Shine Bright & Start Strong: 3 Small Steps to Be More Organized & Efficient

Some issues we see often with our students is a lack of organization and smart studying. It’s challenging for a student who already struggles in a subject to do well if they aren’t keeping track of assignments or aren’t efficiently completing homework or studying. This is why our expert tutors teach our students to be more organized and work more efficiently, which we’ll also share below:

1. Use a calendar to track homework assignments & tests

With many teachers now posting assignments online, students might think they don’t need to keep track of homework because they can just look it up. But a calendar or planner where you have all homework and test dates listed for all classes is more effective than looking up each class assignment page.

For one thing, you have all your information in one place and you can use the online assignment page to double-check or see updates. Second, hand writing things is proven to help people retain information better than typing it or simply reading it.

And finally, it puts a level of responsibility on the student, which they will need, especially as they advance in their education. A high school student will be expected to be more responsible and autonomous than a middle schooler, and so on.

2. Put your phone on do not disturb

HLM’s next-level tutors always ask students to turn their phones on silent and physically put them away or move them to another room during sessions. 

The phone, especially one that buzzes every few minutes, is distracting for our students and makes it difficult for them to concentrate on lessons.

You can swear you’re the best multi-tasker in the world, but it is proven that notifications can and do adversely affect our ability to focus on tasks.

3. Set a timer

Homework can be daunting, especially if you’re looking at seemingly endless pages of reading or writing an entire essay.

To break the paralysis or “I don’t know where to start” mindset, set a timer and do as much work as you can within that time. You’d be surprised at how much you can get through in just 30 minutes!

This works well especially if you have lots of work to do for different subjects. Instead of getting overwhelmed, or wasting hours slogging through one assignment, a set time-frame anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour will force you to be efficient.

Reward yourself with small breaks between work, but make sure you set a timer for those too, so you can get back on track.

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These may seem like small things, but they can make a big difference in how organized and prepared a student feels and how efficiently they work.

Our tutors and educators aren’t just professionals in their field of study, but are also skilled at teaching organizational and key time management skills. These skills and study habits will benefit your student far beyond the classroom.

If your student is struggling in a subject, or just wants to get ahead, book a session with Hodis Learning & Music today!