how to make a good homework schedule

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6 Tips for a Homework & Studying Schedule That Actually Works

Waiting until the last minute to cram for a test or to write an essay isn’t just going to make your life more stressful. It’s also less likely to produce the results you want.

Studies have shown that the most effective way to retain new material is with spaced repetition . This means engaging with the concepts consistently over a longer span of time.

If you want to cut down on the all-nighters, try these six easy tips to create a homework and studying schedule that actually works.

1. Review Your Homework in Advance

First, set some time aside at the beginning of your semester or school term to look over your assignments. Make sure you understand:

• What each one entails
• How much time each task will take
• Its due date

Then, check to see if you need any additional resources. For example, you may need a library book to complete an assignment. Nothing will throw off your schedule more than sitting down at your desk only to find out that you don’t have what you need to do the work. Reviewing your assignments before they’re due will help with efficiency once you start working.

2. Make Your Schedule as Specific as Possible

Once you have a list of everything you need to do, turn it into a daily or weekly schedule. Decide which tasks you want to do first and when. Then, you can write it in a planner or use an Excel template to create a printable homework chart.

Avoid generalized terms like “study Spanish for two hours.” Otherwise, you’ll be tempted to fill the time with the easiest task that falls into that category.

Instead, list specific items like, “write book report” or “study flash cards.” This way, you know exactly what you need to do and are less likely to put it off.

3. Find Your Preferred Study Routine

Sometimes you have to do homework when you’re tired or aren’t feeling well, but that doesn’t mean you should totally ignore what your body’s telling you.

According to the latest research , multiple 40-minute study sessions can be more productive than three-hour chunks. Experiment with studying at different times of day and for varying lengths of time.

Take notes about which sessions were productive and which ones weren’t to help you figure out your ideal study routine.

4. Download a Studying App

There’s no denying that phones can be distracting while studying. But if you use them wisely they can be a lot of help.

Use flashcard apps to create your own flashcards and gamify your study experience. These apps help you study in small bits throughout the day plus you won’t have to carry physical flashcards around with you.

There are other apps to help you learn a language, practice math, or take better notes . You can also use a homework scheduling app and color-code your assignments by subject.

5. Create a Productive Workspace

Using the same workspace every day can help you stick to your homework schedule. Avoid distracting places like the living room or kitchen, and try not to work on your bed or in front of the TV. Even small things, like making sure your laptop is charged or putting on your favorite study playlist, can make a big difference in your productivity.

Ideally, you should set aside a desk in a quiet room that’s comfortable enough to sit at for a few hours at a time. The more you use it for studying, the more you’ll associate it with productivity and be in the right headspace to get work done.

For some tips on how to get started, check out our guide on how to create the perfect homework environment .

6. Ask for Help if You Need it

Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out for support. Even if you have a good grasp on the material, sometimes studying alone can be isolating.

From joining an online study group to hiring a professional tutor for your SATs, there are plenty of ways to get outside support. You can ask a friend or parent to check in on your progress or proofread your assignments before you submit them.

Whether you’re in middle school, high school, or college, homework never really goes away. But you can make it more manageable with these six helpful homework and studying schedule tips.

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Here’s the Best Study Routine (Day & Night with Sample Schedule)

Let’s face it: your search history is probably filled with queries like “best study techniques” or “how to focus better.” Most of what you find is either too generic or not tailored to your learning style. We’re here to offer something more substantial — a scientifically-backed guide to crafting the best study routine. Let’s dive in!

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Table of Contents

How to Make a Study Routine

• Sample Study Routines (Day & Night)

Best Techniques for Your Study Routine

Creating an effective study routine isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Here’s a breakdown to help you tailor a study routine to your unique schedule and academic needs.

• Evaluate your schedule: Before building your study routine, closely examine your daily schedule and commitments. When do your classes start and end? Do you have any extracurricular activities? Do you have to work after class? By understanding your daily schedule, you can create a more personalized study routine.
• Set realistic goals: Have you ever told yourself that you’d finish reading 10 chapters of your textbook in a single all-nighter? You’re not alone in falling into this lie countless times. That’s why breaking down larger academic goals into smaller, achievable tasks is a must. You need to be able to set specific and realistic goals for each study session.
• Plan study blocks: After being honest with yourself about your goals, decide how many hours a day you would dedicate to studying. It could be as short or as long as you want — as long as you guarantee that you can maximize your study time. The quality of your learning is more important than the quantity or amount of hours you put into studying!
• Create a distraction-free environment: Spending 10 hours studying is useless if it’s broken up scrolling through social media. Because of this, it is important to minimize distractions during your study sessions. You can do this by finding a quiet, clutter-free space where you can concentrate fully. Turn off your phone and use website blockers like Cold Turkey to maximize productivity.
• Organize your study materials : A well-organized set of resources can save you time and stress. Check out our post on the best Notion templates for students for some inspiration.
• Prioritize sleep and schedule: Studying is important, but so is your physical health! Your cognitive abilities are directly linked to your wellbeing. Make sure you get enough sleep and fit in some physical activity to keep your mind sharp.
• Stay consistent: If you start committing to your planned study schedule as much as possible, it’ll eventually become second nature and make it quicker to dive into a state of deep focus every time.
• Be flexible: Life happens, and things don’t always go as planned — and that’s okay! It just means that your routine might need adjustments from time to time. Don’t be too hard on yourself, and learn to adapt to changes in your schedule. If you accidentally missed a study session, relax and just pick up where you left off.

Sample Study Routines to Follow

Morning & afternoon study routine.

If you’re an early riser who enjoys soaking up the morning sun, a daytime study routine is perfect for you. Studying in the morning has the added advantage of being in line with our natural body clock since alertness is at its peak in the morning and early afternoon.

Here’s a sample schedule that you can follow:

• 5:30 AM – 6:15 AM: Rise and shine! Kick-start your day with a healthy breakfast. You can also try to engage in a short meditation or stretching session to feel more awake.
• 6:15 AM – 6:30 AM: Grab a pen and paper or your digital notepad so that you can set your study goals for the day and specific tasks you need to accomplish.
• 6:30 AM – 7:30 AM: Time to exercise! You can do any form of physical activity, from light cardio (like walking) to lifting weights in the gym.
• 7:30 AM – 9:30 AM: First study block (or attend your classes). Start your timer: 25-minute study with a 5-minute break, repeat 4x, then a long break — or use a timer that automatically does it for you .
• 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Take an extended break. Stretch, grab a snack, and breathe some fresh air. Look away from your screen to minimize eye strain.
• 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Second study block (or attend your classes). Start your timer and finish another full Pomodoro session (25-minute study with a 5-minute break, repeat 4x, then a long break).
• 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Lunch break! This is the perfect time to refuel your body with nourishing food and prep for your afternoon study session.
• 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM : Third study block (or attend your classes). Don’t forget to use techniques like active recall and mind mapping (more on that below) to reinforce the concepts you learned in the morning.
• 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM: Time for another extended break. Why not walk to a nearby café for a change of scenery, or go to a virtual café ?
• 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM: Final study block (or attend your classes). Use this final session to consolidate your learning and list areas requiring further attention.
• 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM: Free time! Reward yourself by unwinding and relaxing after a productive day. Pursue your hobbies, spend time with friends and family, or watch a movie .
• 9:30 PM – 5:30 AM: Get a good night’s rest to feel fully recharged the next day!

Nighttime Study Routine

Not everyone is made for a daytime study routine. You might just feel more productive at night, or maybe you’ve got daytime commitments like a job or other extracurricular activities. If you’re a night owl and not an early riser, give this sample nighttime study routine a whirl:

• 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Boost your energy with a late-day workout. This will help set your mood for your upcoming study session.
• 6:00 PM – 6:15 PM: Grab a pen and paper or your digital notepad to set your study goals for the night and specific tasks you need to accomplish.
• 6:15 PM – 8:15 PM: First study block. Start your timer and finish a full Pomodoro session (25-minute study with a 5-minute break, repeat 4x, then a long break). Try starting with lighter subjects first to ease yourself into the night.
• 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM: Dinner time! Have a nutritious meal to fuel yourself for the long night ahead.
• 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM: Second study block. Start your timer and finish another full Pomodoro session.
• 11:00 PM – 11:30 PM: Take an extended break. You can even take a power nap if you want to. Just make sure to set an alarm to avoid oversleeping!
• 11:30 PM – 1:30 AM: Third study block. Start your timer and finish another full Pomodoro session. Try switching to a different subject to keep things interesting!
• 1:30 AM – 2:00 AM: Relax and recharge for a while. Don’t forget to stay hydrated and have a light snack if you want to.
• 2:00 AM – 4:00 AM: Final study block. Review the material you studied during the whole night. Why not try to use the Feynman technique to test your learning? (check it out below)
• 4:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Go to bed and make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. Make sure to turn off your devices and create a relaxing bedtime routine.
• 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Time to wake up! Sustain your body’s needs by eating your first meal of the day.
• 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Free time! Ideally, you should engage in activities to help unwind and clear your mind. You should also eat your second meal of the day during this period.

With a general framework in place and some sample routines to try, let’s explore some scientifically-backed techniques to enhance your study routine.

Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time-tested and community favorite strategy that breaks your study time into 25 minute intervals, followed by short breaks. It helps your brain stay focused and reduces fatigue.

Luckily, you can use dedicated free Pomodoro-focused tools like Flocus to automatically switch between study and break periods instead of winding up a manual timer for each interval.

Don’t know what to do during your study breaks? Here are some Pomodoro break ideas . Also, if you think that the Pomodoro technique isn’t for you, we’ve rounded up some of the best Pomodoro alternatives to try.

Active Recall

Active recall beats passive learning hands down. Instead of simply reading through material, this method challenges you to recall information from memory. In fact, passive learning is considered one of the least effective study methods. Active recall may be challenging to get used to at first, but the amount of retained information you’ll get will make the process worth it! When it comes to active recall, nothing beats the use of flashcards — whether handwritten or created using digital apps such as Anki .

Mind Mapping

If you are visual person, then this strategy is perfect for you. Mind mapping is a visual technique that helps you organize and understand complex information. Basically, it’s creating a map of your thoughts! Start with a central idea and then let it branch out by adding related subtopics and ideas. Feel free to add colors and images to make it even more memorable and effective. Just the process of creating the mind map itself already helps you solidify your understanding of the topic.

Feynman Technique

This technique, inspired by the learning approach of renowned physicist Richard Feynman, involves breaking down complex ideas into simpler terms — as if you’re teaching a concept to a total beginner. While doing this, you’ll probably identify gaps in your knowledge and better understand the topic. Generally, if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.

Ultimately, the best study routine is the one that fits your unique lifestyle. Experiment with different schedules and see what works best for you. Whether you’re an early riser or a night owl, consistency and dedication are the keys to academic success. Take time to craft your best study routine, and you’ll be acing your exams in no time!

What is the best study routine and schedule for you? Any other study techniques you want to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Gridfiti is supported by its audience – when you buy something using the retail links in our posts, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.  Read more  about our affiliate disclaimer.

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6 ways to establish a productive homework routine

Assistant Professor of College Learning Strategies and Instruction, Syracuse University

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Janine L. Nieroda-Madden does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Homework. Whether you’re a fifth-grader or a freshman in college, the mere thought of homework can be overwhelming. And actually doing homework can be quite difficult. But homework doesn’t have to be something a student dreads.

As a former high school English teacher and researcher who specializes in what it takes to make it through college – and a co-author of a forthcoming revised edition of a book about academic success – I’ve studied homework since 2010. Here are six ways I believe homework can be made more manageable and valuable, whether you’re in elementary school, high school or graduate school.

1. Set priorities

Establish a list of priorities based on the class syllabus or assignment list. This can be helpful for tackling difficult tasks, creating motivation and activating your sense of control and independence when it comes to learning. The priority list helps maintain goals and gives you a sense satisfaction to cross things off the list as they are completed.

2. Tackle difficult tasks first

Start with your most difficult assignments first in order to make the most of your energy level and to focus at the beginning of a work session. You can attend to the easier or less time-consuming assignments at the end of a work session.

3. Break tasks down to smaller steps

You may not know how to start a major task, which could trigger procrastination or feelings of defeat. To guard against this, break major tasks into three or four smaller steps. Within one homework session, you can feel a greater sense of accomplishment by completing each small step toward the larger whole. In some cases, you might be able to spread these tasks over the course of a week.

4. Create evidence of learning

You will get more out of the time you spend reading, reviewing notes or otherwise “studying” if you create something in the process. For example, creating flash cards, a graphic organizer, chart, or notes with bullet points can help you become an active learner rather than a passive one. Organize the tools you create with the homework assignment by date and topic so that you can review those items to prepare for quizzes, tests or projects.

5. Build a network of support

If certain homework problems could not be solved and you’re stuck in a rut, figure out what’s confusing you and write or record your thoughts. Jot questions down and be as specific as possible in order to seek out additional support from teachers or tutors. The more you can identify sources of confusion, the more you can proactively reach out to your support network – teachers, tutors and others – in order to get additional help.

6. Revisit goals and set new ones

At the start of each homework session, establish goals for completion of your tasks or assignments. Revisit the goals at the end of the session and acknowledge a sense of completion. This goal-setting process builds confidence over time and helps you realize their potential even when faced with difficulties. A productive homework routine will help you realize that learning is an ongoing journey. The journey may be difficult but getting organized will make it as stress-free as possible.

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How to Do Homework: 15 Expert Tips and Tricks

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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How to Create an Effective Study Timetable | Planner & Schedule

How to Create an Effective Study Timetable | Planner & Schedule

Crafting a killer study timetable is a great tool to improve your productivity and focus. Many students, particularly those prone to distraction and procrastination, find study timetables a very effective way to stay focused and on track with their studies. Study planners are also a great way to manage all of your responsibilities for both your school and personal life, helping you manage your workload and get better grades.

Why is a Study Timetable Effective?

Before we get into the step-by-step of how to set up your study timetable for school, let’s go over why this can be so useful! A well-planned study timetable offers several benefits:

• Time Management: A study timetable helps you allocate your time efficiently, ensuring that you allocate enough time to each subject or topic.
• Consistency: Regular study sessions can help reinforce your learning, making it easier to retain information and perform well in assessments.
• Reduced Anxiety and Less Stress: Setting up realistic study expectations can reduce the pressure you put on yourself as well as increase your confidence that you’ve prepared properly for your tests.

How to Set up a Study Timetable for School:

Step 1: organize your schedule with the mystudylife student planner app.

Begin by efficiently managing your schedule using the MyStudyLife study app . This powerful tool will help you streamline your academic commitments and set the foundation for an effective study timetable.

Step 2: Understand Your Responsibilities vs Free Time

After pinpointing your objectives and top priorities, it’s time to evaluate the daily time you can allocate to your study sessions. Consider factors like your class timetable, work responsibilities, and any other unchanging commitments. It’s crucial to maintain a realistic perspective when scheduling study hours to prevent overwhelming yourself.

Step 3: Create a Weekly Overview

Now, it’s time to create a weekly overview of your study timetable. Start by dividing your week into days, taking into account weekends and any days off. Each day should have a clear structure that includes time blocks for studying, breaks, meals, and other activities.

Step 4: Allocate Time for Each Subject

Next, allocate time slots for each of your subjects or topics. Try to determine how much time you will need for each subject. This will get easier to know over time- but you can usually figure this out based on your past grades and how difficult you find a subject to learn. Don’t fall into the trap of focusing on your easier subjects and ensure that you distribute your subjects evenly throughout the week to prevent burnout. Be sure to think about if it’s a small quiz or a final exam .

Step 5: Set Specific Study Goals

To make your study timetable even more effective, set specific study goals for each session. Instead of just saying, “I’ll study math for two hours,” specify what you intend to accomplish during those two hours. For example, “I’ll complete two math practice sets and review the last two chapters.”

Setting specific goals helps keep you focused and motivated during your study sessions.

Step 6: Include Breaks

Remember that breaks are essential for maintaining productivity and preventing burnout. Schedule short breaks between study sessions to relax, stretch, and recharge. A well-loved technique is the Pomodoro Technique, which involves 25-minute focused study sessions followed by a 5-minute break.

Step 7: Make time for Self-Care and Prevent Burnout

In addition to adhering to a well-organized study timetable, it is imperative to prioritize self-care. Refrain from pushing yourself to the limits of exhaustion. Instead, allocate time for breaks and relaxation to maintain your mental and physical well-being. Overdoing it can ultimately lead to you getting burnt out , which makes being productive next to impossible. Keep in mind that breaks are just as important as work time.

Step 8: Review and Revise

Your study timetable is not set in stone. Periodically review your timetable to assess your progress and make necessary adjustments. If you find that a particular subject needs more attention, reallocate your time accordingly. Regularly reviewing and revising your timetable ensures that it remains effective and aligned with your goals.

School Schedule Planner

You’re only a few clicks away from creating a daily, monthly, or weekly class schedule for school. free, available on your phone or computer, online or offline, and customizable..

Additional Tips for Success

• Create a Study-Friendly Environment: Choose a quiet, well-lit, and comfortable space for your study sessions. Minimize distractions, such as your phone or social media, during your study time.
• Use Technology to Your Advantage: There are various apps and tools available that can help you organize and stick to your study timetable. Some popular options include Google Calendar, Trello, and dedicated study apps like MyStudyLife’s daily school planner .
• Seek Support: If you’re struggling with certain subjects or topics, don’t hesitate to seek help from teachers, tutors, or peers. Collaborative study sessions can also be beneficial.
• Prioritize Your Wellness : Try to get as much sleep as you need and be sure to fuel your mind with brain-boosting foods . Exercise is another crucial part of this, so try to find a way to move your body in a way that is sustainable for you. This can be anything from a short walk to intense workouts!
• Reward Yourself: Incorporate rewards into your timetable to motivate yourself. For example, treat yourself to a favorite snack or short leisure activity after completing a study session.

In conclusion, your study timetable is your strategic tool for academic achievement. It’s not just a schedule; it’s a plan for success. Maintain its structure, adapt when needed, and watch your progress unfold. Now, embark on your journey toward academic excellence with confidence and determination.

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How to Create a Homeschool Schedule (with 10 Sample Schedules & Template)

Jeanne faulconer, m.a..

As a homeschool evaluator in Virginia and a homeschool mom for 20 years, I've worked with hundreds of kids in families who have used all kinds of weekly homeschool schedules.

In this post, I will explain some of the many different types of homeschool schedules that families have successfully implemented, including examples and a template for you to use to create your own.

As you read over the many different ideas below, keep in mind that homeschoolers sometimes find families have to change their approach and their expectations or do things a different way. Adapting to what works best for your family is part of the wonderful flexibility of homeschooling.

Video: Homeschool Schedules Overview with Jeanne

Tips for creating a homeschool schedule, 10 example schedules & template printable, homeschool schedule faqs, the effective homeschool schedule.

Creating an effective weekly schedule can look different for each family. Some families have schedules that look like school schedules, but most families use the flexibility of homeschooling to create a weekly schedule that is customized for them. How do you make a homeschool schedule that works?

Here are some tips that will help you to avoid pitfalls as you create your family's schedule.

