Learning English is quite hard work, both for native speakers and people who started learning it from scratch. While teachers organize your work during classes how they see fit, this article will tell you all about the best tips to make the work you do at home much easier.

Stick to a schedule

While this first tip might seem trivial, most people postpone doing their assignments until it is way too late. Then they are either too tired to focus and therefore make a lot of mistakes that could be easily avoided or they decide that they will not be able to do everything in time and give up entirely. It is crucial that you figure out when can you do your homework earlier in the day, while you can still think straight. Doing your homework at the same time every day will soon become a habit and you will forget all about the long nights of catching up with all the work that could have been done earlier.

Create your workspace

Doing homework while slumped on a couch may not seem too bad, but our brains associate laying down with rest and not with work. You will need to create a space that is suitable for writing or working on a computer. Here are the basic tips:

  • Choose a location in your room with good overhead lighting or get a desk lamp.
  • Get a comfortable chair to sit in while working on more lengthy assignments.
  • Buy some folders for your papers and organizers for your supplies to keep the workspace clean.
  • Make sure to have as little distractions as possible near you, like a working TV or relatives/roommates having a conversation
  • If you work a lot with a computer, you should consider getting a wireless mouse and keyboard. The fewer wires you have to worry about, the more efficient your work will be.

Work with friends

Any language is much easier to learn while practising, and English is no exception. Working in a group will be a fun way to do your homework in a creative way. Need to learn some new words? Try creating dialogues with them, as using them in sentences will help you memorize them. Need to learn a new tense or rule? Create a competition for the best sentence you can come up with while using it. Be creative, brainstorm ideas, help each other if one of your struggles have a great time with your friends while also learning something new.

Create goals and award yourself

Lack of motivation is something that a lot of students struggle with. There is a simple trick to motivating yourself to do homework. First, you need to set your goals for the day. For example, write an essay, learn 25 new words, read a text and do a quiz on it. Now, every time you reach one of your goals, you can make up a reward for yourself. It can something like eating one of your favourite type of candy or watching ten minutes of your favourite show. Soon you will notice that not only did you start working much quicker, but the thing that you like is that much more enjoyable because you earned them with hard work.

Be in the right mood

Although it was mentioned before that you should not do your homework last minute, you should not sit down at your desk as soon as you get home. It is very important to be on the right mindset for your English homework. If you are exhausted from a long day of learning, take a nap or relax on the couch. If you are hungry, have a nice dinner. Have a glass of water close to you in case you get thirsty. You should be at your best when starting your homework, so make sure to be refreshed and ready for action.

Avoid getting stuck

Sometimes, while working on an essay or another type of assignment, a person can experience a thing called “writer’s block” or “brain freeze”. If this happens, do not panic. You are most likely not out of ideas, it is just a way for your brain to ask for a break. Take 15 minutes to relax and think about something else entirely, maybe do a little stretching or eye exercise. Never allow yourself to just blankly stare at your paper or screen for minutes at a time while not getting anything done.

In the end, here’s what you need to do to make your English homework easier:

  • Create a schedule and stick to it;
  • Organize your workspace;
  • Do your homework with your buddies;
  • Motivate yourself;
  • Be in the right headspace;
  • Take a break if you feel stuck.