The winter break is before us and, speaking for myself, procrastination is setting in. Case in point…I REALLY did not want to sit down and write this article for December. I came up with all kinds of excuses by thinking things like, “I have too many other things to do that are much more pressing.” Or, “Who really cares about homework tips and study skills in December, anyway?” Truth be told, I would prefer to finish my Christmas shopping, wrap a few gifts, sit under the beautiful lights on my Christmas tree sipping hot cocoa, and daydreaming about my upcoming family vacation.
BUT, it is not quite time to celebrate and I have to practice what I preach, so here I am…forcing myself to write! (Well, it is not quite that bad, but I would rather have a cup of hot cocoa right now.) So, I thought I would address the very topic that is plaguing me right now, as I’m sure most students and families are excited (or stressed) over the upcoming Holidays, too.
Fighting Procrastination Over the Holidays
It is very hard to concentrate and stay focused in December, but it is even worse after the new year. As the Holiday celebrations simmer down and the back-to-school blues set in, no one wants to do anything. When the alarm clock rings on that first back-to-school day in January, we’ll be wishing we could pull our warm, fleece blankets over our heads and hibernate through the rest of the winter (especially here in Michigan).
So, if you happen to have homework over your winter break, I am here to encourage you to do it *before* any of the festivities begin.
I know, I know…much easier said than done. But, imagine how much more enjoyable your time off will be when you do not have to worry about finishing that project, completing that assignment, or writing that report…because you have already finished it! Imagine how much more enjoyable January 1st will be when your parents ask, “Do you have any homework?” and you can reply, “No, it’s all done!”
This concept is something that we, as humans, always struggle with. It is called, “delaying gratification.” It means taking care of things sooner, rather than later, so you can save yourself bigger problems and hassles down the road. Even though it might seem very, very difficult to do your homework the day after school is out for winter break, imagine how much more difficult it will be to do it two weeks later, after you have grown quite comfortable in
your vacation schedule.
So, I have a suggestion…
Action Plan
This month’s action plan is really quite simple…make like Nike® and “Just do it!” (You’ve heard me say that before, haven’t you?) To make it a little easier on yourself, think of a reward you can give yourself when you complete your homework…an extra little Holiday present or treat to look forward to while you trudge through your homework.
Parents, if your students are out of school a few days before you are out of work, challenge them to complete their homework on/before your last day of work. If everyone has their homework done, perhaps you can treat the family to a movie or have an in-home movie night with everyone’s favorite take-out. Only you know what will really motivate your family, but the point is to provide some encouragement to help everyone have a better, more relaxed, Holiday break.
Conclusion
It is not easy to avoid procrastination over the Holidays and there are no short-cuts or excuses that will help the problem go away; but with a goal, a reward, and images of a homework-free vacation in front of you, you can break through the wall of procrastination and gain a sense of pride for delaying just a bit of gratification.
P.S. Funny thing…after putting this article off for a longer time than I should really admit, it ended up being the fastest article I have ever written! Go figure! Now, for some of that hot cocoa…
===================================================
Homework Rx Tools
===================================================
For Parents…
**Homework Help! Audio CD Set**
Our long-awaited “Homework Help! for Parents” is now available! This audio program includes strategies that parents can do to manage homework on the home-front. Parents of elementary, middle, and high school students will learn how to reduce homework stress, increase cooperation and communication, help students get organized, increase motivation and homework productivity, and more!
This three-CD set includes two audio CDs of focused, family-friendly solutions. The third disc includes: a printable e-book, a Homework Problems Inventory (to help you quickly identify
solutions to your homework problems), and a slide-show of related visuals, activities, and web links.
Take advantage of our 30% discount for Homework Rx subscribers, now through Tuesday, March 4th. Just enter the coupon code:
homeworkrx30.
To learn more or to order, click here:
http://www.soarstudyskills.com/parents-students/homework-help-for-parents-cd/
For Educators…
**SOAR® Study Skills Curriculum**
Many schools across the country have adopted the SOAR® book for their study skills curriculum! We offer volume discounts for educators and will be offering an additional discount for early orders. Within the next month, we will be rolling out our new curriculum set, including multi-media lesson plans for teachers.
Please respond to this message if you would like us to send you more information about the curriculum packages and discounts.
To learn more about the book, click here:
http://www.soarstudyskills.com/parents-students/study-skills-book/
For Educators
**Teacher In-Services**
If your school is looking for summer professional development and would like to help students learn how to organize and study more efficiently, consider a SOAR® Study Skills In-service for
Educators.
To learn more, visit:
http://www.soarstudyskills.com/educators/professional-development/study-skills-pd/.