• Start with a broad view of your typical weekly and monthly activities. With a firm grasp of those basic commitments and the needs of your family in mind, you can develop a good plan for an effective homeschool schedule.
• Before you start thinking about your typical homeschool schedule for the week, put your weekly and monthly commitments and kids' activities on the calendar so you can take them into consideration. Then focus on a creating a basic homeschooling schedule for your week around the basic commitments and responsibilities.
• Include your household weekly/daily routine in the basic commitments you include on your calendar. You will need the cushion in your schedule for these non-homeschooling responsibilities.
• Evaluate whether consistency in your daily homeschool schedule is important to you. Some of the options result in each daily schedule being different, while others may look the same each day of the week.
• After deciding on the basic schedule that will work best for your family, keep your initial planning and work assignments to a month or less until you see how the schedule is working for you. If you need to switch gears, you haven't wasted time on schedules that will need to be reworked.
• Do not plan to start off in high gear. Doing too much, too fast, and for too long often results in burnout—your kids' and yours. Instead, invest in the process of deschooling before jumping into a new schedule with both feet.
• Consider starting with one academic subject at a time and adding in more over days or weeks. Many experienced homeschoolers even do this when transitioning to each new school year.

Here are some of the different schedules I have seen work to create a productive homeschooling week. I have included pros and cons for each type of homeschool schedule, and we've put together a free printable with sample homeschool schedules since seeing an example of each schedule type can be helpful.

The Traditional Five-Day Week Schedule

Pros: Works well with pre-planned curricula

Cons: Does not take advantage of the flexibility homeschooling offers

Yes, many follow a homeschool schedule that looks similar to a school schedule, doing five or more academic subjects each day for all five week-days. This can feel familiar, and many curricula make the assumption that this is the schedule you'll follow, so if you're big into pre-planning and use a formal curriculum, the five-day school week may be the schedule for you.

The Four-Day Week Schedule

Pros: Leaves a free day for other activities; the homeschool day closely matches the public school day of other neighborhood kids

Cons: May require adjusting pre-made lesson plans

Some families do traditional academics Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and leave the fifth day free. This often morphs into "Field Trip Fridays," either as families or members of the same homeschool group or co-op plan field trips for the end of the week. Even though some families may not take a field trip every Friday, they leave that day open for errands, appointments, library day, and a head start on weekend trips. Some curricula offer both four- and five-day plans, built right into their materials.

The One-Subject-a-Day Schedule

Pros: Allows more in-depth study and less time refocusing

Cons: May require review due to longer time between covering subject material

Other families divide their learning into traditional school subjects and address one subject each day. For example, they might do math on Mondays, English on Tuesdays, science on Wednesdays, social studies on Thursdays, and electives or "anything else" on Fridays (art, music, foreign language, etc.). The order  might vary from family to family, but the idea is to focus on one subject more thoroughly and in-depth on each day.

The One-Subject-a-Day- Plus Schedule

Pros: Allows more in-depth study and less time refocusing but allows for more repetition where needed

Cons:  May require review on less frequented subjects; some kids resist repetition of more frequented subjects

The parents and/or kids in families using this type of homeschool schedule like delving deeply into one subject per day, but they also want to do some of certain specific subjects every day. The "plus" is commonly math practice, memory work practice, and/or language arts, so they'll spend time  every  homeschooling day doing those added ("plus") things, followed by one other subject.

For example, on Mondays they might do math and spelling, followed by science. On Tuesdays they might do math and grammar, followed by history. On Wednesdays they might do math and writing, followed by geography. And so on.

For a younger child, the language arts portion might be a reading lesson or reading practice each day. For a child who wants to write or who needs practice, it might be writing each day.

Memory work, which is an approach some families might take for learning facts like state names and locations, multiplication tables, geologic time periods, or U.S. presidents, is obviously something that works better when revisited frequently.

In any case, homeschool parents using this kind of weekly homeschool schedule may have several things that are done daily because they are seen as the priority or because they are "practice-oriented," while they designate other subjects for each day to give time for real exploration. If science can take up more time on Tuesday instead of switching from subject to subject every 45 minutes to an hour, then you have time to watch a documentary, read a passage, and do an experiment, all related to the same scientific concept. You will be building a lot of context for that science learning all within the same day, making it easier for a child to make connections rather than shifting gears constantly.

The Co-op-Driven Schedule

Pros:  Helps families be more realistic about the amount of time a co-op commitment takes

Cons:  Can sometimes squeeze out time at home and relaxed learning opportunities

Some families belong to academic homeschool co-ops that meet on a regular schedule, commonly once per week. While some co-ops are self-contained, with the kids doing enrichment learning at co-op with no expected follow-up, other co-ops have the core academic subjects. Students are expected to do assignments at home and study for tests given by co-op teachers.

Parents will arrange their weekly schedules at home to help their children prepare for the coming classes at co-op. In my homeschooling life, I've been involved in Monday co-ops, Wednesday co-ops, and Thursday co-ops, some of which had homework expectations and some which did not, driven by the type of learning situation my kids wanted. If the co-op has the core academic classes a parent or child wants covered, then other academic interests that are independent of the co-op are also worked in around co-op homework, spread throughout the other days of the week.

The University-Model Schedule

Pros:  May cover all subjects with teachers who are experts in their fields

Cons:  Not a good fit for kids who are not traditionally academic or have poor executive function skills

In some states, there are university-model homeschool co-ops where classes meet twice a week, using the same type of scheduling you'd commonly find on college campuses. A student might attend four classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and have Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to complete homework at home. At other such co-ops, a child might be in the classroom four days a week, with a Monday/Wednesday set of classes and a Tuesday/Thursday set of classes.

Yes, this really does become somewhat more like a private school (and some private schools do operate this way), but in some cases, the kids really aren't there more than several hours per day and don't have access to the kind of comprehensive services that a school offers. Their education continues to be directed by their parents, and there is no official diploma awarded by the co-op.

Obviously, this kind of co-op has a lot of the same kind of scheduling and homework challenges that attending school has. On the other hand, it may give students access to teachers who are more expert in their fields or to a more structured type of learning that they want or that the parent is seeking.

These kinds of co-ops may sound like a dream come true for someone who has recently taken a child out of school in order to homeschool ("They cover all the subjects!"), but don't be fooled; using a co-op as a replacement for school does not always work well, especially immediately following withdrawing from school. Instead, consider deschooling first.

Some families use this kind of block scheduling at home without attending a University-Model school. Implementing this model at home is more flexible for students who are not working on the same grade level in all subjects and for families who like the block scheduling but don't want to (or can't) participate in a co-op.

The Shift-Work Schedule

Pros:  Can tag team homeschooling between parents; kids see more of their employed parent(s)

Cons:  Odd schedules can make sports, activities, and social time more difficult to arrange; hard to homeschool when neighbor kids want to play after their school

Some families have a parent who is working a more unusual shift or schedule, such as a hospital nurse or a firefighter who works three or four days on with three or four days off. Homeschooling can be coordinated to take place while  the parent is working -- if the other parent is an at-home parent doing the homeschooling. This way time off can be maximized with togetherness rather than worries about academics.

Another approach may be scheduling the academics purposely during the off shift. This way, in a two-parent family, both parents can participate in the homeschooling, or in a single-parent family, the homeschooling can take place during time off with child care covering the work hours.

You can definitely create a homeschool schedule that takes your work schedule into account.

The Extracurricular and Class-Driven Schedule

Pros:  Can increase commitment to specific priorities like sports or a special class

Cons:  Easy to over-schedule and leave too little time at home

In a large or busy family, extracurricular activities, sports, volunteering, and classes in the community go on the weekly schedule first. For example, the local science museum may be offering an eight-week class in archaeology on Tuesdays, and all three kids go for piano lessons on Thursdays, followed by library story hour. Fridays may be the day that your family volunteers at the animal shelter or at the food pantry.

Families who make liberal use of these kinds of resources work other academics around these outside activities. I have known many families who have found that their kids took off with Scouts and 4-H projects to the extent that they actually became a large part of their academic learning, so prioritizing them made sense.

Just as a matter of practicality, outside activities aren't going to bend to your personal schedule unless you are the organizer, so putting outside commitments on the calendar first is just a reality, especially as children get older.

Sometimes the "other things" on the calendar really do drive your homeschool schedule, and that's okay!

The What-We-Need-to-Do and What-We-Want-to-Do Schedule

Pros:  May help develop executive function, planning skills, and creativity if parent partners with child or teen

Cons:  May be easy to leave kids on their own without resources they need for their studies and projects

Families who use project-based homeschooling , interest-based homeschooling , unschooling , unit studies, and interdisciplinary homeschooling may not find school subjects or community activities to be the most compelling aspects of their weekly schedule. Instead, their homeschooling may revolve around where the project or interest or study leads . Their days of the week are organized around what they need and want to do to follow up on interests or projects.

That might mean a day at home to research and plan and make lists. This might be followed by a day out to shop for supplies and materials. Then a day at home to build and create the project, along with more list-making and research for another round of resource-gathering. There might need to be a day to visit with a mentor or go to the library for books, or a day to wait for help from Dad or Aunt Janie.

Homeschooling parents using one of these approaches may keep their weekly schedules fluid and ever-changing with each project, or they may have designated days that they know they will "stay home" or "be out," and they tack on what is needed for the week's learning to certain days. That way, material gathering will always be done on Tuesdays -- a designated "out" day, while kids can look forward to help and undisturbed time for working on projects on Wednesday -- a designated "home" day.

The Alternating Home/Out Schedule

Pros:  Balances time at home with time going to classes, sports, co-op, and errands

Cons: Outside activities may not fit your out days; packing so much into "out" days is challenging with babies and young children

In fact, many homeschooling families, especially those with young children, find that a mainstay of organizing their homeschool schedules is that alternating pattern of home- and out-days. A big day of errands, lessons, grocery shopping and volunteering needs to be followed by a slower paced home-based day to give everyone time to recover and have time for reading, playing, exploring, and helping with home maintenance. This may especially be true for people living where there are a lot  of activities available to homeschoolers, so they have to be careful not to over-schedule.

However, it can also be a wise rhythm for families who live in rural areas who have to drive long distances to activities: scheduling firm home days can be a relief from being in the car too much and valuing outside activities over home-based ones.

The home/out alternating schedule also provides relief for both your extroverted children and introverted children -- who can look forward to having time to recharge with the level of interaction that helps them function best.

How do I create a homeschool schedule?

• Put high priority weekly and monthly activities on a weekly schedule worksheet first—things like library days, homeschool co-op, music lessons, sports practices, and grocery day.
• Consider grouping some regular “out-of-the-house” activities on the same day. 
• Look at days without outside activities and the time between commitments.Those days and those blocks of time are the time you can help your child learn at home. 
• If you are using curriculum, space lessons out in the available time, leaving time for meals and breaks. If you are using an interest-led or project-based approach, you’ll want a more fluid schedule that includes time to gather resources or meet with mentors. 
• If shift work and employment are part of your picture, you’ll account for work schedules, so you can homeschool around work commitments. 

We have example schedules in this post for many different scenarios, and our free printable with example homeschool schedules includes blank worksheets you can customize with your activities.

How many hours a day should I spend homeschooling?

There are two factors when deciding how long to homeschool each day: what’s effective and what’s required . 

Most states do not have any required hours while a few states require homeschooling parents to log hours in writing. Homeschoolers in your state can give you tips for meeting requirements. If it’s not required in your state, you do not need to meet a certain number of hours “just in case,” and your homeschool day does not need to look like a school day. 

Remember, you aren’t teaching a large “class” of students, and your children are also learning when you are not actively teaching. You may formally work with a kindergartener or first grader for an hour, spread out during several parts of the day because of short attention spans. 

A six year old may have an attention span as short as eight to ten minutes! But lots of things count: following a recipe while cooking with Mom or Dad, listening to a bedtime story, watching a dinosaur documentary, gathering wild flowers and talking about how they need sun, earth, and rain to grow.

As kids grow older, homeschooling can expand to fill more hours of the day. Remember that insisting on completion of a lesson, chapter, or complete problem set may not be as effective as stopping after a certain amount of understanding or effort. You’re homeschooling—you can meet the needs of your child rather than your curriculum. 

How many days a week should I homeschool?

Homeschool for the number of days each week that creates a positive experience for you and your kids. 

Many curricula assume five days a week or have a second option for four days a week. However, you can spread lessons over more or fewer days depending on what works for your family. This may vary from year to year and even from child to child and subject to subject! 

Some homeschoolers homeschool year round and don’t worry about a certain number of days each week. Some homeschoolers do not separate “homeschooling days” from “non-homeschooling days,” since learning happens all the time. That five-day-a-week “schedule” originates with schools rather than families and may not apply to your family. That’s especially true if you’re using resources rather than a paced curriculum or if you are homeschooling through projects or your child’s interests. 

Check your state law to see if there are requirements for tracking hours or days of homeschooling, and learn how homeschoolers in your area meet the requirement. There is often more flexibility than you expect.

What does a homeschool day look like?

While many families start with a schedule planned to the clock, a flexible approach is to start with a rhythm or routine, often organized around meals, snacks, the baby’s naps, afternoon walks, or other “anchors” to the day you choose. This way, you and the children always know, after breakfast, you gather to read aloud and have “morning time” discussions. Then math. After math, a snack and time to walk the dog. Then a music listening activity or science documentary during lunch, and so on. 

Homeschool days vary so much depending on the ages of children in the family, how many outside activities they are involved in, and whether parents are employed outside the home. One family’s days may involve theater rehearsal twice a week at 1 pm. Another family may do farm chores before breakfast. 

While some parents structure their days so all homeschooling is done in one block, other parents may discover that after 45 minutes of concentration, the kids do better if they play outside for an hour and then resume homeschooling. If you could peek into the homes of a hundred different homeschooling families, you’d see a hundred different homeschool days, most looking not very much like school schedules. You can structure your homeschool day so it works for you and the kids. 

How do I loop a schedule for homeschooling?

To create a loop schedule, list all the homeschool subjects and activities you’re planning to do. Begin with the top item on the list, and then spend time each day working on “what’s next” on the list. 

If you get through three subjects on Monday, then on Tuesday, begin with the fourth subject on the list. Perhaps you get through just two things that day, so on Wednesday, start with the sixth item, and so on. When you get to the end of the list, loop back to the beginning, no matter what day it is.

You can have “repeats” in your list intentionally, so you hit those activities or lessons more often. You can also mix and match looping with one of the other approaches to scheduling. Commonly, parents might do math and language arts every day, but create a list of looped studies or practices for history, science, music, art and interest-led learning.

Looping might be activity-based rather than subject-based, too. Instead of listing English, math, science, history and so on, you might list activities such as read aloud, nature walk, handcraft/art, project time, etc.

You can fit “what’s next” on your looping list into specific hours of the day (which gives you a good stopping time each day), or you can keep your hours open ended so you stay with a project that is engaging the kids, knowing you can pick up on other priorities on a different day. Start with the next thing on your list! 

The truth is, most homeschooling parents have to consider many of these things in creating a strong homeschool schedule for their week.

They may participate in a co-op, have regularly scheduled outside activities, do shift work,  and  use a curriculum alongside interest-based learning and projects. Or, they may be unschoolers whose kids nonetheless participate in a co-op and a lot of community activities, service work, and time with mentors.

Everyone also has to figure in time for grocery shopping, meal preparation , laundry, home maintenance, and appointments, and many have to include part-time or full-time work.

An effective homeschool schedule takes these things into consideration, along with time for the student to do independent work and for the homeschooling parent(s) to take a break and pursue their own interests .

You might find some kind of weekly planner to be a useful tool in scheduling your homeschooling and as something you can post on the fridge to keep your whole family aware of the regularly occurring weekly events (TheHomeSchoolMom has a free homeschool planner here ).

In any case, thinking not only about your homeschool year but also your weekly homeschool schedule can be valuable in preparing for your upcoming season of homeschooling. Rest assured that not everyone follows a school pattern for their homeschool schedule, and you can flex your week to meet your family's needs—and your own.

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Thank you for all this information. I have been a high school certified math teacher for over 20 years. I have also taught K-12 grade in various other subjects. I decided this year not to return to the classroom. I have been asked by a family member if I would consider homeschooling their 3 year old. I am considering this. The idea of homeschooling has always interested me but my hubby was not on board with it when our children were younger. I have learned a lot from your website but I am apprehensive about taking this on.

Do you have information or advice in regards to homeschooling someone else's child. What are some pros and cons?

Homeschooling someone else's child may or may not be legal in your state, so that's the first thing to figure out. And, it may be legal in some states when conducted by a certified teacher like you. This article, Can Somebody Homeschool My Kids? will have more relevant information for you.

Keep in mind that you may be able to "homeschool" a child before compulsory attendance age without any special laws coming into play other than those that may be in place for child care.

Best of luck, Jeanne

Wow! This is incredible. I'm homeschooling my 3rd child - my other two are homeschool graduates now. Even though I've been through this twice before - this is soo helpful! Child #3 has some medical issues so her schooling is a little more challenging. Thank you for sharing! You made my day!

It always helps to see examples of how various families are working out homeschool schedules, doesn't it? So glad you have found this helpful. Yes, even though you've been through it before, you're still revisiting the basic challenges of homeschooling, especially with those added medical issues.

Thanks for letting us know we made your day. That makes our day!

What about a 2 subject a day schedule? Monday to Friday, then Saturday Physical Education? What are the pros and cons? I was planning 2 hours a day, since I work from 1:30pm to 5:30pm so it would be from 6pm to 8pm. My son is 3 years old, he's very physical, easily distracted unless I put his hands on something, then he pay attention, hyper and speech delayed, taking speech/occupational therapy on mornings, I'm a book freak, I prefer planned things, checklists, organization, etc.

-What are the pros and cons of 2 subjects a day schedule? -Can I make it work for my boy needs (Speech delay, kinesthetic learner)? -Will we crash together as a textbooks freak, organized, schedule mom vs kinesthetic learner, hyper, speech delayed kid?

Two subjects a day will work if it works for YOU and for your CHILD. That is the most important aspect of any homeschool schedule.

The "cons" with a 3 year old are mainly related to attention span and developmental stage. I would expect most 3s to pay attention to an adult agenda for about 5 or 6 minutes with a break for 30 minutes to an hour for play. Yes, if you are trying to use textbooks and if you are inflexible about lesson times with a 3 yo, you may find challenges in making that work.

Many 3s are kinesthetic and easily distracted, which is developmentally appropriate for that stage, so it's not just your kiddo. For preschool (and honestly for a lot of kids well beyond that stage), I like to recommend that parents think of using a routine rather than a strict schedule, so that parent and child can have expectations about the ways their days usually progress—but without an inflexible schedule that is unrealistic for such young children.

Remember to claim the "book freak" aspect of yourself as your OWN without feeling it necessary to apply it to your 3 yo, who may or may not grow into the same proclivity you have!

And look for your child's responses to guide you in what is working. A young child who engages is showing you what works. A young child who resists is showing you what doesn't work. The goal of any routine or schedule should be to cultivate those moments of engage them and then "quit while you are ahead," before going on "too long" accidentally creates resistance. That's because with a 3, your primary goal should be helping them begin to love learning. Extra lessons that are taking place without engagement because of a "schedule" will create negative associations with learning.

