doing homework lying down

How to Focus on Homework and Actually Get Things Done: 12 Hacks for Busy Students

• September 15, 2022

Chances are, you’ve had some days when you felt overwhelmed after a long day at school. You couldn’t imagine doing anything other than plopping down in front of the television, let alone finding out how to focus on your homework. 

How can you overcome the resistance and get it done? How do you get your mind to include this task in your day as well?

With just a few adjustments, you will be able to expand your capacity to concentrate.

Why Can’t I Focus on My Homework?

Countless factors constantly fight for your attention : social media, people, overthinking, and anxiety. All of this can make you feel as though you have little control over your mind. 

If you want to start to focus better on your homework, you’ll need to set your mind up for success. Remove all distractions .

Here are two key principles that can help you be more successful in your studies:

1. Identify the distractions in your surroundings

What are the things in your daily life that take your mind away from your studies? Clearly identifying these distractions can help you understand both the problem and what causes it.

Among our environmental distractions, digital distractions are one of the worst kinds, and according to a number of studies , their effect is on the rise in the classroom.

If you’re looking to gain more concentration and, thus, form better study habits, question your online behavior first and foremost.

2. Limit the use of technology to find focus

What’s the role of social media in your daily life? Have you ever sat down to calculate how social media distracts you from doing the things you should be doing?

When you are wondering how to focus on homework long after you’ve put your phone away, you’re still thinking about the last posts you saw on Instagram. The sound of new notifications can be enough to reroute our attention from the task at hand.

And then comes the information overload, the fear of missing out, and the all-too-common signs of addictive behavior. Technology is affecting your mind more than ever, and it’s taking your focus away.

How to Focus on Homework: 12 Things You Can Do to Be More Indistractible

Here are 12 tips on how to stay focused while completing your homework, taught by superbrain coach Jim Kwik and habit transformation expert Nir Eyal .

• Make a routine
• Set up a study-friendly environment
• Avoid heavy meals
• Organize your study notes
• Tell others to stay away
• Listen to study music
• Set deadlines
• Take brain breaks
• Use discomfort as motivation for productivity
• Use time blocking
• Let go of thoughts that distract you
• Reimagine your task

Let’s look at each study hack in more detail.

1. Make a routine

Routines help you be productive without exerting as much effort. When you have homework to do, a study routine can be the reason you actually sit down, set enough time aside, concentrate, and stay focused until you complete the project.

This process doesn’t need to be complicated: just tell yourself that you will sit at your desk at home once you’re back from school. Put your phone on silent, make an outline of the work that needs to get done, and simply begin with what’s most important.

2. Set up a study-friendly environment

A place for everything and everything in its place. That applies to studying, too.

Lying in bed with your notebook is considered a distraction, as is being in the living room with your laptop while others are doing their activities.

You need an isolated place when you decide to focus on your homework. Make it feel comfortable, keep it organized, keep it clean, and consider putting up some motivational posters or positive affirmations .

3. Avoid heavy meals

It’s not advisable to have a big meal beforehand. Big meals can ruin your focus and make you feel sluggish and lazy because it takes a big amount of time and energy for your body to digest. A snack is okay.

There are also some foods , though, that are just plain bad for your productivity. For example, soda, candy, and fried foods are all full of sugar and have no nutritional value. They make your insulin spike up, but then it crashes very fast, which makes you feel depleted of energy.

4. Organize your study notes

Prioritize your work. Keep lists and place the most important items on top. Then work on the items that you should get done first.

It helps to outline what you need to do, breaking it down into smaller, more manageable steps. Use colors to highlight the essentials . 

This makes it all look much simpler and you’re more likely to actually get started. The brain loves organization and it won’t be so likely to procrastinate when it knows you have a structure set in place.

5. Tell others to stay away

Don’t be afraid to let others know that you’re studying and require some time and space to get your work done. Decide on fixed hours for studying and tell your friends and family members that you won’t be available during that time of the day.

If others respect your study time, you’ll be more inclined to respect it as well. 

