

Question

My teacher often gives me one new assignment every class period. I finish the last one, but then I have to finish the new one for the session, and I'm falling behind. What do I do?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Talk to your teacher after class and let them know you're struggling. They may not know that the homework is too much, so the students need to let them know. Ask if there's anything you can do to ease your workload.
Question

I need to finish 6 assignments in less than an hour. I don't have time to make a list or plan things out out. How will I do it all in time?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Get rid of any distractions so you can focus really hard for the next hour. Work on one task at a time and finish each one before you start another. Just do the best you can! If you find that you're struggling to keep up on a regular basis, you might want to talk to your teacher about it.
Question

What do we do if we´re not done and the teacher won't give an extension?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

All you can do is talk to your teacher and let them that know you're struggling to finish the homework on time. If you have to turn it in now and they won't budge on it, just turn it in unfinished. It's better to turn in partial work instead of turning in nothing and getting a zero!
Question

What should I do if an alarm also doesn't wake me up?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Ask someone in your family to get you up if your alarm clock isn't doing the trick. If no one in your family can do that, put the alarm on the loudest setting possible. Go through the alarm sounds and use the most annoying one available. Then, put your alarm out of reach across the room so you have to actually get out of bed to turn it off. If that doesn't work, you may just be going to bed too late. Try hitting the sack earlier!
Question

How do I finish homework at school?

Community Answer

If you have a study hall period, do it then, or do it at lunch. If you really have to, you might be able to get away with working on it during a different class while the teacher is lecturing.
Question

How do I finish my homework when it's way past my bed time?

Community Answer

If you absolutely can't finish you homework at night, then try waking up early in the morning to finish it. Make sure you plan things out more carefully in the future so this doesn't happen again, it's really important to get enough sleep.
Question

How do I do 5-6 pages of homework at night without falling asleep?

Community Answer

Try drinking some caffeinated beverages and work near fluorescent lights. Also, make sure that you are working at a desk and are sitting up straight. Don’t do homework in a comfortable spot, because you may fall asleep there.
Question

How do I finish my homework at school in the morning before classes start?

Community Answer

Go to your school library, lunchroom, or a classroom with a teacher you know wouldn't mind you quietly working.
Question

What if I have homework and I want to do it in the middle of the night?

Community Answer

Set an alarm for the middle of the night. Take some time to complete your homework, and go back to sleep.
Question

How do I do homework in the morning if I have homework in a lot of subjects at the same time?

Community Answer

Do as much as possible the night before, so you aren’t as overwhelmed in the morning. Wake up as early as you need to, and make sure you leave enough time to get ready for school and eat breakfast.