Watch your child, not the clock!

Looking forward, Jeanne

Great article. Detailed and simplified for first time homeschoolers looking for schedule options to explore for their homeschool.

I'm glad you found the article helpful, Tiffany. There are so many ways to arrange homeschool days and weeks. That said, it seems like specific examples help newer homeschooling parents really comprehend the amount of flexibility they have.

Thanks for commenting! Jeanne

I'm making a few prints of some of the documents from the Master Planner pages. There is a Menu-To Do List-Chore Chart page that has B L D S labels and slots for entries. What's the S?

Hi Theresa - The S is for Snack.

I'm wondering how single/divorced parents work out a homeschool schedule. My children are old enough to be home alone while I work but aren't keeping up with the schedule I planned. The goal was that they'd work independently while I'm at work and I could pick up on more difficult lessons when I get home but that's more of a dream than reality. I don't have any family or friends who could "oversee" them and am having difficulty finding a sitter or tutor who would work 3-4 hrs a day to keep them on task. I'm not sure I can keep up with spending all my time after work and on weekends homeschooling without burning out pretty quickly. Any advice?

Hi Anonymous,

Sounds like your kids are old enough to be home alone, but not ready to be home alone and responsible for school work of the type you are expecting. I hear that your goal of them working at home and then you helping with difficult things at night is not working out.

It's pretty common for homeschooling not to work out the way people hope. Many people find they have to change their homeschooling approach and their expectations or do things a different way.

You don't say what type of homeschooling they are expected to do while you're gone, but it's really not unusual for kids not to be able to work independently, especially if a program is not engaging them.

My suggestions are to try something that is more engaging for them, that they want to work on while you are out. This could be a different approach to homeschooling altogether or a different curriculum.

You might also try flipping the timing - with them doing homeschool work in the evenings when you are home. They may gradually become more independent, partly in an effort to get their evenings more free - or they may really need the assistance to stay on task, which would not be unusual. Many people who work do indeed homeschool at night and on weekends to make things work.

You might also try finding another homeschooling parent who needs to earn extra money, who might be interested in having your kids several days a week and helping them with what they're learning. A university student might also be a good option, if you have a university near you. We have an article called Can Somebody Homeschool My Kids that explains some of the possibilities.

I would also suggest that you find and network with other employed parents who are homeschooling, so you get support and ideas about how they are working things out.

While many employed parents do make homeschooling work well, there are a lot of variables that can make it easier or harder in some families. Some kids are just compliant about doing expected work, or they so strongly desire to learn at home that they are willing to do it while a parent is away. However, many of us don't have those kids, and we have to find other ways to help them learn - a different schedule, a different program, a different setting, etc. Some people find they are able to take kids with them to the office or work part-time from home to make it work. Some check in using Facetime or Skype to help kids keep things on track.

When something isn't working, homeschoolers tweak and change to try out new ideas. Good luck in finding something that will work for your family!

I would say, maybe try giving them incentives to finish their work. Give them a schedule to follow, and as soon as they finish their core subjects, they can have a hour or two of free time (a movie/documentary, video games, or hobbies) and a snack. As soon as they are done they can check in with you (call or text) and you can give the okay for their free time. You can help them with whatever they had issues with when you get home. If they don't fulfill their responsibilities they lose privileges. If they do, then they maintain or gain privileges. If there is anyone who would be willing to give them a call or stop by to check on them, this can be helpful too, to hold them accountable. Maybe the other parent if he or she is still involved. I'm going to say a prayer for you right now. I'm sorry you are going through this difficult situation. I was a single mother of 4 once, so I understand. I pray that you will have a blessed homeschool journey and that you will find the resources and people who will support you along the way.

As I’m sitting here contemplating our 6th year.. can’t believe it’s been 6 years.. I’m considering how to adjust our schedule for the changes that inevitably come with growing kiddos. Your article was a huge relief for me to read. We do not only a 4 day week but have a field trip Friday! Also, I had never considered a subject per day. With the kids getting older the subjects become more in depth. This is my solution subject per day plus! Love it. Thank you so much for writing this article. Even though we have our RE we still stay ahead of the PS curve 🙂

Jen, the "one-subject-per-day-PLUS" is a really workable solution. Many people find they are "almost" doing it, but their brain hasn't quite freed up that idea that they could have Science Mondays, History Tuesdays, Art Wednesdays and so on - but do their math and language arts every day. I love how this option allows for deep dives.

And enjoy those Field Trip Fridays!

Well done! I have only been home schooling my kids for 5 years, but find this info to be on point with what I have observed. We do the 4 day method and reserve the 5th day for a co-op that does the fun, elective type stuff like art and gym. Next fall we are also looking at adding homeschool partnership classes...drums, piano, and swimming lessons. I get overwhelmed wondering how I will pack it all in, but every year can look different...so I know I can change it up if it gets go be too much. Anyway, thanks for the great article! I enjoyed reading it.

Glad you found the info to be on point. You are right that homeschooling changes from year-to-year. That's one reason why we want parents to be aware of the many ways they can schedule their weeks.

There are lots of great options for scheduling, and homeschoolers' schedules don't have to look like school schedules.

Good luck adding in the new activities. You'll find your rhythm!

I really love this article. You explain the different schedules so well. Thank you!

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Two Ws and an H: Establishing a Homework Routine

Tired of disorganization when it comes to your child’s homework routine learn how answering “when where and how” can help create an after school routine that includes doing homework for the same time each day, steering clear of electronics, and more..

Back to school means back to homework. It may also mean arguments, tears, and frustration, because homework demands more discipline and consistency than many children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (or any kids, for that matter!) can muster. But you can make it easier by creating a homework routine built around three key questions: When? Where? and How?

• Schedule homework for a set time each day. Base this after school routine on your child’s temperament. Perhaps he’s at his best right after school, or maybe after an hour of downtime. Avoid late evening, which for most children is meltdown time.
• Be consistent from day to day. If after-school activities make that impossible, post a daily plan or weekly calendar in your kitchen that includes homework start and finish times each day.
• Schedule enough time to complete assignments without rushing, based on your child’s grade level and history of completing assignments.
• Give advance notice of homework time. This is important, because kids with ADHD/ADD don’t easily shift from one activity to another — especially from fun time to work time. You might say, “You can play for 15 more minutes, then come in for homework.”

[ Free ADHD Resource: Solve Your Child’s Homework Problems ]

• Help your child select a homework place. Try the kitchen table, where she can spread out materials. Or perhaps your child would like to sit at a desk in the quiet den.
• Steer clear of proximity to electronics (TV, CD player). But if your child concentrates best with soft noise, try some gentle background music.
• Stay nearby (if possible).  Kids with ADHD concentrate better when they know you’re close by. If your child needs to use the bathroom, remind him to come right back afterward. After he leaves the bathroom, remind him to return to his work.
• Set up rules. Draft and print a sheet that specifies: homework start and finish times; place; when and how long breaks are; and that you will be nearby to help her understand assignments, get organized, offer support — but not do the homework for her. Avoid arguments — calmly refer her to the Homework Rules.

[ Free Sample Schedules for Reliable Family Routines ]

• Help him start. Make sure your child knows what the assignment is and how to proceed. Offer assistance that matches his learning style. For a verbal processor, read directions to him or have him read them out loud; for a visual learner, show him how to use highlighters and colored markers to outline key words and sentences.
• Keep him going. If your child tries to stop before he’s finished, encourage him to go on a bit longer, and remind him there’ll be a break soon.
• Give her a break. Kids with ADHD and LD may become fatigued due to distractibility, challenges to concentrating, frustration, and restlessness. Help your child recharge by scheduling frequent, short breaks.
• Check in at the finish. Review your child’s work to see if it is complete. If your child consistently takes more time than she should, speak to her teacher to see if he’s willing to adjust the amount of homework.
• Offer praise. Compliment your child when he stays on task, works with focus, is creative, and so on. Be specific. Say, for example, “I like the way you concentrated on that problem and stuck with it until you solved it.” Give him an acknowledging pat or a squeeze mid-homework, too.
• Give rewards. It’s OK to offer a “prize” to motivate. For a younger child, try extra playtime, a favorite snack or game, or a special read-aloud; for an older child, a favorite TV program, computer time, or phone time.
• Stick with it. A new homework routine is part of a daily schedule and requires solid commitment. It takes one to three months for a routine to become a habit — even longer for a person with ADHD. But the payoff is discipline, self-control, and success-building skills.

[ Read: 12 Schoolwork Shortcuts for Kids Who Hate Homework ]

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Create Good Homework Habits With This 3-Step Plan

Motivate your child to finish their schoolwork successfully..

If your elementary schooler doesn’t like reading or doing homework without resistance, you’re not alone. 

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to spark your child’s interest in learning outside of the classroom. Creating structure in your child’s day with an after-school schedule will help them stay focused and avoid homework fatigue.

Here are tips to help your child use their after-school time well and ease some of the stress you both may be experiencing.

1. Set Up a Schedule 

Agree on a “lights out” time and work backward. Here's a sample homework schedule to help you with your planning. This schedule is designed for a child who dislikes doing homework, so it allows multiple breaks throughout the evening. (It’s worth noting, however, that some children do their best work right after school, when energy levels are still high.)

• 4:00 p.m.  Rest, relax. Kids need space and downtime in their schedules.
• 4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.  Sports, art, and other planned activities.
• 5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.  Homework time! Have your child do theirs in the kitchen or somewhere close by while dinner is being prepared, so they don’t feel isolated and can ask questions. If your child has a dedicated “homework nook,” be sure to pop in often to see how they’re doing and offer words of encouragement.
• 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Dinner and quality family time.
• 7:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m.  Homework wrap-up (if needed).
• 8:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Free time! If your family typically watches TV in the evening, you might consider switching on a streaming series or documentary that complements your child’s classroom instruction.
• 8:30 p.m.– 9:00 p.m. Nightly read-aloud! This is the time to get your 20-30 minutes of daily reading in for stronger literacy skills. (Here’s some benefits of reading to your elementary schooler nightly .)

2. Talk to the Teacher 

Your child’s teacher can tell you how much time students should be spending on homework nightly. Generally, students in elementary school should have between 10 and 15 minutes of homework for each grade year. This means a child in 4th grade may have between 40 and 60 minutes of homework a night; often this includes some reading.

Teachers will also have ideas for motivating students who are disinterested in doing homework. When you speak with your child’s teacher, raise any concerns you have about at-home learning, like if your child struggles to do their homework, since these may be signs of a learning disability .

Your child’s teacher will be able to discuss in-class performance, and together the two of you can create a day-to-night plan that promotes your child’s success.

3. Develop the Homework Habit

Once you establish a schedule that works for you and your child — including any limits on TV and tech time — be sure to stick to it. Consistency is key to developing good homework habits.

These are valuable years for teaching your child how to keep schoolwork, play, fitness, and other activities in balance. You’ll be helping them with an important life lesson — and hopefully establishing a little more harmony at home.

Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide — it's full of recommended books, teacher tips, homework strategies for parents , and more resources for a successful school year. 

Shop workbooks to support your child’s skills below. You can shop all books and activities at The Scholastic Store .

For more quick tips and book recommendations, sign up for our Scholastic Parents newsletter!

You'll also get 10% off your first order at the Scholastic Store Online.

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How to set a homework schedule

Those of us in school or who have kids that come home with homework will appreciate this easy to implement tutorial on setting a homework schedule from wikiHow.

The key seems to be scheduling in breaks for yourself - in moderation. If you can slog through your Statistics homework with the promise of a latte and a good book dangling in front of you, it might just motivate you to get done in a more timely manner. How about you - what's the best tip you have for scheduling your homework? Let us know in the comments.

How to Plan a Homework Schedule [wikiHow]

How to Establish a Great Homework Routine

Are you tired of disorganization when it comes to your child’s homework? Or having to nag your child about when and how they will get their homework done? A great homework routine can put an end to these struggles. Establishing the right homework routine will create good study habits that will help your child from Kindergarten through high school and beyond. Here’s how to set one up!

Establishing a Homework Routine that Works!

1. Schedule Time for Homework

You probably have things in your own life, whether it’s cleaning the house, doing your taxes, or getting together with friends, where if you don’t put it on your schedule it isn’t going to happen.

The same thing is true for homework. If you want to establish a homework routine, you need to plan time for homework on the family calendar.

The ideal situation is for homework to happen at the same time every day. Whether it’s directly after school or after your child has a little time to snack and unwind. It should be part of the daily routine.

If your child has after-school activities that make homework at the same time every day impossible, make sure you still schedule time for homework. And try to at least have a weekly schedule that is consistent regarding homework time.

You’ll want to make sure you allow enough time for homework to be completed. Talk to your child’s teacher about their expectations for time spent on homework to help determine how much time you need.

It’s also a good idea to talk to your child about when they want to do their homework. Discuss with them what they feel is the best time of day for homework. This doesn’t mean they get the final say about timing, but older kids especially may have strong feelings about a time that works for them.

And when you choose a time, consider whether your child needs some food and exercise before they sit down for a long stretch.

2. Choose a Homework Space

Once you have the timing down for your homework routine, you need to consider the location. Do you have a designated homework area with desks and supplies? Or do your kids spread their stuff out on the kitchen table at homework time?

When you decide on the best homework space, you want to consider a few factors. Does your child work better when they are alone and free of distractions? Or do they need you nearby to help them with questions and encourage them to stay on task?

Some kids need background noise, others work best in silence. You may even need to set your kids up in different areas from each other if they have different needs for completing their homework in a stress-free environment.

Try to keep individual needs in mind when you consider the best place in your home for school work. And set your kids up for success.

3. Establish Rules for Homework Time

A great homework routine will include some rules for how that time will be spent. This may include rules about silencing cell phones and putting them away during homework time.

Rules around electronics and other distractions are some of the most important. Sure, your child may need a tablet or computer for their homework sometimes. But other electronics are likely to be an endless source of distraction.

Consider whether you need to set rules and time limits for breaks during homework time. Sure, kids may need to get up and stretch their legs or use the bathroom. But an endless stream of excuses for breaks won’t result in homework being completed.

You may also want to establish some rules around your role in their homework. Will you be checking their work to make sure it’s completed? Or will it be more on the honor system? And your child’s age will be a huge factor here.

A great homework routine should help your child work towards greater independence when it comes to school work as they get older. You can’t go off to college with them. So, as your child gets older, they should become more responsible for completing their homework with minimal reminders and check-ins with mom and dad.

Stick to It!

When you’re trying to establish any new routine, there is going to be some adjustment time. Commit to sticking it out with your homework routine, even if you face some initial resistance. Once the routine becomes a habit, it will be such a part of daily life for your kids that battles over homework will be few and infrequent. And your kids will be on the path to greater self-sufficiency and success with school work.

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I don’t know how to create a good weekly schedule or use a planner wisely..

Weekly schedules are a great way to establish a routine for class, studying, work, and leisure activities, making sure you are utilizing your time and energy in the best possible way. Whether online or hard copy, weekly schedules help you visualize your short-term goals. Additionally, we advise creating a monthly planner at the beginning of the semester with all of your major exams, projects, commitments, and deadlines, allowing you to see the “big picture” and plan ahead for particularly difficult weeks. Keep reading for some actions to take and helpful hints on how to create an efficient weekly schedule. And if you want more personalized, detailed help creating a schedule and managing your time, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with an Academic Coach!

STEP 2: View the ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE to create an efficient weekly schedule.

Action one: fill in “fixed” time commitments, action two: tackle more “flexible” tasks, action three: plan personal and social time, would you like more time management tips.

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How to Make Homework Fun

• Post author By admin
• September 6, 2023

Discover engaging strategies for how to make homework fun. Explore personalized study spaces, gamification, collaboration, and more to make learning enjoyable.

Hey there, homework warriors! Let’s face it, homework often gets a bad rap for being a total buzzkill. The mere thought of it can make us want to escape to a world of video games, socializing, or anything but those looming assignments. But guess what? It doesn’t have to be that way!

In this article, we’re about to embark on a journey to uncover the secret sauce of making homework downright fun. That’s right, we’re flipping the script and turning the dreaded “H-word” into an exciting adventure.

So, if you’re ready to banish the boredom and inject some pizzazz into your study sessions, keep reading. We’ve got 15 game-changing tips coming your way to transform homework from a chore into a choice activity!

Table of Contents

How to Make Homework Fun?

Have a close look at how to make homework fun:-

Design a Homework Haven

Transforming a corner of your room into a cozy study nook is all about creating an inviting space that inspires productivity. Consider adding a:

Comfy Chair

Choose a chair with good lumbar support and a cushioned seat for long study sessions.

Soft Cushions

Scatter a few soft cushions on your chair or on the floor to make the nook extra inviting.

Motivational Posters

Hang up posters with motivational quotes or images that resonate with your goals. For instance, a poster featuring a quote like “You’ve Got This!” can provide daily encouragement.

Set a Homework Schedule

Creating a daily study schedule tailored to your rhythm can significantly boost your productivity. Here’s how to go about it:

Identify Your Peak Hours

Pay attention to when you feel most alert and focused during the day. Are you a morning person, or does your energy peak in the evening?

Designate Prime Study Time

Once you’ve identified your prime hours, set aside that time for your most challenging subjects or tasks. For example, if you’re a night owl, designate 8 PM to 10 PM as your prime study time.

Set Goals and Rewards

Setting goals and rewards can turn studying into a thrilling game. Here’s how to make it work:

Task-Based Rewards

Break your study session into smaller tasks. For instance, if you have a 2-hour study session, set a timer for every 30 minutes. When you complete a task within the allotted time, reward yourself with a mini-break or a quick treat.

Dance Breaks

After accomplishing a particularly tough assignment or study session, treat yourself to a five-minute dance break to your favorite upbeat song.

Group Study Sessions

Studying with friends can make homework a social and interactive experience. Here’s how to organize a productive group study session:

Choose Study Buddies

Invite friends who are equally committed to studying. Avoid distractions and focus on collaborative learning.

During breaks, enjoy some snacks and refreshments together. It’s an excellent opportunity to bond and recharge.

Gamify Your Homework

Turning your assignments into a game can make them engaging and competitive. Here’s an example:

Math Challenges

For every correct math problem you solve, award yourself points. Set a target, like 100 points. Once you reach that goal, treat yourself to a favorite dessert or activity.

Use Technology Wisely

Leveraging educational apps and websites can make learning enjoyable. Consider:

Learning Languages

Apps like Duolingo and Babbel gamify language learning with interactive lessons and quizzes.

Science Simulations

Websites like PhET Interactive Simulations offer fun science experiments and simulations.

Listen to Music

Creating a playlist for different study moods can set the tone for productive work:

Upbeat Playlist

Compile lively tunes for subjects like math or science to keep your energy high.

Chillout Playlist

Use calming melodies for reading assignments or essay writing to stay focused.

Change Your Study Materials

Enhance your study materials with colors and visual appeal:

Colorful Notes

When taking notes, use different colored pens for headings, key points, and examples. Highlight important concepts with bright markers.

Create a Homework Playlist

Crafting a motivational playlist can boost your enthusiasm for study sessions:

Personalized Mix

Include songs that motivate you. Whether it’s energetic rock, inspiring pop, or calming instrumental, curate a playlist that resonates with you.