6. Listen to study music

There are many tracks out there designed to help your mind focus. Whether you use binaural beats or just instrumental music, the right sounds can really help to tune your brain into a productive frequency.

This meditation is also great to listen to; it puts your mind in a clear, concise, and ready-to-take-on-the-world mode:

7. Set deadlines

Even if your teacher has already given you deadlines for each assignment, set new ones yourself at earlier dates.

This helps you build discipline, learn how to focus on studying, and prioritize every day.

8. Take brain breaks

Frequent breaks actually increase your productivity and focus. You’ll see that after each study session, the brain needs to be engaged with something different —  you need to activate other parts of your brain before going back to your studies so that you can reach top performance.

You can also use the Superbrain Yoga Technique. In the Superbrain Quest, Jim talks about implementing it during your breaks. It goes as follows:

• Massage the left lobe of your ear with your right hand, and the right one with your left hand
• Inhale and squat down
• Exhale and come back up while continuing massaging your opposite ear with the opposite hand
• Keep going for a few minutes

As your body moves, your brain grooves. — Jim Kwik, trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain Quest

9. Use discomfort as motivation for productivity

The brain is wired to protect us from danger, and our ancestors needed this function of the psyche to survive. Discomfort is associated with danger, and whenever they felt it, they knew it was time to run away or protect themselves in one way or another.

In today’s world, danger isn’t so imminent. However, discomfort is, and the brain still works to protect us in the same way. 

So why not use it to your advantage?

Once you have this mindset shift, you can see the discomfort that comes with doing your homework as fuel for moving forward, from pain to pleasure. So instead of procrastinating and avoiding the discomfort, just use it as motivation to get things done.

And maybe you can even save yourself a fun activity to do later in the day, so you have something to look forward to.

10. Use time blocking

You can use time blocking and set a specific amount of time for parts of your homework that needs to be done. For example, you block 30 minutes of reading, then another 30 minutes of writing down highlights from the text. 

This method will give you more structure and support you when you need to focus on school work, as you will have a dedicated structured time to do so.

11. Let go of thoughts that distract you

When you need more concentration, but your thoughts keep getting in the way, here’s a fun visualization exercise you can use:

• Before you start working on your homework, close down your eyes and imagine a flowing river in front of you. 
• Now, place every thought on a leaf and let it run down the river while watching it move away from you. 

Do this repeatedly for 5-10 minutes and see how your mind becomes clearer, more productive, and more inspired.

12. Reimagine your task

How can you make the process of doing your homework more fun? Is there any way you can think of to make it more exciting and engaging?

As you introduce play and fun into any task, your capacity to stay focused will increase. So just try out different methods to engage more in your homework. 

For example, what if you made a trivia quest about your history lesson homework? Or what about riddles to make you remember all the characters from the novel you have to read? 

Once you play around with these kinds of games, you might find that focusing on your homework isn’t as boring as you thought it would be.

Unleash the Power of Your Focus

Discovering how to focus on your homework can go beyond schoolwork and actually support you in many other activities you want to do. Concentration is one of the best skills to nurture for your growth.

If you need a little guidance at the beginning of your focusing journey, Mindvalley has it in store for you. 

By unlocking your FREE Mindvalley access , you can check out sample classes from quests that help you develop better focus and study habits, such as Becoming Focused and Indistractable by Nir Eyal and Superbrain by Jim Kwik. You can also immerse yourself in beautiful sounds and guided meditations designed to improve concentration and help you enter the flow state.

The earlier you start, the greater your journey of self-discovery will be. Welcome in.

— Images generated on Midjourney.

Recommended Free Masterclass For You

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Alexandra Tudor

Jim Kwik is the trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain and Super Reading quests. He’s a brain coach and a world expert in speed reading, memory improvement, and optimal brain performance. Known as the “boy with the broken brain” due to a childhood injury, Jim discovered strategies to dramatically enhance his mental performance. He is now committed to helping people improve their memory, learn to speed-read, increase their decision-making skills, and turn on their superbrain. He has shared his techniques with Hollywood actors, Fortune 500 companies, and trailblazing entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and Richard Branson to reach their highest level of mental performance. He is also one of the most sought-after trainers for top organizations like Harvard University, Nike, Virgin, and GE.

