Set Up Your Homework Space in 5 Easy Steps
It’s already August! The new school year will begin before you know it. And before you’re too caught up in the executive function challenges that come with learning your new schedule, becoming accustomed to your new teachers, and keeping on top of assignments, it’s worth taking some time right now to set up your homework space.
Why have a designated homework space? Can’t you just camp out in your room or at the kitchen table? While either of those can certainly become your designated homework area, there’s more to setting up a space than just choosing, well, the space! Here are five easy steps to organizing a homework space and getting a jump on school year success.
1. Choose your space wisely. Put some thought into how your study habits align with where you choose to set up. Do you study best when it is quiet? Then perhaps the family room, where the TV is always on and people typically gather is not your best choice to focus on your homework. Are you distracted by snacks? Maybe the kitchen counter is a no-go for you. There is no one right answer as to where the best place in the house is to study, except that it’s wherever the environment is most conducive to your concentration.
2. Minimize clutter. Start the school year with a clean slate – literally. A cluttered work area makes it difficult to find things, and that eats into the time actually spent doing homework or studying. Clear out and organize your space in advance, before school starts. That way you’re prepared from day one.
3. Keep supplies on hand. Inventory your homework space periodically to make sure you have all of the supplies you need. Laptops and other devices should be charged, pencils should be sharpened, pens shouldn’t be out of ink, paper should be easily accessible. You get the idea! Make a list of all of the supplies you think you’ll need to start the school year. It’s a great excuse to get Mom or Dad to take you on a Target run!
4. Keep the space only for homework. Routines are very important for students with ADHD and executive function challenges. Having a space set up for homework and only homework helps flip your mindset into schoolwork once you sit down. You may come to find that even when you’re not motivated to do your homework, sitting down in your homework space is like a muscle memory that helps kickstart the routine.
5. Keep finished assignments easily accessible. Another important yet often overlooked part of setting up your homework space is making sure your completed assignments are easily seen and accessible. After all, you’ve expended all that effort to organize your space and complete your assignments – you don’t want to forget to turn them in when they’re due! One strategy is to keep finished assignments with you in your binder so that they’re ready to go, but if that’s not workable for whatever reason, do make sure that you have an inbox or folder of finished work that you can easily find and grab when you need it.
Here's to a successful, and successfully organized, school year!