Relate Homework to Real Life

Connecting assignments to real-life situations can make them more meaningful. For example:

Applying Math

If you’re learning about percentages, practice by calculating discounts while shopping online. It’s a practical application of what you’re studying.

Ask for Help When Needed

Don’t hesitate to seek assistance when you’re stuck:

Online Tutors

Utilize online tutoring services like Khan Academy or Chegg when you need clarification on complex topics.

Celebrate Your Achievements

Reward yourself for completing challenging assignments:

Mini Rewards

After finishing a tough essay or solving a set of difficult problems, treat yourself to a favorite snack or a short episode of your favorite TV show.

Use Colorful Visual Aids

Visual aids can make complex topics easier to understand:

Timeline for History

Create a timeline of historical events using colorful markers and sticky notes. It helps you visualize the sequence of historical occurrences.

Stay Organized

Organization is key for effective studying:

Digital Planner

Use digital tools like Google Calendar or Todoist to keep track of assignments and due dates. Set reminders to stay on top of your tasks.

By incorporating these detailed strategies and examples, you can transform your homework routine into an enjoyable and productive experience tailored to your preferences and learning style.

These examples demonstrate practical ways to infuse fun and engagement into your homework routine, making the learning process more enjoyable and productive.

What are ways to make homework fun?

• Create a Comfortable Space: Design a cozy study spot with your favorite things.
• Set a Schedule: Stick to a regular study routine that suits you.
• Break Tasks Down: Divide homework into smaller, manageable chunks.
• Reward Yourself: Treat yourself after completing tasks or goals.
• Study with Friends: Make it social by studying with buddies.
• Use Apps: Try fun and educational apps for learning.
• Listen to Music: Create a motivating study playlist.
• Make It Visual: Use colors and visuals to make notes pop.
• Connect to Real Life: Relate homework to everyday situations.
• Stay Organized: Use planners to stay on top of assignments.

These simple tips can make homework less daunting and more enjoyable.

How do I make my homework less boring?

Want to jazz up your homework and banish the boredom? Here’s the lowdown:

Create Your Happy Place

Start by transforming your study spot into a haven of fun. Add some quirky decorations, fairy lights, or even a cozy blanket fort – whatever makes you smile.

Slice and Dice

Homework can feel like a mountain, right? Well, cut it into bite-sized chunks. Tackling one piece at a time feels way less overwhelming.

Goals with a Side of Rewards

Set yourself mini-goals and sprinkle rewards on top. Finish that math problem? Treat yourself to a victory dance or a mini snack party.

Study Squad

Invite a friend for a study date. You can help each other out and share some giggles during breaks.

Homework Gamified

Turn your homework into a game. Assign points or rewards for completing tasks. Hit a certain score, and it’s time to indulge in your favorite treat.

Dive into educational apps or websites. Learning becomes a blast when it’s interactive and entertaining.

Musical Motivation

Craft a playlist with your favorite tunes. Pop on some energetic beats for those math equations, or soothing melodies for reading assignments.

Colorful Creativity

Don’t just take notes, make them a work of art with colorful pens and highlighters. Visuals can make studying way more interesting.

Real-World Homework

Connect your assignments to real life. If you’re tackling percentages, apply them to calculate discounts while shopping online.

Stay Organized and Sane

Keep your homework organized using planners or digital tools. No more last-minute panics about forgotten deadlines.

With these tricks up your sleeve, homework will become a breeze, and you might even have some fun along the way!

How do I make myself enjoy homework?

Making yourself enjoy homework can be a challenge, but it’s possible with a few mindset shifts and strategies:

Find Purpose

Understand why you’re doing the homework. Connect it to your long-term goals and how it benefits you. Knowing the “why” can make it more meaningful.

Positive Mindset

Approach homework with a positive attitude. Focus on the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel when you complete it.

Set Realistic Goals

Break your homework into smaller tasks and set achievable goals. Completing each part can give you a sense of progress and satisfaction.

Create a Comfortable Space

Design a cozy and organized study area that you enjoy spending time in. A pleasant environment can make a big difference.

Mix up your subjects and tasks to avoid monotony. Switching between different assignments can keep things interesting.

Set a Schedule

Establish a study routine that suits your natural rhythm. Find the time of day when you’re most alert and use it for more challenging tasks.

Reward Yourself

Treat yourself after completing homework or reaching specific milestones. It can be as simple as a small snack, a short break, or doing something you love.

Stay Engaged

Try to actively engage with the material. Ask questions, discuss concepts with classmates, or relate it to real-life situations.

Study Groups

Consider joining or creating study groups with friends. Discussing topics and helping each other can make the process more enjoyable.

Celebrate Progress

Celebrate your achievements, even small ones. Recognize your efforts and improvements.

Mindfulness Techniques

Practice mindfulness or relaxation techniques before starting homework to reduce stress and increase focus.

If you’re struggling with a particular subject, don’t hesitate to ask for help from teachers, classmates, or online resources.

Visual Aids

Use visual aids like diagrams, charts, or flashcards to make studying more engaging and easier to grasp.

Incorporate Interests

If possible, relate homework topics to your interests or hobbies. It can make the material more relatable and enjoyable.

Use planners or digital tools to keep track of assignments, due dates, and progress. Being organized can reduce stress.

Remember that enjoying homework might not happen overnight, but by implementing these strategies and maintaining a positive mindset, you can make the process more enjoyable and rewarding.

How can I make my high school homework fun?

Making high school homework fun requires creativity and a positive attitude. Here are some tips to make your high school homework more enjoyable:

Personalize Your Space

Create a study environment that reflects your personality and interests. Decorate your study area with posters, photos, or artwork that inspires you.

Set a Homework Routine

Establish a consistent homework routine that aligns with your energy levels. Determine the best time of day for you to focus and stick to it.

Break Tasks into Smaller Steps

Divide your assignments into smaller, manageable tasks. Completing each step feels like an accomplishment and keeps you motivated.

Incorporate technology into your homework. Explore educational apps and websites that make learning interactive and engaging.

Study with Friends

Organize study groups with friends to tackle assignments together. You can explain concepts to each other and share different perspectives.

Gamify Your Learning

Turn your homework into a game. Set challenges, time limits, or point systems for completing tasks. Reward yourself when you meet your goals.

Create playlists for different subjects or moods. Upbeat music can boost your energy for math, while calming tunes can help you concentrate on reading assignments.

Experiment with different study materials. Use colorful pens, highlighters, or digital tools to make your notes visually appealing.

Real-Life Applications

Relate your homework to real-life situations whenever possible. For example, if you’re studying economics, analyze current events or business news .

Seek Support

Don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed. Reach out to teachers, classmates, or online resources for clarification or guidance.

Celebrate Achievements

Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small. Reward yourself with a treat, a short break, or an activity you enjoy after completing homework.

Use planners, to-do lists, or digital tools to stay organized and track assignments and deadlines.

Challenge Yourself

Set personal challenges to make homework more engaging. Aim to finish assignments faster or with higher accuracy than before.

Whenever possible, relate homework topics to your interests or future career goals. It can make the material more relatable and engaging.

Stay Positive

Maintain a positive attitude toward your homework. Focus on the sense of accomplishment and knowledge gained through your efforts.

By incorporating these strategies into your high school homework routine, you can make the experience more enjoyable and productive while achieving academic success.

In conclusion, making homework fun is not just a distant dream; it’s a practical approach that can transform the way you tackle your assignments.

By personalizing your study space, setting goals and rewards, collaborating with friends, and gamifying your learning, you can turn the once-dreaded homework into an engaging adventure.

Incorporating technology, music, colorful materials, and real-life connections adds an extra layer of enjoyment. Remember to celebrate your achievements along the way and stay organized to reduce stress.

With a positive mindset and these strategies in your arsenal, you can embark on your homework journey with enthusiasm, making it not only bearable but genuinely enjoyable.

So, let’s turn the page and dive into the exciting world of learning, one fun homework assignment at a time!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i really make homework fun.

Absolutely! With the right approach and mindset, homework can be an enjoyable part of your academic journey.

What if I can’t concentrate with music?

Not everyone finds music helpful. Experiment with different study environments to discover what suits you best.

How do I avoid procrastination?

Creating a schedule and setting achievable goals can help you stay on track and avoid procrastination.

What if I still find a particular subject boring?

Try to connect it to your interests or real-life situations to make it more engaging.

How can I make studying with friends productive?

Ensure that your study group remains focused on the task at hand and avoids distractions.

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Recent Posts

6 Examples – How To Create a Perfect Daily Schedule

By Status.net Editorial Team on October 14, 2023 — 14 minutes to read

• Why Create a Daily Schedule Part 1
• Step1. Determining Your Priorities Part 2
• Step 2. Analyzing Your Current Time Usage Part 3
• Step 3. Drafting Your Daily Schedule Part 4
• Daily Schedule Templates Part 5
• Daily Schedule Example Part 6
• An Office Worker’s Schedule Example Part 7
• A Freelancer’s Daily Schedule Example Part 8
• A Student’s Daily Schedule Example Part 9
• How to Integrate Flexibility Into Your Daily Schedule Part 10
• How to Maintain Your Daily Schedule Part 11

Part 1 Why Create a Daily Schedule

Creating a daily schedule helps you structure your day, manage time effectively, and prioritize tasks. When you have a well-planned schedule, it becomes easier to complete your tasks efficiently, leaving you with more free time to enjoy other activities.

• A daily schedule provides a sense of direction for the day. It helps you decide what tasks to do and when, making it easier for you to reach your goals.
• Having a clear daily schedule also allows you to maintain a healthy work-life balance. By allocating specific time slots for work, personal time, and relaxation, you can ensure that no area of your life is neglected.
• Creating a daily schedule also assists in reducing stress and boosting productivity. When you know exactly what needs to be done and at what time, you’re less likely to waste time figuring out what to do next. This kind of clarity reduces the chances of procrastination and makes your day more efficient.
• A daily schedule fosters a sense of accomplishment as you tick off completed tasks. This feeling of achievement can motivate you to stay on track and tackle more responsibilities, making you more productive in the long run. For example, if you have scribbled down 3 tasks for the day and you manage to complete all of them, it will give you a sense of satisfaction and a boost to plan your next day effectively.

Part 2 Step1. Determining Your Priorities

Creating a daily schedule starts with determining your priorities, both in the short-term and long-term. This helps you identify what truly matters to you and allocate your time more effectively.

Identifying Your Short-Term Goals

Short-term goals are tasks or projects that you want to achieve within a few days, weeks, or months. These are important in keeping you motivated and focused on moving forward in life. To identify your short-term goals:

• Write a list of tasks you want to accomplish, both for your personal and professional life;
• Arrange the tasks in order of importance;
• Assign deadlines to each task to help you stay accountable and ensure you make progress;
• Include these tasks in your daily schedule, dedicating time for them each day.
• Finishing a project at work;
• Cleaning out your closet;
• Spending quality time with your family;
• Exercising at least three times a week.

Recognizing Your Long-Term Goals

Long-term goals are larger objectives that may take several months, years, or even a lifetime to accomplish. Developing and maintaining a long-term vision for your life is crucial for sustainable success. To recognize your long-term goals:

• Reflect on your values, passions, and areas of interest;
• Write down bigger objectives that you want to achieve in life;
• Break these larger goals into smaller, achievable steps;
• Set realistic deadlines for each step, spreading them out over a longer time frame;
• Incorporate these smaller steps into your daily schedule.

Examples of long-term goals could be:

• Building a successful career in your field;
• Achieving a healthy work-life balance;
• Travelling to different parts of the world;
• Starting your own business.

Related: What Are Your Values? How to Discover Your Values

How to Live By Your Values

Part 3 Step 2. Analyzing Your Current Time Usage

Before you can create an effective daily schedule, it’s important to analyze your current time usage. Spend a few days tracking how you spend your time. Take note of your habits, routines, and the tasks you engage in daily. This will provide valuable insights into areas where you can improve your time management.

1. Start by listing the activities you participate in daily, both work-related and personal. Be specific and include the duration and frequency of each activity. For example:

• Work (8 hours)
• Commute (30 minutes x2)
• Morning routine (1 hour)
• Evening routine (1 hour)

2. Once you have a list of your activities, categorize them by their importance or priority. You can use the following categories to help you:

• High priority (Tasks essential to your work and personal life)
• Medium priority (Important, but not urgent, tasks)
• Low priority (Non-essential activities, such as hobbies or leisure time)

3. Next, analyze how much time you’re spending on each category. Are you dedicating enough time to high-priority tasks? Are you spending too much time on less important activities? Reflect on these questions and use your findings to optimize your future daily schedule.

4. Lastly, identify any time wasters or unproductive habits that you could work on to improve your time management. Take this opportunity to eliminate or reduce unproductive activities from your daily life and make room for more important tasks.

Armed with this information, you’re now ready to design a daily schedule that will enable you to use your time efficiently and effectively. Keep in mind that developing a successful schedule may take some trial and error, but with persistence and focus, you’ll be well on your way to mastering your time management skills.

Part 4 Step 3. Drafting Your Daily Schedule

Block out necessary activities.

To create an effective daily schedule, start by blocking out time for necessary activities such as sleep, meals, and personal hygiene. For instance, if you need 8 hours of sleep, block off that time in your schedule. Then, allocate time for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Consider how much time you spend getting ready in the morning and before bed. This might include showering, getting dressed, and other personal care tasks. By first blocking out time for these essential activities, you ensure that your basic needs are met, which can help improve your overall productivity.

Allocate Time for Work and Play

• Once you’ve blocked out time for necessary activities, it’s time to allocate time for work and play. Start by setting aside time for your job or schoolwork. If you have a fixed work schedule, this is easy to plan around. However, if your work hours are flexible, try to assign specific hours dedicated to work tasks each day. This will help you maintain a consistent routine and prevent work from taking over your entire day.
• Next, consider your personal and leisure activities. Think about your hobbies, exercise, and time spent with family and friends, and schedule them into your day. This can help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. It’s also important to include some flexibility in your schedule for unexpected events or changes in plans.

Part 5 Daily Schedule Templates

_______________________

Morning Routine

– Wake up at [time] – Drink a glass of water – Meditate for [time] – Exercise for [time] – Shower and get dressed

Work/School Schedule

– Start work/school at [time] – Take a break at [time] – Lunch break at [time] – Resume work/school at [time] – Finish work/school at [time]

Afternoon/Evening Routine

– Afternoon snack at [time] – Work on personal projects/hobbies for [time] – Dinner at [time] – Spend time with family/friends for [time] – Wind down before bed (read, listen to music, etc.) for [time]

Bedtime Routine

– Settle into bed at [time] – Meditate for [time] – Read for [time] – Lights out at [time]

Template 2 (Daily Schedule Template with Tasks)

This template allows you to allocate specific time slots for each task throughout the day. You can adjust the time slots and tasks to fit your own schedule and needs.

– Wake up at [time] – Drink a glass of water – Task 1: [time] – [time] – Task 2: [time] – [time] – Task 3: [time] – [time] – Exercise for [time] – Shower and get dressed

– Start work at [time] – Task 4: [time] – [time] – Take a break at [time] – Task 5: [time] – [time] – Lunch break at [time] – Task 6: [time] – [time] – Task 7: [time] – [time] – Finish work at [time]

– Afternoon snack at [time] – Task 8: [time] – [time] – Work on personal projects/hobbies for [time] – Dinner at [time] – Task 9: [time] – [time] – Spend time with family/friends for [time] – Wind down before bed (read, listen to music, etc.) for [time]

Examples of Effective Daily Schedules

Let’s take a look at some examples of effective daily schedules:

Part 6 Daily Schedule Example

For example, let’s say you have a 9-5 job, you could create a schedule that includes:

• 7:00am – 8:00am: Getting ready for the day
• 8:00am – 9:00am: Breakfast and commute to work
• 9:00am – 12:00pm: Work tasks
• 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Lunch break
• 1:00pm – 5:00pm: Work tasks
• 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Exercise or spend time outdoors
• 6:00pm – 7:00pm: Dinner
• 7:00pm – 9:00pm: Leisure activities (hobbies, socializing, TV, etc.)
• 9:00pm – 10:00pm: Personal care and getting ready for bed
• 10:00pm – 6:00am: Sleep

Part 7 An Office Worker’s Schedule Example

6:00 AM – Wake up, shower, and have breakfast 7:30 AM – Commute to work 8:30 AM – Morning work session 10:00 AM – Short break 10:15 AM – Mid-morning work session 12:00 PM – Lunch break 1:00 PM – Afternoon work session 3:00 PM – Short break 3:15 PM – Late afternoon work session 5:00 PM – Finish work and commute home 6:00 PM – Evening routine (exercise, family time, etc.) 8:00 PM – Relax or engage in hobbies 10:00 PM – Get ready for bed and sleep

Part 8 A Freelancer’s Daily Schedule Example

8:00 AM – Wake up and have breakfast 9:00 AM – Begin work (emails, work-related tasks) 10:30 AM – Short break 10:45 AM – Morning work session (focused tasks) 12:30 PM – Lunch break 1:30 PM – Afternoon work session (client calls, meetings) 3:00 PM – Short break 3:15 PM – Late afternoon work session (follow-ups, administrative tasks) 5:30 PM – Break for exercise or leisure 7:00 PM – Dinner 8:00 PM – Relax or engage in hobbies 10:00 PM – Get ready for bed and sleep

Part 9 A Student’s Daily Schedule Example

7:00 AM – Wake up and have breakfast 8:00 AM – Attend morning classes 12:00 PM – Lunch break 1:00 PM – Afternoon classes 3:00 PM – Afternoon study session 5:00 PM – Break for exercise or leisure 6:30 PM – Evening study session 8:00 PM – Dinner 9:00 PM – Relax or engage in hobbies 10:30 PM – Get ready for bed and sleep

These examples can serve as a starting point for you to create your own daily schedule. Tailor your schedule to fit your specific needs and circumstances, making sure to prioritize tasks that matter to you.

Part 10 How to Integrate Flexibility Into Your Daily Schedule

Creating a daily schedule is a fantastic way to stay organized and on track, but it’s important to build in some flexibility as well. Life can be unpredictable, and you don’t want your carefully crafted plan to fall apart because of unforeseen circumstances.

One of the best ways to incorporate flexibility into your schedule is by setting aside blocks of “buffer time.” These can be brief periods — perhaps 15 to 30 minutes — where you don’t schedule any tasks or appointments. Instead, use this time to relax, meditate, or work on unexpected responsibilities that might pop up during the day. By having buffer time, you won’t feel overwhelmed if something unexpected happens.

• Another technique is to prioritize your tasks. Assign a priority level to each of them, such as high, medium, or low. If a situation arises where you can’t complete everything you planned, you can focus on the high-priority tasks and, if necessary, move the lower-priority ones to another day. It’s also helpful to be realistic about how long tasks will take, so you don’t end up overbooking yourself.
• Many people find success using the “Rule of Three.” Each day, pick three main tasks you want to achieve. Focus on completing those, even if you have other activities listed on your schedule. This method helps you maintain flexibility since you’re concentrating on your must-do tasks.
• Consider using a digital tool, such as a scheduling app or online calendar, to help you manage your time. These tools make it easy to rearrange tasks, appointments, and responsibilities. Plus, they allow you to set reminders and notifications so you don’t forget important events or deadlines.