How we reviewed this article:

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How should you study in bed- 4 Tips that can work

Are you getting bored or feeling sleepy or tired while studying in bed?

If yes and still want to study in bed without facing these problems then make sure you read this article till the end.

Because in this article, I have 4 simple tips and some guides that will make your study easy in bed and you’ll have a better focus while studying in bed.

Is it good to study in bed?

If you think, Is it good to study in bed? Or, Is it healthy to study in bed? then let me first answers your questions.

Well, many blogs or people will recommend you to don’t study in bed and use a study table and chair instead. Somewhere they are right also.

Because some research has found that studying in bed can be unhealthy. Working or doing homework in bed  will reduce one’s focus because most people tend to associate their beds with comfort and sleep.

You must have also realized that studying in bed can make you feel sleepy and lazy and you may want to leave your study.

Well whatever it is you, now you better know what you should do.

Read also: 17+ Useful things that every college student can use

So regardless of the reasons why you want to study in bed, let’s dive into the tips and guides that will surely help you to study in bed in the right way .

The first two tips will be helpful to make a good position and body posture, and it will also give you a healthy way to study in bed. And the last two tips can make your study effectively without getting bored and feeling sleepy in bed.

1: Don’t study while lying

Your position and body posture really matters when you study in bed. And, I will never recommend you to study while lying in bed because when you study like this you must feel sleepy or tired.

So instead of studying like this, use a study desk for your bed or a book stand that will give you a perfect body posture. And if you can afford more then also use a reading pillow that will keep you away from back or neck pain.

Here are the best things that I’m talking about:

• Study Table for study in bed

• A Bookstand for reading in bed

Read also: 19 Books for College Students that they must read!

• A reading pillow for a better position in the bed

These all things are necessary to sit and study comfortably in bed or we can say to turn your bed into a perfect study place.

Read also: Dorm Kitchen Essentials You Must Have

2: Light for Study

As your position matters while studying in bed similarly light also matters for study. Good light for study not only can reduce your eye strain even it can improve your mood to study.

Read here : How to choose the best lighting for the study desk?

Brief guide: If you study in the daytime then daylight is best for your study. And when you study at night or in a dark room then general lighting (ambient lighting) can provide smooth and radiant illumination to your study area. This type of lighting enhances your sense of well-being, which can increase your productivity and reduce your stress.

Never study in dim light; It can affect your eyes and make you feel sleepy while studying.

You can also use a desk lamp, table lamp, or floor lamp for a better study in bed but make sure, to place the desk lamp on the opposite side of your dominant hand so the light sweeps across the study area without creating shadows.

3: Make your study Interesting

Have you ever tried to make your study interesting?

When you make your study interesting then not only you can retain your focus while studying even you won’t get bored too while studying in bed.

But, how can you make your study interesting while studying in bed?

Well, here I have two tips that you can try while studying:

1: Study with music

Studying with music in bed not only can make your study fun but even give you better concentration.

It’s a scientifically proven fact studying while playing music improves your concentration but the condition is that music (not song) should be different from your genre and have a repetitive pulse.

So while studying in bed, try to listen to music and keep some snacks close to you.

2: Study with flashcards or color-coded notes

To make your study interesting (not bored) in bed, make flashcards or color-coded notes. These two are the best ways to study and learn something quickly and not forget it easily . And when you’ll make flashcards by yourself it will also improve your creativity.

So must try these study techniques when you study in bed.

4: Take breaks

Studying continuously in bed or sitting with one subject is not too good and you can’t stay focused . And that’s why you want to procrastinate your study.

So never study continuously for long hours in bed. And mix up your studies with different subjects.