By incorporating flexibility into your daily schedule, you’re much more likely to stick to it and effectively manage your time. Embrace the unexpected, and remember that it’s all part of life’s journey.

Part 11 How to Maintain Your Daily Schedule

Creating a daily schedule is a great way to bring structure and organization to your life. Let’s discuss how to manage distractions and deal with unforeseen circumstances to maintain your daily schedule effectively.

Managing Distractions

Distractions are everywhere, and managing them is crucial for keeping your schedule on track. Here are some helpful strategies:

• Set specific times for checking emails, social media, and other potential distractions. By allotting a specific window for these tasks, you’ll prevent constant interruptions.
• Prioritize your tasks by importance, and tackle the most important ones first. This way, even if you get distracted later, you’ll have completed the essential work.
• Create a designated workspace that is free of distractions. Having a clean, organized, and distraction-free environment will help you stay focused on your tasks.
• Schedule breaks and leisure time. This not only allows you to recharge but also can make you less likely to have your focus veer off course during work.

Dealing With Unforeseen Circumstances

No matter how well-planned your schedule is, unforeseen circumstances will arise. Here’s how to handle them:

• Be flexible with your schedule. When unexpected events occur, adapt your plans by rearranging your tasks or adjusting estimated completion times.
• Set aside a buffer time in your daily schedule. Accidents, emergencies, or unplanned events can be accommodated without causing chaos in your entire day.
• Rank your tasks by the consequences of not completing them. When you need to make adjustments, know which tasks you can realistically move or postpone.
• Stay calm when your schedule is disrupted. Stress and frustration can prevent you from making effective decisions about how to adjust your plans. Take a deep breath, evaluate the situation and make a solid plan to resolve the issue and get back on track.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i build a daily schedule.

To build a daily schedule, start by listing down all your tasks and categorizing them into different time slots. For example:

• Morning routine (7:00 AM – 8:00 AM): Wake up, make your bed, exercise, shower, and eat breakfast.
• Work or school (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM): Complete main tasks, respond to emails, and take breaks in between.
• Lunch and relaxation (12:00 PM – 1:00 PM): Enjoy a healthy lunch and unwind with a short walk.
• Afternoon tasks (1:00 PM – 5:00 PM): Finish work or school assignments, attend meetings, and don’t forget to take breaks.
• Evening routine (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM): Cook dinner, watch TV, read, or spend time with family and friends.
• Night routine (10:00 PM – 11:00 PM): Wind down with a bedtime routine, such as skincare, reading, or meditation, then sleep.

What are some tips for making a daily work schedule?

• Prioritize your tasks: Determine which tasks are most important and assign them to the time of day when you’re most focused and alert.
• Chunk your time: Group similar tasks together to maximize efficiency.
• Set realistic expectations: Don’t overload your schedule; leave room for breaks, flexibility, and potential interruptions.
• Use time-management tools: Use a calendar, planner, or an app to help you create and organize your schedule.
• Schedule breaks: Give yourself time to recharge throughout the day.

How can I create a daily routine for home activities?

Identify your main home activities and their optimal time slots, then incorporate them into your daily schedule. Here’s an example:

• Morning: Clean and organize common areas, such as living and dining spaces.
• Mid-morning: Laundry and linens.
• Afternoon: Grocery shopping or meal prep.
• Late afternoon: Gardening and outdoor chores.
• Evening: Relax with hobbies or family time.

What are some good daily routine timetables to follow?

The ideal daily routine depends on your lifestyle and preferences. However, a well-rounded timetable might include:

• Early riser: 5:00 AM – 9:00 PM
• Standard workday: 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
• Night owl: 9:00 AM – 1:00 AM

Remember to divide your day into blocks for different types of activities, such as work, self-care, leisure, and exercise.

What does a student’s daily routine schedule look like?

A typical student’s daily routine might include the following:

• Early morning: Wake up, shower, eat breakfast, pack your bag for the day.
• School hours: Attend classes, take notes, participate in group projects and discussions.
• Lunchtime: Eat a balanced meal and briefly relax or catch up on unfinished tasks.
• After-school activities: Participate in clubs, sports teams, or other extracurricular activities.
• Homework/study time: Dedicate a few focused hours to complete assignments and review material.
• Evening: Dinner, household chores or responsibilities, relaxation, and hobbies.
• Night: Prepare for bed, establish a bedtime routine, and get a good night’s sleep.

How can I make an effective study schedule?

Tips for creating an effective study schedule include:

• Set specific goals: Be clear about what you want to achieve with each study session.
• Distribute your study time: Allocate study sessions evenly throughout the week for better retention.
• Vary your subjects: Mix subjects to keep your interest levels high and avoid burnout.
• Use study techniques: Choose techniques that work for your learning style, such as flashcards, self-quizzing, or summarizing material.
• Plan breaks: Schedule short breaks in between study sessions to maintain focus and prevent mental fatigue.
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How to Make a Schedule That Actually Works

Need help learning how to make a schedule that actually works? This post is for you! We’ll go through the basics of why you need a schedule and then cover some simple steps to make your own.

Why You Need a Schedule

How many times have you come to the end of a day and discovered that you didn’t accomplish much? This has happened to me many times through the years. More times than I’d like to admit.

Sometimes it’s due to lack of self-discipline (staying up too late, not getting up on time, etc.), but more often than not, my most disorderly days happen when I don’t use a schedule.

A schedule provides a helpful framework for the day, which can be so beneficial. It helps me to be more intentional about the way I use my time. It also eliminates a lot of decision fatigue.

With my schedule in hand, I can see what I need to focus on, and when it needs to be done.

I never have to wonder what to do next. My next steps have already been pre-determined by the schedule.

In some ways, it’s very freeing!

What About Living in the Moment?

But what if scheduling just doesn’t fit your personality? What if you don’t like the idea of a rigid schedule controlling your life?

I totally get that, because in some ways I’m like that, too. I like the idea of a schedule, and it definitely helps me be more intentional. But it can also get in the way of just enjoying my kids and my home. For me, I’ve found there has to be a balance.

The schedule (or routine, if you prefer to call it that) is there to provide some guidance. But I don’t allow myself to be a slave to my schedule.

If I’m reading aloud and we’re just getting to a really good part and the kids are begging me to read just one more chapter, I totally do. Sometimes we’ll read several more!

Or maybe my husband surprises me with a date night even though I had something else planned for the evening. You can bet I’m going to drop everything for that!

What about when the kids are getting in the pool and they beg me to go out with them even though I was just about to fold a huge pile of laundry? Forget the laundry, I’m jumping in! We’ll all fold the laundry together later.

If the idea of living by a schedule scares you, just know that you own the schedule. It doesn’t own you. You can do whatever you like with it and make it work for you.

The idea is to let it be a tool to help you. If it starts becoming anything other than helpful, then let it go.

The Secret to Making a Schedule That Works

Have you ever looked at another mom’s schedule, thought it looked pretty good, and adopted it as your own? Did that work?

I’ve been there. Many of my scheduling failures occurred because I was trying to copy someone else. It seemed like the perfect schedule. If it worked so well for her, I figured it could work for me, too.

Only it didn’t.

This is the secret to making a schedule that works: make a schedule that works for you.

What works for one person may not work for you. We all have such different life situations, different dreams, and different goals.

We also have differing abilities. Some people get more done at night, and some are morning people.

The key is to figure out what works best for you . What works for your personality, your strengths, and your unique life.

When you can let go of how you feel your schedule should look, and instead make one that fits around your life, then you’ll have a schedule that actually works for you.

How to Make a Schedule

So, are you ready to learn how to make a schedule?

First, we need to figure out and write down everything you need to get done in a day.

There are several ways you can go about this, but I like to keep it simple. I just do some brainstorming and make a list of everything that comes to mind and assign a time to it.

If there are too many things to fit into a 24-hour day, then you’ve got to let go of something or creatively fit it in somehow (maybe decrease the amount of time you’ll spend doing this activity).

Once you start making schedules, you won’t have to start from scratch each time. You’ll be able to just change the things that need changing and leave the rest the same.

A helpful idea is to start with sleep. You already know how much sleep you need (7-9 hours, depending on personal preference). If you plug in 8 hours for sleep, you’ve got 16 hours left.

Then you can add in time for meals, exercise, showering and getting dressed, and anything else you want in your schedule. (Feel free to look at mine as an example .)

After writing it down on paper, you may want to type it into a table (I put mine in an Excel spreadsheet) and print it out. Or, you may also want to transfer it to your daily planner ( this is the planner I use and love).

How to Make a Schedule For Kids

If you’re a mom with kids at home, you probably already know that your schedule won’t work unless you include your kids in it. As you’re making your schedule, be sure to include activities for them as well.

Wake-times and bedtimes, naptime, playtime, chores , school, read-aloud time, etc. can all be part of your kids’ schedule. When I make my Excel schedule spreadsheet, I include my kids on it so we all have something to do and it all works together.

How to Implement Your New Schedule

Now that you know how to make a schedule and  you’ve got yours made, how are you going to make it happen?

This is the tricky part for most people (myself included). Making a schedule is easy compared to actually doing it!

I’ve found that the most important part of the schedule tends to be what happens in the evening. If you get a good start in the evening (laying out clothes and getting to bed at a decent hour), your morning will be a success.

If your morning starts off successfully, then you’re in a prime position to actually implement your schedule.

Related: Create a Morning Routine for Homemakers

So, my advice would be to focus on bedtime and wake-up time at first. These are the two main things. If you get these right, often the rest of the schedule falls into place!

I hope this helps give you some ideas for how to make a schedule that will actually work for you!

I’d love to hear your thoughts: do you prefer to have a schedule, or do you feel your days are more productive without one?

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Related Posts:

7 Habits of Highly Effective Homemakers

How to Pick Your Perfect Planner

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I love having a schedule. I’ve had one for years but sometimes I’ll fall off of actually using it. Every time I do that I end up frustrated, disorganized, and overwhelmed. Then I’ll get back on the scheduling wagon again. 🙂 Your tips are very helpful from beginning to end. Thank you for sharing with us at #LiveLifeWell.

Thank you, Jessica! I do the same thing (trying to do the schedule, falling off, then returning to it). I’m always so much more productive when I follow a plan of some sort!

Thank you so much for this wonderful post! I have found that when I follow a schedule my homemaking and blogging go so much more smoothly. I do have to be careful not to be too rigid and to make time for the beautiful interruptions.

Thank you for linking up @LiveLifeWell!

I know what you mean about making time for the interruptions!

Thank you for this idea. I have tried schedules before and do not do well with them. I am much better working my way through a list.

Thanks for sharing, Lee! Lists are great too. I love checking one off every day.

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The Learning Strategies Center

• Meet the Staff
• –Supplemental Course Schedule
• AY Course Offerings
• Anytime Online Modules
• Winter Session Workshop Courses
• –About Tutoring
• –Office Hours and Tutoring Schedule
• –LSC Tutoring Opportunities
• –How to Use Office Hours
• –Campus Resources and Support
• –Student Guide for Studying Together
• –Find Study Partners
• –Productivity Power Hour
• –Effective Study Strategies
• –Concept Mapping
• –Guidelines for Creating a Study Schedule
• –Five-Day Study Plan
• –What To Do With Practice Exams
• –Consider Exam Logistics
• –Online Exam Checklist
• –Open-Book Exams
• –How to Tackle Exam Questions
• –What To Do When You Get Your Graded Test (or Essay) Back
• –The Cornell Note Taking System
• –Learning from Digital Materials
• –3 P’s for Effective Reading
• –Textbook Reading Systems
• –Online Learning Checklist
• –Things to Keep in Mind as you Participate in Online Classes
• –Learning from Online Lectures and Discussions
• –Online Group Work
• –Learning Online Resource Videos
• –Start Strong!
• –Effectively Engage with Classes
• –Plans if you Need to Miss Class
• –Managing Time
• –Managing Stress
• –The Perils of Multitasking
• –Break the Cycle of Procrastination!
• –Finish Strong
• –Neurodiversity at Cornell
• –LSC Scholarship
• –Pre-Collegiate Summer Scholars Program
• –Study Skills Workshops
• –Private Consultations
• –Resources for Advisors and Faculty
• –Presentation Support (aka Practice Your Talk on a Dog)
• –About LSC
• –Meet The Team
• –Contact Us

How to use Office Hours

Where can you get help?

You can get help at office hours!  But, what are office hours?

Professors and teaching assistants schedule time outside of class to meet with students. These are called office hours. Office hours are times when you can meet with your professors and teaching assistants to discuss the material being presented in class or other related interests you have. Course-related discussions include asking for extra help, seeking clarification of material presented in class and following up on aspects of the class you find compelling. In addition, students also discuss majors and programs of study, and graduation requirements, as well as summer internships, graduate schools, campus events, and much more.

Most professors do not require that students attend office hours. They expect students to decide for themselves when they need or want to participate. Professors usually announce their office hours on the first day of class or on their print or web-based course material.

Most Professors and teaching assistants do not have lessons planned for office hours. They expect students to “drive” these meetings with their questions and their thought. A good way to prepare for office hours is to attempt your homework and review your notes from class and from readings and identify as clearly as you can what you do not understand.

Do not be surprised when the professor and teaching assistants reply to your questions with questions of their own. They are working with you to uncover the source of your questions. Often they will ask students to show them their work and where they got stuck. They may ask you to explain what you were thinking as you moved from step to step. They may ask you to generate alternative ways to solve a problem. Hopefully they will help you change how you think about the material so that you can answer many different kinds of questions about it- not just the question on the homework that is stumping you. Don’t be surprised if they ask you to solve another problem before you leave the office.

TIP: You can always go with a buddy to office hours! Talk with your peer before you go and plan your questions and what you are going to ask!

What Office Hours Are NOT

Office hours are  NOT  related to activities in high school that require students to stay after school. They are not detention or negative consequences for poor decisions. They are also not a place where the instructor will do your homework for you.

What are my responsibilities as a student going to office hours?

To make the very most of your time with your instructor during office hours, you should:

• Study your textbook and lecture notes thoroughly and attempt the assigned problems before you go to office hours.
• Try to identify specific questions or concepts you need to address during the office hours.
• Expect instructors to ask you questions about the material. They do this to find out what you understand, and to provide you with information and strategies tailored to your individual needs.
• Be patient! Several students come for office hours at the same time. If the instructor is especially busy, you may have to wait a little longer for individual assistance. Use this time to study the material.
• Expect the instructor to suggest general study strategies to help you improve your overall academic performance. These strategies will help in all of your courses.
• Avoid waiting until the day before the test or the day before an assignment is due to seek assistance. Study a few hours each day, and keep up with your assignments. It is EASIER to keep up than to catch up!

Use other resources such as formal study groups and informal homework-help groups.

Keep a positive attitude about the subject and about your potential to excel. Your attitude will go a long way in determining how well you do in your course!

New to Cornell?  Don’t forget to check out our page on learning Cornell’s unique lingo !

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6 Homework Apps to Help Keep You Organized

Managing everything you have to do as a student can seem like a full-time job. With so many classes, activities, club meetings, and homework assignments thrown at you every day, it can be very overwhelming to keep track of it all.

Luckily, there are some great homework apps you can install on your phone or tablet that can help you know what classes you have coming up each day and stay on top of all of your assignments.

Here are six of our favorites. We hope these help you stay organized all year long!

Although the myHomework app supports traditional school schedules as well as block schedules, it does not support alternating block schedules, so if you have an A/B schedule, this is probably not the app for you.

• My Study Life This app is a full-fledged homework management app with its own web application, which is awesome because you can check your assignments from your computer or your phone. Plus, the calendar view shows all of your classes and assignments at the same time, and it shows you incomplete tasks that are due soon so you know what to work on first. The design is unique, too, with circles showing what percentage of a task is completed and how much more you have to go. Available for: iPhone, Android, Windows 8, Windows Phone and the web. Requires iOS 8.0 or later. Cost: Free

Another cool feature is that you can organize all of your assignments by date, course or priority, and you can sort them by pending and completed as well. Other bonus features include the ability to add contact info for all of your teachers and the ability to enter your grades so you can track how your GPA is doing.

Unfortunately, none of the apps listed above will actually do your homework for you — that part’s still up to you — but at least they’ll make it more likely that you’ll get it finished on-time and stress-free.

The organization was established over 50 years ago and works “to change the trajectory of high-potential Black youth by providing unique programming in the classroom and beyond.” Their scholars complete a four-year fellowship that includes academic enrichment, leadership development, career exposure, mentoring and college access.

Students must maintain a grade point average near 3.0 to remain in good standing with the organization — a bar the organization sets knowing full well that access to scholarships and grants for college will be the only way that most of its students can afford to go. Not all students meet this threshold despite mentoring from caring adults and strong support from administrative staff. Thus additional academic supports are needed.

Over many years, EE provided programs to help get students back on track if they started to flounder and to establish academic habits that put them on a trajectory for success. We started by offering weekly group tutoring events at the organization’s facility that not only helped students with homework completion and exam prep but also provided lessons on learning strategies, goal setting, and self-advocacy. However, traveling to the facility after school was a burden for some scholars, so EE tutors also met students at libraries and other public locations to provide support in specific subject areas where students requested help. Year after year we met with administrators and added additional resources: a summer school study skills workshop for freshmen and final exam prep workshops for all grade levels. Our unique array of programs allowed the organization to support their scholars at every stage of their academic journey.

The mission of the organization is to fight for economic mobility among highly motivated, first-generation college students by providing mentoring and intensive career development. The agency was founded on the belief that socioeconomic status should not be a barrier to college persistence and career success. 

Their staff found that many of their participants were struggling with writing assignments of all sorts in college. From essays in English class to writing cover letters for potential summer internships, many students were not effective writers. The organization provided various career development workshops throughout the academic year, but they lacked a writer’s workshop to specifically address this area of weakness. 

We met with program managers and the executive director to discuss their students’ needs and what type of program would be beneficial. The Writer’s Practice Workshop was an ideal fit for them. The course allowed students to understand that everyone is a writer even if they don’t think of themselves as such. Over the course of four sessions students assessed their own writing process; discussed the tools of a good writer’s practice; considered the audience, purpose, and the needs of any piece; and produced writing on topics that were important to them. Students left the workshop with a greater understanding of how to start assignments and follow steps to revise, edit, and polish for best results, giving them confidence in their writing. 

The organization’s mission is to provide opportunities for underserved youth to achieve academic and personal success via financial, educational and personal support during their high school years. They provide tuition assistance to attend a high-quality school along with the guidance and commitment of caring, adult mentors. They aim to serve an often overlooked segment: academically “average” students from the city’s most challenging and underserved neighborhoods.

Program staff wanted to help their students prepare for final exams and train mentors to more effectively support students in their exam prep efforts. Volunteer mentors were available to give support, but the organization lacked a consistent approach on how best to help students and make them better learners.

EE met with program administrators and board members to plan and implement a Final Exams Workshop in the lead-up to final exams. The 3-hour workshop was attended by students and their mentors on a Saturday morning. The curriculum helped students create DIY study guides for any class, plan a study schedule, prioritize final exams by difficulty and need, assess and discuss their strengths and weaknesses in regards to learning strategies, and share with peers their successes or concerns. We also facilitated a conversation between mentors and mentees as to how they could best support their students in the coming weeks. Students and mentors left the workshop with a blueprint for attacking finals week in the most efficient way — a plan they could use for high school and college.

The organization supported immigrants and their families by connecting women from over 60 countries who share a dedication to the pursuit of global understanding and universal human rights. As part of their philanthropic arm, the organization supported a local elementary school they had identified as highly diverse with a large number of immigrant students. Before engaging EE, the organization relied mostly on volunteers to provide reading support to students during school hours. 

After discussions with the organization and the school principal, teachers, families, and other stakeholders, we developed a school year calendar of after school programs that would help students develop the skills needed to succeed in elementary school and beyond. We provided courses for grades 5-8 in the spring and fall, greatly expanding the enrichment opportunities the NFP was able to provide. In doing so, we developed a close relationship with the school administration and their teaching staff, who saw the positive impact the program was having on their students. Additionally, the NFP was able to expand their mission to areas where they saw a great need: improving study skills, raising test scores, and increasing access to high school opportunities for immigrant youth. 

A scholarship foundation funded by a suburban country club was disappointed with the caliber of student who typically applied for their college scholarship offerings. Knowing that the skills needed for success in college must be cultivated from an early age, they wanted to establish a summer enrichment program for students entering 9th and 10th grade that would serve as an early intervention and better position the pool of applicants when the time came a few years later to apply for the college scholarships.

We collaborated with the foundation to identify areas of strength and weakness in their applicant pool and listened to their personal beliefs about what it takes to succeed in college. With that understanding, we customized a version of the Summer Learners’ Workshop that lays the foundation for college-level skills and caters to the learning styles and academic backgrounds of the particular students at this organization.

The resulting program has gained a reputation as one of the top summer enrichment experiences in that community with parents routinely reporting that the results exceeded their expectations. The program is now attended by an even wider array of students than those who were first targeted by the foundation.

A charter school network was seeking to implement a test prep program across eight campuses to prepare their 8th grade students for the Chicago Public Schools selective enrollment entrance exam. The high school admissions process is highly competitive, and it was the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic when students were learning from home. The schools did not have expert knowledge about the contents of the test, and finding staff at their schools to cover a program outside of school hours would be challenging. Administrators knew how competitive the admissions process was and that even their strongest students were not guaranteed a spot. For equity, they wanted to offer the course to all of their students – even those who were very unlikely to be admitted to a selective enrollment school. 

Given the wide array of students, the EE team worked with individual school counselors to create ability groupings, determine a process for reporting attendance, progress, and behavior issues, and create a curriculum that would be effective in a remote learning model. We knew that remote engagement for an after school program would be a challenge, so we incorporated competitive team games, a leaderboard of accomplishments, and other incentives to encourage maximum participation. EE provided all management and instructional staffing to deliver the test prep course successfully while freeing up teachers and counselors at the charter school to focus on their daily workload. Students received a robust course focused on strategies, practice tests, and concept review that put them in the best position to maximize their potential on test day. 

A leading scholarship fund that provides financial assistance for highly qualified, low-income students knew that financial aid alone would be insufficient to ensure their students’ success at rigorous private and parochial high schools. Therefore, they sought an intensive summer program to prepare scholars for what lay ahead. 

EE worked with the organization to determine the biggest challenges scholars would face. We landed on a wide array of non-cognitive skills that are not necessarily taught in middle school: time management, organization, self-advocacy, focus, growth mindset, etc. Inspired by this challenge, we developed our Ideal Student Workshop, which would later become the basis for our Learners’ Workshop.

Over a decade later we are still delivering the program to students at this scholarship fund and others. The program works to develop the three dimensions of successful students: character, learning strategies and habits. We update the program yearly to keep up with changes in student needs and the educational landscape. Our fun and research-based curriculum continues to be a popular summer bridge for various organizations. 

A prominent sports-based youth development organization wanted to improve one of the core elements of their program: providing educational enrichment programs to their participants.

Their goal was to offer a continuum of services for 9th-12th graders that would support students in their schoolwork, provide a pathway to college, and create a culture of learning amongst players. EE was uniquely positioned to offer a variety of services to meet this need: private tutoring, study skills classes, writing courses, high school admissions test prep, SAT/ACT prep, and college readiness seminars. We listened to the players, parents, and other stakeholders to determine which programs were most effective, established expectations for participants, and decided on the best timing and format to deliver the courses.

Since 2017 we have successfully delivered these services allowing their administrative team to focus on their primary coaching responsibilities. Ultimately, the best praise we have received is that we have provided a wide circle of caring adults to support students academically and emotionally and that we have listened to their needs and adapted our offerings to suit their participants.

Create a Homeschool Schedule That Works

Creating a homeschool schedule can feel like a daunting task, especially if you are a newer homeschool mom . It doesn’t have to be, though! I love all the planning and scheduling that goes into our homeschool… maybe that’s just me?

Now, there have been times and seasons where I am just flying by the seat of my pants, and we have gotten by just fine. However, as I have added more babies and more students into the fold, I have become more of a routine and schedule person for my sanity, as well as my children. Our house just functions better when we are all on a routine. I say routine, because I am still flexible. We may not always start school at 9am, but we start with that goal and just keep the routine going from there. My children know what is expected and when and I appreciate knowing what is coming next.

Of course, now that we added our 8th baby to the mix and our 11 year old was diagnosed with leukemia , our routine has been thrown off for awhile and that is fine by me. I know we will get back to it when we can. If you are in a season where you have only little ones, your schedule will look quite different from mine. The important thing is to create a schedule that works for your family, for your season.

If y0u are interested in a tour of our homeschool room, you can see that here . 

If you need more encouragement and tons of resources to help you plan an implement a great homeschool year,  I also have an entire section on Homeschool Planning and Organizing on the blog, with plenty of helpful  printables.

And if you would like to make it even easier on yourself, grab the SIMPLE HOMESCHOOL PLANNER here and have everything you need to plan and implement a successful homeschool year.

Things to keep in mind when you are creating a homeschool schedule:

Leave plenty of white space …by this I mean plan for the unexpected but normal life happenings. Do not schedule your time minute by minute.. that is just not realistic. Make sure you schedule in breaks and keep your curriculum in mind. If you are schooling for 36 weeks, you may want to only lesson plan for 32 weeks to allow for margin.

Be realistic in your planning . Consider the season you are in and schedule with that in mind. You may need to consider important activities for your family in your scheduling or a holiday or vacation coming up.

Don’t be afraid to change the schedule as needed …yes, I said that even as a type A personality. I’m a big fan or erasable pens and washi tape!

I am going to share how I go about making our homeschool schedules, in the hopes that it will help you out a bit.

This post contains affiliate links.

Create a Homeschool Schedule For Your Family:

There are many different homeschool schedules that you can follow. You do not need to follow your local public school calendar, but can if you wish. Older students may have a different schedule than younger children. Some examples of a yearly schedule would be:

• Follow the public school calendar
• Labor Day to Memorial Day
• 4 Days a Week
• 6 Days a Week, with each being a shorter day
• 6 weeks on, one week off (Sabbath scheduling)
• January to December

HOW I PLAN OUR HOMESCHOOL SCHEDULE:

I start out by loosely planning our entire year. I use the Year At A Glance printable (grab it below!) and also my Yearly Overview printable to determine which weeks we will have off throughout the school year, when holidays and vacations are, and when are terms will start and end. I know we typically take off December and June. This gives us about 44 weeks throughout the year to work with and we are only required to do 180 days.

I live off our weekly schedules. I made a schedule for each of my school age children and then I have a family schedule that I keep posted in our kitchen. This is where I spend most of my scheduling time.

Here is what my 6th grader’s schedule looked like a few years ago:

HERE’S A VIDEO TO SHOW YOU EXACTLY HOW I PLAN OUT OUR YEARLY AND WEEKLY SCHEDULE:

*Grab this printable (updated!) here

• Each of my school age children have one of these schedules, but they vary depending on age, of course. We all do chores together three times a day, which has helped our household tremendously. I have tried to make their schedules so that when the older students are working independently, I can work with the younger ones.
• The older children will start out the day with their own Bible reading and then everyone starts their Math . I prefer all my children doing Math at the same time, so my mind is in “math mode” and I can easily help those who need it.
• After Math, we have our Morning Time. This usually takes about an hour and it is a time where we sit on couches and sing and read and work together as a family. We have all grown to love our Morning Time. You can see more details in this video if you are interested, although I filmed this a couple years ago. For up to date morning work, visit me on Instagram.   Morning Time is when we incorporate these seasonal bundles into our homeschool. 
• Then we are all doing History or Science together as a family. Because of the age differences, we have different levels, but are able to still combine these subjects.
• Next we go into  Language Arts . We use The Good & The Beautiful, with each child in their own level. I work with each child as needed, as I am right there with them.

Next, they all pick a book from our Book Basket . I used to assign particular books and pages I wanted them to read, but have found it works out much better for me to let them choose what they want to read. I have curated which books I want to put in our Book Basket and they are free to choose from those. The older ones read silently while I read aloud to my younger ones.

After lunch, my younger students should be done with their school for the day. My sixth grader will still have some independent work in the afternoon. This allows me time to work one on one with my older kids. They are mostly independent, as they use True North Homeschool Academy for the majority of their classes, but I like to check in regularly.

Now, as far as the Family Schedule …this is a guideline that shows me what we are doing each day of the week. I have our school hours scheduled in and our chore times, as well as any daily activities we have. I also schedule in my blogging time and my business time each day as well as my quiet time. You can grab a blank copy of this printable to use with your family as well.

Here is our homeschool schedule right now ….

5:00 am – Mom’s Quiet Time ( Why I Wake Before My Kids )

8:00 am – Breakfast and chores for everyone ( take a look at the Stay at Home Survival Bundle! )

9:00 am –  SCHOOL STARTS

2:00 pm –  SCHOOL ENDS  (I usually put the little one down for a nap and check emails or Instagram during this time)

3:00 pm – Chore time for all: We have a chore chart in the kitchen. (see 10 Habits of Highly Effective Homemakers )

3:30 pm – Free Time (during the school year, my son has wrestling practice now)

5:00 pm – Dinner Prep  (I put on a  podcast  and get busy in the kitchen!)

6:00ish – Dinner  ( How To Meal Prep )

6:30pm – This depends on the day and time of year, but someone may have an activity around this time.

7:00pm – Nighttime chores, family read aloud & get ready for bed (This can take about an hour or so)

8:30pm: Ideally, kids are in bed and mom and dad have some free time. I usually will work on my Red Aspen business  or chat on Instagram or read a book , visit the Simple Home Community , etc.

9:00pm: Bed for mom

And that’s a wrap! It is not always a smooth flowing homeschool schedule and things may need to be changed or switched around, but it is what is working for my family right now. I hope it helped you see that a homeschool schedule can be a good thing for your family and that is doesn’t have to be overwhelming!

CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE SCHEDULES

YOU CAN GET ALL THESE PRINTABLES I MENTION BY JOINING OUR HOMESCHOOL EMAIL LIST. **I HAVE UPDATED SO YOU’LL GET THE 2023-2024 CALENDARS.

** they will be sent right away, but you do need to confirm you want them first** happy planning, other resources you may find helpful:.

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20 comments.

Candice | The Brown Eyed Mom

Thank you for sharing your schedule! I have spent the last couple of weeks planning then re-planning then scraping that plan and starting over. I’m so type A I need to let go a little!

Creating a Homeschool Schedule Printable - Homeschool Printables for Free

[…] Grab Yours Here! […]

This is great info! Thanks for sharing! Question: what time do your kids typically wake up?

Hi Katie! My kids wake up at different times in different seasons. The little ones are usually up around 6-7 and the older ones will sleep until I let them ? I am not super strict on a schedule, it’s more the routine of the schedule. So if they wake up late, we just adjust. Hope that helps!

Homeschooling | Links I am Loving | xoxo, Lauren DeFrehn

[…] Create a Homeschool Schedule That Works | Just a Simple Home […]

How to be a productive mom during the coronavirus crisis: Homeschooling schedule : Handy Mandy

[…] is a great website to help you set up your own schedule. Also, Khan Academy has a really good example with access to […]

Quarantine Schedule Ideas for Kids with Sample Schedules

[…] Here’s an example of a template from justasimplehome.com […]

Coronavirus School Cancellation Resources for Parents » Strangers on a Plain

[…] Sample Daily Homeschool Schedule […]

Here is a great video on homeschooling with links to recourses! https://youtu.be/WLyOkPXAXRE

Thanks for the nice tips and sharing your homeschool schedule! I appreciate it that you emphasize flexibility and having some wiggle room when creating our daily schedule. As a homeschool mom of multiple kids, following an authoritarian, minute by minute schedule is just impossible! 😀

25 Simple Routines for Homeschool Moms Who Don't Like Schedules

[…] Creating a Homeschool Routine from Just a Simple Home […]

I was looking for a homeschooling routine for my son. He doesn’t go to school yet, I’ll use your routine to outline a schedule for him. Thanks

I live in a multigenerational household, and my son and his wife announced that they plan to homeschool – when they have children in another year or two. I’m a retired professor and plan to help out a little here and there. Right now I’m keeping my eye out for articles and tips like this. Thank you!

Thank you for sharing these helpful schedules, Terryn! I’ve homeschooled my daughter for the last 3 years and will be adding in my son next year. Going from 1 to 2 makes me a bit nervous. I love how you’re still able to keep a healthy schedule with a larger family and especially how you’ve taught you’re children from an early age to be such hard workers!

Bre Paulson

With the next school year still up in the air for us, I might need to institute some of your ideas here!

Can you type on these? I was hoping it was a file I could type and add my subjects. I am not able to download.

Shannon Nielsen

Hello! I was just sitting down to plan out our year and I noticed the ‘Yearly Planning’ calendar is off. (Example -September 2020 has the Sundays as 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and it should be 6, 13, 20, 27. Is there a way to get an updated version? Also, I have the same question as the previous commenter – I was really, really hoping I could type onto the document directly instead of handwriting. Any chance of that being possible? Thank you!!!

3 Tips for Preparing for The School year with Macy's » Anna C.

[…] a schedule for school days just like your child would have in a brick and mortar. Just a Simple Home has created a fantastic and simple homeschool schedule that can be easily adapted to online and […]

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[…] year approaches. It is difficult, no doubt, but with the right technology and a strict education schedule, you can get through even advanced classes from the kitchen table. There are many online tutoring […]

Homeschooling Ideas You Can Use to Improve Your Child's Learning - Little Helpers In Life

[…] is also hugely important to make sure you find a routine that works for your child. Every child is different, and all children learn differently, which is why you need to make sure […]

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Harris to hold Philadelphia rally with vice president pick Tuesday

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An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 hit southwestern Japan on Thursday, triggering tsunami advisories, public broadcaster NHK reported, but there were no immediate signs of major damage.

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How to Make a Schedule

Last Updated: February 22, 2024 Fact Checked

Sample Schedules

Structuring time, sticking to it.

This article was co-authored by Kathi Burns, CPO® . Kathi Burns is a board certified Professional Organizer (CPO) and Founder of Organized and Energized!, her consulting business with a mission to empower people to master their environment and personal image by assisting them in taking control, making change and organizing their lives. Kathi has over 17 years of organizing experience and her work has been featured on Better Homes and Gardens, NBC News, Good Morning America, and Entrepreneur. She has a BS in Communication from Ohio University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 470,464 times.

If you’re overwhelmed with daily tasks, a schedule is a great way to become more productive, efficient, and organized. Experiment with using a notebook, planner, or app to structure your time, and stick with the method that works best for you. Be sure to set reasonable expectations, and strike a balance between your responsibilities and free time. To stay on track, make planning your schedule part of your routine, and reward yourself whenever you cross a task off of your list.

• Tracking your routine over the course of a week will help you accurately estimate how much time you should budget for specific tasks.
• Additionally, you might find ways that you can become more productive. For example, you might have spent 10 hours playing a video game and should have spent more time studying.

• Choose a method that suits your personal preferences. If you hate dealing with paper, use an app. If writing by hand helps you stay on track, go with a pencil and pad.
• You’ll get a sense of your likes and dislikes as you use your schedule. When you find the right method, stick with it. Keep all of your tasks organized in 1 place, be it a notebook, planner, or app.
• Some people prefer digital planners while others prefer scheduling on paper—choose whichever option best motivates you.
• Reader Poll: We asked 568 wikiHow readers about how they organize their time, and 64% agreed that they like to make paper timetables . [Take Poll]

• Including the day of the week helps you keep track of activities that happen on specific days, such as music classes on Mondays and Wednesdays.
• If you’re using a blank notebook, you could use the page on the left for a chronological schedule, and write daily priorities and other notes on the right page.

• If you’re using a blank notebook or spreadsheet, it’s helpful to fill in time slots in half hour intervals on the left side of the page. Leave 2 or 3 lines between each half hour interval so you have room to jot down bullet points under a task.
• If you're using a planner or scheduling app, it probably already has time slots.

• For example, write 1 (or A) next to your most important tasks. These will be the tasks you'll write on your schedule first. Write 2 (or B) next to your middle-priority tasks, and 3 (or C) next to your low-priority items.
• When you write a task in your schedule, you could mark the priority level next to it, or just make an asterisk or exclamation point next to your top priorities.
• If you’re planning out your week , make a list of your weekly tasks. Write down your daily tasks if you’re planning a single day.

• For example, if you’re most productive in the morning, schedule high-priority projects before lunchtime. Save paper filing and deleting emails for later in the day.
• Do your best to set reasonable expectations. Don’t try to squeeze homework or a meeting with a client into 30 minutes when you know a full hour is more realistic.
• After you’ve entered the most important items, you can fill the smaller tasks, like doing laundry or going grocery shopping.

• If you have to go to a meeting, include the time, location, and who will be attending. You might also want to add bullet points on the meeting's topic.
• Keep in mind you don’t want to write an essay for each task. Just include the necessary details that will help you stay on track.

• For example, you might have to prepare an outline from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., go to class from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., have lunch at 12:30 p.m., and have a meeting from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
• Remember to set reasonable expectations. Refer to the log you kept when you tracked your time to accurately estimate how long a task will take.

• For example, include entries such as, “Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. - Have dinner with Sam and Phil (finish up at work by 5:45!)” or “Saturday, 12:00 p.m. - Take Joey to the park.”

Kathi Burns, CPO®

Give yourself permission to say no. If you're feeling stretched thin and overcommitted, it's 100% okay to tell someone you can't do something! Be polite and say that even though you'd like to, you're unable to fit it into your schedule at the moment.

• If you have to drive somewhere, remember to leave an extra 10 or 15 minutes in case you run into traffic.
• Even if you don’t run late or get distracted, you can use chunks of wiggle room to take breaks, exercise, or to do some extra work.

• You might find it helpful to plan out your week on Sunday night, then make adjustments and organize daily task lists each night or morning.

• If you use an app, install it and sync your account on all the electronic devices you use. Try using a desktop or home screen widget to pin tasks to your electronic devices’ main displays.
• It’s also helpful to post a whiteboard or calendar in your work area with at-a-glance information, like key dates and weekly goals.