Try to study in bed for short durations and every half-one hour, take breaks for 10-15 minutes. And don’t use your phone while studying (use in breaks). After a break takes other subjects to enjoy your study.

It’s very important to take breaks with one subject while studying in bed to refresh your mind.

My views and points:

Studying in bed is a challenging thing but possible with proper guidance. And if you have a study desk, bookstand, and a reading pillow then you must be able to study in bed.

I hope you enjoyed my tips and guides on how to study in bed.

Now I want to hear from you:

How did you find this article and are you gonna try all tips from now on?

Tell me in the comment, I am curious.

1 thought on “How should you study in bed- 4 Tips that can work”

Thank you so much for answering some of our questions! My mom always told me studying in bed is bad, and I have this to prove it to her.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to do homework: 15 expert tips and tricks.

Coursework/GPA

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.

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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Oct 1, 2016 9:00:00 AM | online class Never Do Homework In Bed: 3 Reasons Why | achs.edu

Where you decide to do homework plays a role in how much work you get done. And what’s the worst place to try to be productive? Your bed.

Some students will even map out the specific times they’re going to work each day in their planner. That’s a smart move; I’m for it.

However, have you gone so far as to plan where you’re going to get your work done?

Because most people have the mindset that it doesn’t matter where you work, it’s a non-factor.

I’m here to tell you that where you decide to do homework plays a significant role in how much work you get done, especially as an online student. And what’s the worst place to try to be productive? Your bed. 

Here are three reasons why you’d be better off studying anywhere other than your bed : 

1. Studying in bed limits focus.

Think about all the reasons why you love your bed. The comfort of warm covers, soft pillows, and putting off responsibility by pressing “Snooze” are highly persuasive on their own, but even more so when compared to focusing on your homework. 

Because your bed will tempt you to stop working and sleep, it’s best you don’t put yourself in a position to fail from the start. If you don’t change scenery, you may easily allow the comfort of your bed to suck away your focus. Trust me, I’ve been a victim of this before I wised up. 

And if your bed doesn’t make you lose focus, the other things in your room probably will. Your television, smart phone, or laundry will pull for your attention and offer an avenue to procrastinate.

When you’re looking to focus, a chair and desk is the better choice. The wisest choice is a standing desk, but not everyone has one available. Then, after you’ve done your work, you can relax in your bed feeling accomplished. 

2. Studying in bed decreases productivity.

Even if you can manage to focus in your bed, it’s not a productive place to get work done.

First, the lack of space to spread out your research for a paper or study material for an exam is a concern. You’ll waste time and valuable energy going through papers to find what you’re looking for. At a long desk, you can better assemble and organize your materials.

Second, you have no opportunity to get the productivity boost from standing when you’re laying on your bed for hours working. I’m a big supporter of standing when I work because standing sends fresh blood and oxygen to the brain, which promotes optimal brain function. [1] Your body isn’t designed to sit all day.

Before you think you need to spend hundreds of dollars for a standing desk, try putting your laptop on your dresser, propped up on books or a shelf, or get creative by putting your desk on risers (just be sure it’s safe and sturdy!). You now have a “standing desk” without breaking the bank.

3. Studying in bed hurts sleep.

I’ve already discussed how working in a place your body associates with sleep can make you lethargic and unable to focus. But on the flip side, working in your bed makes going to sleep harder. Working in your bed is double trouble! 

Because you’ve trained your body to associate your bed as a place to study or get homework done, once you lay in bed to call it a night your mind will continue to think. Studying in bed earlier in the day can actually rob you of rest.

Your body needs adequate sleep to stay healthy , retain new information, handle stress, and perform at its best each day. I wish sleep deprivation on no one. 

So, to protect your focus, productivity, and sleep, now you know not to study in your bed (or even your bedroom, if possible). Since your study space is important, making an effort to find a quiet place where you’re comfortable—but not too comfortable—can be the secret to success.

And don’t forget to try standing to get the most for your mind and body!