• Don’t panic if you don’t complete all your tasks. If something slipped through the cracks today, revise your schedule and make it tomorrow’s priority.

• In addition to small rewards for completing individual tasks, give yourself a big treat after a productive day. Take a long, soothing bath, play video games, watch a movie, or do another activity that you most enjoy.

• It’s also helpful to keep your phone in your pocket or bag instead of on your desk. It’s there if you need it, but keeping it out of sight will help keep distractions out of mind.

• For instance, it’s great to use a weekend day to get things done around the house. However, if you mow the lawn, catch up on laundry, and clean the house on Saturday, take most of Sunday to relax.
• Each evening, do your best to schedule at least 1 to 2 hours to unwind before bed. Use that time to read a relaxing book, take a bath, or listen to soothing music.

Expert Q&A

• Keep your tasks organized on 1 schedule, be it a notepad, paper planner, or app. You could lose track if you spread different tasks across multiple schedules. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Take advantage of small chunks of time. Instead of browsing social media for 15 minutes before an appointment, try to make progress on a daily task. You could also use the time to grab a healthy snack, stretch, or go for a brisk walk. [16] X Trustworthy Source American Psychological Association Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists Go to source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Plan for distractions, but do your best to manage them. If someone comes into your office or you get a phone call, say, “I can only talk for a few minutes,” or “I’m happy to listen to your question, but I’ll have to get back to you with an answer a little later.” [17] X Trustworthy Source U.S. Small Business Administration U.S. government agency focused on supporting small businesses Go to source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2013/03/hours.aspx
• ↑ http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234145
• ↑ https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1042&title=time-management-10-strategies-for-better-time-management
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/time-management-skills
• ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243962
• ↑ https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/files/PARTICIPANT_GUIDE_TIME_MANAGEMENT.pdf
• ↑ https://students.dartmouth.edu/academic-skills/learning-resources/making-schedule
• ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234145

About This Article

If you need to make a schedule, write down everything you need to do for a specific day in chronological order. Fill in the most important tasks first to make sure you have enough time to complete them. Include the starting and ending times for everything you have to accomplish to help you stay focused throughout the day, and add in 5-10 minute breaks between tasks so you don’t fall behind if something lasts longer than you thought. Keep reading to learn how to stick to your schedule once it’s written out! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Harris Is Set to Unveil V.P. Choice by Tuesday Morning

Vice President Kamala Harris is planning to begin a tour of battleground states with her running mate this week.

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Nick Corasaniti

Here’s the latest on the presidential race.

The campaign to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate is reaching its final hours.

She is expected to make her decision by tomorrow morning at the latest, as she plans to rally with her running mate in Philadelphia later on Tuesday. Three top-tier contenders — Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota — met with her in Washington on Sunday. The Harris campaign has protected the final stages of the selection process with extreme caution, with few leaks or details emerging.

Here’s what else to know:

Trump’s outreach to young men : Former President Donald J. Trump sat for a livestreamed interview with Adin Ross , a 23-year-old internet celebrity. Mr. Ross gifted the former president a Rolex and a Tesla Cybertruck — gifts he may not be able to keep without running afoul of federal campaign finance laws. But the more crucial gift for Mr. Trump may have been access to the millions of young, mostly male and right-leaning potential voters who follow Mr. Ross on social media.

Vance chases Harris: Mr. Trump’s running mate is mirroring Ms. Harris’s campaign schedule this week, with stops in the same battleground states — and even in some of the same cities — where she will be appearing.

A race at warp speed: After what seemed like a long slog, this presidential campaign is playing out in fast forward. Voters will begin casting ballots in Pennsylvania , one of the critical battleground states, as soon as mid-September. Strategists in both parties say speed is likely to benefit Vice President Kamala Harris.

The V.P. decision process: It has become divisive in the final stages , as activists from the moderate and progressive wings of the Democratic primary have turned the vice-presidential pick into a proxy Democratic primary, the first signs of Democratic division since Ms. Harris quickly consolidated support behind her candidacy. Two of the top contenders, Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Mr. Walz, are scheduled to host fund-raisers for the Harris campaign tonight.

Dan Simmons

Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota gave a spirited address backing Vice President Kamala Harris to a group of Democratic donors in Minneapolis Monday night — but he didn’t mention his prospects to be her running mate. “We’ve got to have her back,” Walz said. “We need to do it every single day with a sense of joy.”

Walz has emerged as a top vice presidential pick in part because of his viral description of the Republican ticket as “weird.” On Monday, he defended his use of the word. “It wasn’t a slur to call these guys weird,” he said. “It was an observation.”

Chris Cameron

Laura Ingraham, the Fox News anchor who interviewed Donald Trump last week , appeared to criticize the former president’s remarks questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’s identity as a Black woman as a distraction, and was also critical of his attacks against Georgia’s Republican governor, his wife, and the Republican secretary of state over the weekend.

“Shooting inside the tent right now of the Republican Party, that’s a loser strategy,” Ingraham said. “That’s not going to work. They tried that in 2020 and we lost two Senate seats. Then in 2022 we had some more — it doesn’t work. You got to focus.”

Advertisement

Nicholas Nehamas

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, responding to a question on CNN, said she did not think that anti-semitism was behind the opposition that some progressive groups have voiced about Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania potentially becoming Vice President Kamala Harris's running mate. “I think it’s probably more about policy,” she said, although she added that it would be better if his critics “weighed in more privately.”

Pelosi also rejected the idea that she was responsible for persuading several of her allies, including Representative Adam Schiff of California, to publicly call for President Biden to drop his re-election bid. She said that she had not spoken to Biden since he withdrew. Asked by Dana Bash of CNN if everything was "okay with your relationship" she replied: “You’d have to ask him, but I hope so.”

President Biden posted a photo of Vice President Kamala Harris sitting alongside him in the White House Situation Room as they received a briefing on tensions in the Middle East. Last week, Harris joined Biden in greeting the Americans released from Russian captivity — another instance of the president including her in high-profile moments.

Earlier, @VP and I were briefed in the Situation Room on developments in the Middle East. We received updates on threats posed by Iran and its proxies, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, and preparations to support Israel should it be attacked again. We also… pic.twitter.com/kbRcVkW3ex — President Biden (@POTUS) August 5, 2024

Ken Bensinger

Adin Ross gave Trump a Tesla Cybertruck, a Rolex and access to a heavily male audience.

What do you give a former president who has everything?

Adin Ross, an internet celebrity known for stirring controversy, answered that question with a gold Rolex watch and a customized Tesla Cybertruck, both of which he presented to Donald J. Trump during an interview that was livestreamed on Monday afternoon.

“I think it’s incredible,” said Mr. Trump as he eyeballed the electric vehicle, which was parked in the porte-cochère of Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence in Florida.

The car — closely associated with the Trump-supporting chief executive of Tesla, Elon Musk, and subject of an ongoing culture war — has been in short supply since Tesla began selling it in late 2023. This one, which Mr. Ross drove to the interview, was festooned in red, white and blue with Mr. Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” emblazoned on the hood.

On each side was the now-ubiquitous photo of the Republican presidential nominee, fist raised defiantly, taken seconds after the attempt on his life at a campaign rally last month.

Before a streaming audience that at times topped 500,000 people, Mr. Trump then climbed into the Cybertruck and, along with Mr. Ross, listened to songs from a custom playlist prepared for the occasion. “Who doesn’t like the Beach Boys?” Mr. Trump asked. He was equally admiring of the watch. “Wow, that’s so nice,” he chirped, fondling the green leather box containing the timepiece.

Per Tesla’s website, a base model Cybertruck has a sticker price of $60,990, with high-end trims topping $100,000. A customized wrap — the printed vinyl sticker covering every exterior surface of the vehicle — starts around $4,000. Rolex watches typically start at $5,000.

All of those price tags far exceed the federal limit on individual campaign contributions, which is $3,300 per election cycle, in cash or in-kind — making Mr. Ross’ show of generosity a potential campaign finance violation.

“I would expect that once Trump gets off the livestream and talks to his lawyers, he’ll be advised that he can’t accept these gifts and will have to turn them down or give them to charity,” said Brendan Fischer, a campaign finance expert who is deputy executive director at Documented, a watchdog group.

He added: “What other conclusion can you come to other than that this is an illegal and excessive campaign contribution?”

Karoline Leavitt, a Trump spokeswoman, said in a statement that “our campaign will submit an advisory opinion to the FEC to seek guidance on how to handle the gifts,” referring to the Federal Election Commission.

Regardless, the more crucial gift the former president got by sitting for the interview may well be access to the millions of young, mostly male and right-leaning potential voters who follow Mr. Ross on social media.

Mr. Ross, 23, rose to fame by streaming himself playing video games. He routinely draws 150,000 or more simultaneous viewers on those streams, which can run for five or more hours at a time.

But he has provoked some backlash over the guests he has welcomed on his stream, like Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer who last year was indicted on rape and human trafficking charges in Romania. He has also given airtime to Nick Fuentes, an avowed white supremacist, and he has hosted neo-Nazis wearing swastika emblems.

He was sanctioned by Twitch, a livestreaming platform, multiple times for homophobic statements and hateful content before the site banned him last year. He now hosts his stream on a rival site, Kick.

But he remains enormously popular with a testosterone-heavy demographic that Mr. Trump sees as critical to his re-election chances.

The key is getting those men to the voting booth.

And so, Mr. Trump in June sat for an interview with Logan Paul, a professional wrestler, energy drink entrepreneur and influencer with more than 50 million social media followers, including 27 million on Instagram alone. Last week, Mr. Trump posted two videos with Jake Paul, Mr. Paul’s brother and an influencer-turned-boxer, on his TikTok account, accumulating more than 17 million views.

He has also twice granted interviews to the Nelk Boys, a group of Canadian pranksters famous on YouTube. On Friday, the Nelk Boys released an hourlong podcast interview with JD Vance, Mr. Trump’s running mate, that so far has logged 1.2 million views on YouTube.

Mr. Adin proved to be a decidedly nonconfrontational interlocutor for Mr. Trump. Over nearly 90 minutes, he gave Mr. Trump space to repeatedly demean and insult Ms. Harris and Mr. Biden, and to boast or complain however he saw fit.

Mr. Adin also openly entreated his audience to vote for the Republican, an endorsement so enthusiastic that it appeared to surprise even Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump said he had been interviewed many times by people “who really do like me,” but “they wouldn’t do what you just did. They wouldn’t say ‘vote for him.’”

“I think it’s great that you can say something like that,” he added.

Michael C. Bender

Vance is touring the same battleground states as Harris this week.

Senator JD Vance thought he would meet Vice President Kamala Harris on the debate stage. Instead, it might be on an airport tarmac.

The Republican vice-presidential nominee will spend much of this week chasing Ms. Harris across the map of battleground states to counterprogram the Democratic presidential candidate’s campaign.

On Tuesday, Mr. Vance will campaign in Philadelphia just hours before Ms. Harris speaks in the same city at Temple University. Ms. Harris is expected to introduce her running mate, who will become Mr. Vance’s rival, at her event.

On Wednesday, both will hold afternoon events in Eau Claire, Wis., before evening stops in Michigan: Ms. Harris will visit Detroit while Mr. Vance heads to Shelby Township, one of the city’s northern suburbs. On Thursday, the two will campaign in North Carolina’s Research Triangle.

“We appreciate JD Vance providing voters in battleground states exactly the split-screen that defines the choice this November: a ticket focused on building an America of opportunity, lower costs, and more freedom — or an America modeled after the Trump-Vance Project 2025 agenda of extremism, less freedom, and an economy that benefits only billionaires and big corporations,” said Charles Lutvak, a spokesman for Ms. Harris.

Since President Biden dropped out of the race last month, Mr. Vance has joked that he was disappointed because he wanted to debate with Ms. Harris. And he has focused much of his campaigning on attacking Ms. Harris, who will replace Mr. Biden at the top of her party’s ticket.

A Trump campaign official said that Mr. Vance was likely to continue criticizing Ms. Harris on energy issues while framing her as a “dangerous” liberal.

Last week he visited the U.S.-Mexico border, where he criticized her handling of immigration issues and mocked her for living in Canada during her teenage years. At an event in Nevada, he called her a “wacky San Francisco liberal.”

Mr. Trump, meantime, has just one stop scheduled this week — a rally in Montana, where he has endorsed Tim Sheehy, a businessman and former Navy SEAL, who is attempting to unseat Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat who was elected in 2006.

Kenneth P. Vogel

Reporting from Washington

The former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway will be paid $50,000 a month to lobby for Ukrainian interests.

With former President Donald J. Trump and his allies signaling that he will scale back assistance to Ukraine if he retakes the White House, a onetime close adviser has accepted a $50,000-a-month contract to lobby for Ukrainian interests.

Kellyanne Conway, who served as a top aide to Mr. Trump’s 2016 campaign and his presidency, registered on Friday to represent Victor Pinchuk, a Ukrainian oligarch who has positioned himself as a leading supporter of his country’s defense against Russian aggression.

In a filing with the Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Ms. Conway indicated that the Ukrainian government would be the “principal beneficiary” of her lobbying on behalf of Mr. Pinchuk’s charitable foundation.

The filing signaled that Ms. Conway would engage U.S. lawmakers and opinion leaders to explain the importance of Ukraine to the protection of democratic principles, and would try to raise awareness “of Ukrainians’ fight for freedom and the Russian illegal war of aggression.”

Ms. Conway also indicated that she would try to persuade American officials to attend the forthcoming installment of Mr. Pinchuk’s annual security conference, scheduled for next month in Kyiv.

Hours after the filing was uploaded to the Justice Department’s FARA website, Ms. Conway posted a photograph of herself on social media with Mr. Trump in New Jersey, saying that she had “quite the visit today” with him.

A person familiar with the meeting said it lasted hours and touched on a number of subjects related to the 2024 election.

Mr. Trump spoke by phone last month with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, which was seen as an effort to tamp down concerns about U.S. support for the country during a possible second Trump administration. But Mr. Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, has been one of Congress’s most vocal opponents of U.S. aid for Ukraine.

Ms. Conway had expressed backing for prospective running mates who were more supportive of Ukraine. After Mr. Vance was selected, she told The Bulwark , a politics website, that people were expressing concerns to her.

Ms. Conway did not respond to a message asking if she discussed Ukraine with the former president. Representatives for Mr. Pinchuk also did not respond.

Ms. Conway’s contract has drawn grumbling among other Trump allies, who complain that it represented an effort to capitalize on her connection to the former president, according to a former Trump White House official.

At the beginning of his presidency, Mr. Trump had required all incoming administration employees to pledge that they would refrain from any foreign representations that prompted FARA disclosure after leaving the government. But Mr. Trump rescinded the ethics pledge hours before the end of his term.

Mr. Pinchuk has long spent lavishly to curry influence in Washington and Kyiv.

He has made donations to the Clinton Foundation totaling at least $13 million since 2006. And he donated $150,000 to Mr. Trump’s now-defunct charitable foundation in September 2015 in exchange for a 20-minute remote video appearance that Mr. Trump made to Mr. Pinchuk’s security conference that year.

Mr. Pinchuk, who made his fortune in the steel industry after the fall of the Soviet Union, became a minor character in the special counsel’s investigation into connections between Mr. Trump’s team and Russia. Investigators scrutinized the payment.

Prosecutors also spotlighted Mr. Pinchuk’s role in financing a report commissioned by the Russia-aligned government of former President Viktor F. Yanukovych of Ukraine that was widely criticized for whitewashing the prosecution and imprisonment of an opposition figure. Mr. Pinchuk denied funding the report , though the U.S. consultants who facilitated it testified that he did so.

Theodore Schleifer

Ron DeSantis, Trump's main rival in the G.O.P. nominating contest, headlined a fund-raiser last Thursday in Monterey, Calif., for the pro-Trump super PAC Right for America, per an invite. The event included a $1,000-a-head reception and a $5,000-a-head dinner at a mansion. DeSantis has stepped up his fund-raising for the Trump ticket, and particularly for this super PAC, which has been heavily funded by the G.O.P. mega-donor Ike Perlmutter and his wife, Laura.

Jesse McKinley Chelsia Rose Marcius and Emma G. Fitzsimmons

Jesse McKinley reported from Albany, N.Y., and Chelsia Rose Marcius and Emma G. Fitzsimmons from New York City.

While Kennedy fights to stay on the ballot in New York, everyone is talking about the bear.

Lucas Altman remembers it well: On an early October night in 2014, he had taken his two Labradors to Central Park when suddenly they became alert, their tails wagging with the thrill of the hunt as they towed him to a patch of shrubbery.

“It was dark, I was getting impatient and I didn’t bother to look,” he said.

A day later, he returned to find out that another resident had made a shocking discovery under the bushes: a dead bear cub , oddly placed under an old bike.

“It was so strange,” Mr. Altman, 52, remembered in an interview Monday. “I always thought it had to take somebody kooky to do that.”

This weekend, a most unexpected culprit stepped forward to admit the bear dumping: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Mr. Kennedy, the political scion whose independent presidential campaign has caused heartburn for both major parties, said he’d found the baby bear dead on a roadside and posed it as a prank. He revealed the decade-old stunt in a video he posted on social media Sunday , in expectation of a critical New Yorker profile published Monday that included the same anecdote.

Mr. Kennedy said he thought the staging would be “amusing,” though he seemed to understand that his sense of humor might not be for everyone.

“It’s going to be a bad story,” he says in the video to Roseanne Barr, a comedian whose sense of humor is also not for everyone.

The story of the roadkill and the confessional video was so bizarrely fascinating that it overshadowed a decidedly more serious challenge for Mr. Kennedy: a court case in Albany brought by a group of voters trying to have him removed from the ballot, arguing Mr. Kennedy used a false address on tens of thousands of nominating petitions.

The case, which began on Monday, is being backed by Clear Choice, a Democrat-aligned political action committee that is trying to keep Mr. Kennedy off the ballot. Mr. Kennedy is likely to testify on Tuesday.

In late May, the Kennedy campaign said it had turned in more than three times the required 45,000 valid signatures to get on New York’s ballot. But on Monday, lawyers for the four voters who brought the case argued that Mr. Kennedy had been deceitful about his address when he circulated petitions for signatures, and that therefore the signatures on those petitions are invalid .

Mr. Kennedy has a home in Los Angeles he shares with his wife, the actress Cheryl Hines and — occasionally — some ravens . Mr. Kennedy’s federal filings for president list a California address , and California is also the home of his running mate, Nicole Shanahan. Under a constitutional oddity, presidential and vice-presidential candidates who come from the same state are ineligible to receive its electoral votes. And California is the nation’s richest electoral prize.

But Mr. Kennedy’s New York petitions listed an address in Katonah, N.Y. Lawyers for the voters trying to bounce him from the ballot say that address is not his home but that of a friend, arguing that Mr. Kennedy “does not, and has never, resided” there.

“That residency address is not the residence of candidate Kennedy,” said Keith M. Corbett, a lawyer representing those seeking to remove Mr. Kennedy from the ballot in New York, which has the fourth most electoral votes in the country .

Mr. Kennedy’s lawyers did not offer an opening statement on Monday, though his lead trial lawyer, William F. Savino, noted in a statement posted on the campaign website that the candidate’s mail is delivered in Katonah, and that his driver’s, fishing and falconry licenses are all from New York.

“New York has been his residence continuously since 1964, and Mr. Kennedy has deep ties to it,” said Mr. Savino, a colorful Buffalo-area lawyer, in a statement. He added: “He has never claimed any other state as a residency. He intends to move back to New York as soon as his wife retires from acting.”

When court was in session, Mr. Kennedy — an environmental lawyer who long fought for cleaning up the Hudson with the group Riverkeeper — took notes and carefully watched testimony before the State Supreme Court judge, Christina L. Ryba. He did not comment about the case to reporters as he left the courtroom, surrounded by Secret Service agents, and answered “No,” when asked if he had any comment on the bear.

In Sunday’s video, however, Mr. Kennedy was more loquacious, amiably spinning a tale of finding the dead cub by an upstate road in 2014 while on a falconry outing. He said he wanted to skin the bear — “It was in very good condition,” he said — and keep its meat. (The New Yorker account also included a photo of the candidate looking as though the animal was chomping his hand.)

He then went to a dinner at Peter Luger Steak House in Brooklyn. With a flight to catch and no time to deal with the carcass, Mr. Kennedy said he left it in Central Park along with an old bike he happened to have in his car, apparently to suggest a cyclist had mowed down the bear.

“We’ll make it look like he got hit by a bike,” he said, adding, “It will be fun, funny for people.”

City and state officials didn’t seem quite as amused: Jeff Wernick, a spokesman for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, said in a statement on Monday that the department had investigated the bear’s death in 2014 and closed the case that year due to a lack of sufficient evidence.

State law, he said, “includes offenses such as illegal possession of a bear without a tag or permit and illegal disposal of a bear, both of which are violation-level offenses typically subject to fines of up to $250 for the first offense.” The statute of limitations is one year, he said.

New York City’s Sanitation Department also reminded residents on Monday morning about how to properly dispose of a dead animal. Their remains should be placed in a sealed heavy duty bag and set out with household trash, along with a taped note saying what was left inside, city officials said. The illustration showed bags labeled Paddington, Fozzie and Gummy.

A Kennedy campaign spokeswoman, Stefanie Spear, directed a request for comment back to the video with Ms. Barr.

Of course, anyone who had “secret bear disposal” on their campaign 2024 bingo card was probably thrilled, though the news was just the latest animal-related revelation during Mr. Kennedy’s long-shot campaign, which has already been dogged by his well-known vaccine skepticism and other conspiracy-tinged beliefs. In May, The New York Times revealed that Mr. Kennedy had a dead worm in his brain , a condition that had caused cognitive problems.

And in The New Yorker, Mr. Kennedy joked that perhaps his photo with the bear — in which his hand is in the bloody mouth of the little cub — might have had something to do with his parasite.

“Maybe that’s where I got my brain worm,” he said.

Despite Mr. Kennedy’s past work with Riverkeeper, environmentalists were not impressed by his treatment of the cub, whose mysterious appearance in Central Park a decade ago is now, at least, solved.

“This bizarre incident underscores how terrible Kennedy’s judgment is,” said Brett Hartl, the national political director at the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, and “how little remorse he has for his actions.”

For Mr. Altman, Mr. Kennedy’s confession did have an upside. He said he had spoken to a detective at the time and always wondered about what he called “a very weird situation.”

“In our family, it’s been a mystery for 10 years,” he said. “I figured we’d never find out what happened. And now we know.”

Usha Vance defended her husband’s ‘childless cat ladies’ claim as a ‘quip.’

Usha Vance, the wife of Senator JD Vance of Ohio, defended a 2021 claim by her husband that the United States was led by unhappy “childless cat ladies,” saying that his statement was a “quip.”

In a Fox News interview published Monday , Ms. Vance said her husband, who is Donald J. Trump’s running mate on the Republican presidential ticket, had been trying to make a “substantive” point through jest.

In July 2021, Mr. Vance told Tucker Carlson on Fox News that it was “just a basic fact” that the country was led by a “bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.” Mr. Vance’s comments were met with bipartisan backlash last month when he began campaigning as Mr. Trump’s running mate.

Ms. Vance, in her interview, asserted that his “actual meaning” related to a defense of Americans who are struggling to have children.

“What he was really saying is that it can be really hard to be a parent in this country,” she said, an explanation that seemed to depart in focus from what Mr. Vance had said.

She urged people to carefully examine the context around her husband’s comments.

Mr. Vance, then a Senate candidate, did not explicitly refer to challenges facing Americans struggling to have children during the 2021 interview, which lasted five minutes. He said the people he was referring to were “obsessed with their jobs” and controlled by “D.C. and New York status games.”

Mr. Vance cited Vice President Kamala Harris, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, and Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, as examples of Democrats in leadership who did not have children.

Ms. Harris has a stepson and a stepdaughter. Kerstin Emhoff, the mother of Ms. Harris’s stepchildren, came to her defense last month. Mr. Buttigieg adopted two children in August 2021. ( He has called Mr. Vance’s commentary “offensive to everybody in the country.”) Ms. Ocasio-Cortez does not have children. (She has not publicly commented on the senator’s claims, according to her spokeswoman.)

It was not clear that Mr. Vance was joking during the interview with Mr. Carlson. The senator, who was defending similar comments he had previously made, suggested that Americans who do not have children lack a “direct stake” in the future of the country.

In an interview last month on “The Megyn Kelly Show” on SiriusXM , Mr. Vance criticized several people who had denounced his comments, including the “Friends” actress Jennifer Aniston.

Mr. Vance, 40, and his wife have three children.

Ms. Vance, 38, said her husband “would never, ever, ever want to say something to hurt someone who is trying to have a family.”

“Let’s try to look at the real conversation that he’s trying to have and engage with it,” she said.

It was Ms. Vance’s first one-on-one interview broadcast on TV since her husband was selected as Mr. Trump’s running mate last month.

The Trump campaign did not immediately reply to questions about whether Mr. Vance had been joking during the 2021 interview or whether he had any further comment on it.

In an interview before an audience at the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago on Wednesday, Mr. Trump said of Mr. Vance: “He is very family-oriented. And he thinks family’s a great thing.”

Mr. Trump also downplayed the importance of his running mate.

“Historically, the vice president, in terms of the election, does not have any impact,” Mr. Trump said.

Adin Ross just presented Trump with a red, white and blue Tesla Cybertruck that’s been decorated in his honor. “Make America Great Again” is written on the hood, and the image of the former president raising his fist in defiance after the assassination attempt against him is emblazoned on the side. Trump climbed into the electric vehicle’s passenger seat, and the two men listened to “California Dreamin’” by the Mamas & the Papas.

Trump’s interview with the streamer Adin Ross has now stretched over 70 minutes and shows no sign of flagging. Ross, wearing a MAGA hat, encouraged the more than 500,000 people watching the stream to vote for the former president, prompting Trump to say the endorsement was unusual for an interaction framed as a journalistic interview. “I’ve been doing this for years with people who really do like me and even then they stopped short of what you did. I think it’s ethical and smart,” Trump said.

The video game streamer Adin Ross just gave Trump a gold Rolex watch while interviewing him live at Mar-a-Lago. Ross is known for his extensive watch collection and for surprising fans with gifts of luxury watches.

Trump pivoted off a question about who his favorite U.F.C. athletes were to say that he had a plan to stop the war in Ukraine if he were elected in November. “If I win the election, the first thing I’m going to do is get Putin and Zelensky — I know them very well — and get them to make a deal,” he said, referring to the presidents of Russia and Ukraine. He then repeated a frequent claim that if he had been president instead of Biden, there never would have been a war in Gaza.

Asked in the livestream interview today about the causes of the recent big declines in global stock markets, Trump appeared to blame immigrants, saying, “They’re coming out of mental institutions and they’re pouring into the United States and they’re hurting and damaging our country.” Many economists point to data that shows slowing growth in the American economy as the reason for the market downturn.

Simon J. Levien

Trump is sitting for a live interview right now with Adin Ross, a 23-year-old internet personality and online streamer, during which he will most likely talk about his pitch to young people. According to some polls, Harris has made up ground with younger voters who were reluctant to support Biden before he dropped out. In a post on his social media site about the interview, Trump said that the American dream for young people was “DEAD” under the Biden administration.

Adin Ross, a video-game streamer, has drawn controversy in the past for his ties to Andrew Tate, the former kickboxer and influencer who was indicted in Romania on human trafficking charges, accusations Tate denies, as well as to Kanye West. Ross arrived at Mar-a-Lago today in a Tesla Cybertruck decorated with an American flag and the ubiquitous photograph of a defiant Trump with his fist raised that was taken moments after the assassination attempt against him in Pennsylvania last month.

The Trump campaign is taking advantage of the downturn in global financial markets , pinning the responsibility on his opponent. “Trump prosperity, or the Kamala crash,” Trump wrote, in all caps, on his social media site. During his term, Trump oversaw a steep drop in the stock market in 2020 due to the pandemic, which rebounded that summer. The current market slide is most likely in part a result of the U.S. jobs report released on Friday that fell far short of forecasts.

Gene Sperling, a senior adviser to President Biden who also served in the Clinton and Obama administrations, will leave the Biden administration to work for the Harris campaign, according to White House and campaign officials. Biden said in a statement that the United States is “stronger and more just because of the families that Gene has spent every day fighting for over the past three-and-a-half years.”

The Harris campaign offered more detail on a five-day tour the vice president plans to take with her running mate this week, saying it will stop in seven swing-state cities: Philadelphia; Eau Claire, Wis.; Detroit; Durham, N.C.; Savannah, Ga.; Phoenix; and Las Vegas. Its events will be held at union halls, restaurants, field offices and college campuses, the campaign said.

Unite Here, a large, 20-year-old hospitality workers’ union, endorsed Kamala Harris, warning in a statement that Donald Trump has a plan to “crush labor unions and hurt working families.” The union, which says it has about 250,000 American members, set a goal of knocking on more than three million doors in swing states. Trump has sought to win over hospitality workers with a plan to exempt tips from taxes.

Reid J. Epstein Theodore Schleifer and Nick Corasaniti

Reid J. Epstein reported from Washington, Theodore Schleifer from New York and Nick Corasaniti from Asbury Park, N.J.

Harris has faced party divisions over her choice of running mate.

The competitive, divisive primary that many Democrats long wanted to avoid has arrived anyway — playing out largely behind closed doors in a fight over the bottom of the ticket.

The final stage of the campaign to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate reached something of an ugly phase in recent days as donors, interest groups and political rivals from the party’s moderate and progressive wings lobbied for their preferred candidates and passed around memos debating the contenders’ political weaknesses with key demographics.

They turned most sharply on one of the favorites to join the ticket, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, who has drawn opposition from progressives and even a senator in his home state.

The fissures among Democrats emerged as three leading contenders — Mr. Shapiro, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota — met with Ms. Harris at her residence in Washington on Sunday, ahead of a decision her campaign said would be announced by Tuesday.

Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for the Harris campaign, declined to comment on the meetings.

Ms. Harris is set to hit the campaign trail with her running mate this week, kicking off a five-day, seven-state tour with a rally on Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where Mr. Shapiro is expected to be in attendance, whether he is her pick or not.

Progressive groups have trained their criticisms on Mr. Shapiro and Mr. Kelly, who they accuse of being too conservative on key issues. Shawn Fain, the president of the United Automobile Workers union, said during a Sunday interview on CBS that Mr. Kelly had “not really” assuaged the union’s concerns about his commitment to pro-labor legislation and that the organization had “bigger issues” with Mr. Shapiro’s support for school vouchers.

Major Democratic donors have signaled that they would be fine with any of the candidates on Ms. Harris’s list of finalists, but there are divisions among the biggest Democratic givers. On an email group for the Democracy Alliance, left-wing donors have vigorously expressed concerns about Mr. Shapiro.

Another group of progressive activists, communicating through an email group called Gamechanger Salon, have come out against Mr. Shapiro and pushed its members to highlight his stances on Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The debate grew heated during a discussion about whether using the phrase “Genocide Josh” to describe Mr. Shapiro, who is an observant Jew, was antisemitic. An organizer called for calm and rebranded the email chain as “Why Josh Shapiro should not be the VP.” Some of the emails also called for members to push for Mr. Walz, who has become a favorite of the party’s most liberal contributors, about 60 of whom he addressed on Friday.

One message, written by Billy Wimsatt, an executive director of a liberal donor group known as the Movement Voter Project, said that Mr. Shapiro could cause a drop in turnout among progressive voters who are concerned about the war in Gaza. “He risks significantly depressing enthusiasm for the Harris ticket among key constituencies of young voters, Arab and Muslim voters, and to some degree labor,” he wrote in an email thread, which was shared with The New York Times. “Tim Walz is the perfect Harris VP unicorn for this moment.”

Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who has long clashed with Mr. Shapiro, has also expressed displeasure at the prospect of the governor’s being elevated to a national ticket, according to two people who have spoken with him. One of his advisers called the Harris campaign to object to Mr. Shapiro, a development that was first reported by Politico .

Manuel Bonder, a spokesman for Mr. Shapiro, declined to comment on the vice-presidential selection process.

The growing attacks on Mr. Shapiro have been rebuked by some moderates in the party and others in the news media. Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” issued a forceful defense of the Pennsylvania governor on X , saying the recent attacks on him were “a toxic mix of antisemitism, extremist views on Gaza, and jealous colleagues who don’t want to be blocked out of the presidential sweepstakes for the next decade.”

A group of progressive donors in recent days has been making a push for Mr. Walz, the Minnesota governor. Over the past week, Democratic operatives including Doran Schrantz, an adviser to the Faith in Minnesota PAC, and Mr. Wimsatt have circulated a memo called “The Case for Tim Walz for Vice President,” hoping to sway Ms. Harris.

A similar document promoting Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary who headlined a Harris fund-raiser in New Hampshire on Saturday, was circulated last week to Democrats, including major donors.

On Sunday, Mr. Kelly posted to social media, then subsequently deleted, a message that curiously said he would now be focused on his home state.

“My background is a bit different than most politicians,” Mr. Kelly wrote. “I spent my life serving in the Navy and at NASA, where the mission always comes first. Now, my mission is serving Arizonans.”

Mr. Kelly’s spokesman, Jacob Peters, said the post was deleted because it was being misunderstood.

Mr. Shapiro has emerged as the choice of the party’s pro-Israel donors, those with ties to the school-choice movement and business-friendly contributors in Silicon Valley. But his centrist positions that appeal to those groups are the same ones that make him the least favorite of the party’s most liberal funders.

An apparent compromise candidate like Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky, who has fans among both the party’s more liberal and more centrist contributors, could also emerge as the nominee. Mr. Beshear has spent time over the past two weeks auditioning before multiple groups of major donors who have been eager to kick the tires on him, including one invite-only session on Friday evening, according to two people briefed on his activities.

Mr. Beshear was not known to have participated in Ms. Harris’s final interviews on Sunday, but he was spotted with his labradoodle, Winnie, outside the governor’s residency in Frankfort, Ky.

“Just walking the dog this morning,” Mr. Beshear responded when asked about his plans for the day.

Mr. Walz and Mr. Beshear are set to appear at dueling, simultaneous fund-raisers to benefit Ms. Harris on Monday evening. Mr. Walz’s event, in Minneapolis, was sold out as of Sunday evening; tickets remained available for Mr. Beshear’s event, which will be in Chicago.

By that point, Ms. Harris’s decision is likely to already have been made.

Christina Morales contributed reporting from Jenkintown, Pa., and Corinne Boyer from Frankfort, Ky.

Jimmy Carter is said to have plans to vote for Kamala Harris.

Former President Jimmy Carter, who has been in hospice care for more than 17 months , has said that he has every intention of voting for Vice President Kamala Harris in the fall, according to his family.

Mr. Carter, 99, who served as the nation’s 39th president from 1977 to 1981, would turn 100 on Oct. 1. No American president has lived longer than him.

Mr. Carter’s son Chip asked his father on Wednesday if he was trying to make it to his 100th birthday, according to the former president’s grandson Jason.

“I’m trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris,” Mr. Carter replied, according to the grandson.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported on the conversation.

Ms. Harris did not immediately comment.

Mr. Carter appeared gaunt and frail at the funeral ceremony in Atlanta for his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter, in November. He has remained at home in Plains, Ga., in hospice care far longer than many would have imagined; most people receive hospice care for less than a month.

The early-voting period in Georgia begins on Oct. 15, and Georgia counties are expected to start to mail out absentee ballots about a month before Election Day. Mr. Carter intends to vote by mail, his grandson said.

Georgia is one of a handful of battleground states expected to be crucial in the contest between Ms. Harris and Donald J. Trump, who won the state in 2016 but lost it, and the White House, in 2020 to Joseph R. Biden Jr.

A CBS News/YouGov poll released on Sunday showed Mr. Trump leading Ms. Harris by three percentage points in the state. But there has been limited public opinion data illuminating the state of the campaign in Georgia since Mr. Biden withdrew and endorsed Ms. Harris last month.

Emma G. Fitzsimmons

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. admits he left a dead bear in Central Park.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent presidential candidate, confessed on Sunday that he had left a dead bear cub in Central Park in Manhattan in 2014 because he thought it would be “amusing.”

Mr. Kennedy posted a video detailing the bizarre story on social media ahead of an article in The New Yorker that mentions the incident.

“Looking forward to seeing how you spin this one,” he said, tagging the magazine.

In the video, Mr. Kennedy appears to be seated in a kitchen as he casually tells the actress Roseanne Barr about the ordeal. He says that he was driving through the Hudson Valley when he saw a woman in a van hit and kill a young bear.

“I pulled over and I picked up the bear and put him in the back of my van because I was going to skin the bear,” he says. “It was very good condition and I was going to put the meat in my refrigerator.”

Mr. Kennedy then details how he had to attend a dinner at Peter Luger Steak House in New York City and then head to the airport, which meant he had to get rid of the bear. He decided to leave the bear in Central Park with an old bicycle to make it look like it had been hit by the bike.

Mr. Kennedy says that he was worried when officials investigated the crime scene, “because my prints were all over that bike.”

Ms. Barr listens closely to the story, laughing and looking shocked. Mr. Kennedy tells her that fact checkers from The New Yorker asked him about the story: “It’s going to be a bad story.”

Indeed, the bear cub caused quite a stir when it was found in the park in 2014 , as reported in The New York Times in an article coincidentally written by Tatiana Schlossberg, a reporter for The Times at that time, and the daughter of Mr. Kennedy’s first cousin Caroline Kennedy. A woman was walking her dog in Central Park when she noticed it lying under some bushes, partly concealed by an abandoned bicycle. The cub was 6 months old and 44 pounds.

The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation later found through a necropsy that the cause of death was “blunt force injuries consistent with a motor vehicle collision.”

Ms. Schlossberg said on Sunday evening, “Like law enforcement, I had no idea who was responsible for this when I wrote the story.”

Mr. Kennedy did not appear to confess that he was behind the incident until now. He tried to explain the unusual circumstances to Ms. Barr in the video: “This was a little bit of the redneck in me.”