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. This article has not been reviewed by the FDA. Always consult with your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a guest blogger for American College of Healthcare Sciences, the Institution that publishes this blog. However, all opinions are my own. This blog may contain affiliate links. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

[1] Behrens, L. (1990). An upright way to improve thinking. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-10-07/features/9003250339_1_brain-power-standing-stimulation

Written By: Brian Robben

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My bright teen is skipping homework and failing classes, and I don’t know what to do

Q: My 15-year-old son, a high school sophomore, has stopped doing his homework when he doesn't like the subject or the teacher, or when he thinks it's stupid, and he's now failing two classes. He has also lied to me about it; he got away with the lies until the school sent notices, so he has all but destroyed my trust in him. This has been going on since grammar school, but it's getting worse as he gets older. I've tried everything I can think of: therapy, taking away the Xbox, using the Xbox or other things as rewards he can earn, letting him handle it on his own, partial involvement, hovering, crying and screaming — and I feel awful about those last two. I'm trying to take your advice to be careful not to damage our relationship over things, but I don't know what else to do. Failing major subjects in high school seems like a problem. Am I wrong to be so concerned? He won't work with a tutor anymore, either. He's a smart kid, so it's not a lack of ability. Please help.

A: I am going to be honest with you: I relate to your son. I started to check out of school around sixth grade and stayed checked out well through high school. I was bright but had stopped caring about most of my classes, and nothing changed my mind. Paid for good grades? Nope. Punishments? Nah. Rewards? Didn’t care. Threats? Didn’t matter. I was only affected by a handful of people, and otherwise, I couldn’t be reached. And this wasn’t even in a pandemic; this was just the ’90s.

Send questions about parenting to [email protected]

As I see it, your son is a puzzle (as we all are), and we have a couple of the puzzle pieces in front of us. He is bright (a word that doesn’t carry much meaning), he doesn’t do his homework when he is disinterested in the subject and/or teacher, he lies about it, this behavior has been happening since grammar school, every manner of behavior modification has been attempted (and failed), you have tried therapy, and he refuses a tutor. There are many other things I don’t know about your son, including his health, any transitions or traumas for him or the family, possible learning disabilities or differences (yes, you can be bright and have a whole host of learning issues that prohibit learning in a “typical” way) and family structure. I could go on and on!

The big question is why. Why did your son begin to disconnect from school?

Although I can do little to help you in this note, I do want to keep guiding you to the “why” instead of the “what.” Of course we don’t want your son failing courses — no one wants that for their children — but our parenting goal is not getting him to pass classes. It is to understand him, so he can understand and help himself. At 15, he is well on his way to becoming a young man, and whatever is causing his disconnect from school is what needs your attention.

As you discover the “why,” you need to understand why rewards and punishments don’t seem to work with some children, especially when it comes to schoolwork. There is a time and place for typical behavioral techniques. Take something away that children love, they stop the unwanted behavior. Give them something they love, they repeat wanted behavior. Fine. But this only really works when children already care about school, their teachers and, yes, maybe the work. Caring about your integrity, what you produce and how your teacher feels about you is the primary driver of working hard, not rewards or punishments. If you have a teen who is accustomed to not caring about what his teachers or you think, then he is immune to your punishments and rewards. “Not caring” runs both ways; you don’t feel the “bad stuff,” and you also don’t feel the “good stuff.” As a person who didn’t care about a lot of things for a long time, I can say that it is a horrible way to live. I was wretched to parent and educate.

Let’s pause all the behavior-modification shenanigans. Let’s pause the fear of all this failing and what it means for his future. Let’s pause shoving him into therapy or tutoring. Let’s. Just. Stop. Repeat after me: “My son is not a project. He is a fully human young man, and he needs my support and love.” Repeat this over and over and over, then start getting curious. Invite him to eat with you, go on a hike with you, learn a video game with you, anything, and try to get to know him without an agenda. Every single class he is failing can be made up. Every single thing he hasn’t learned can eventually be learned, and I want you to tell him that. I also want you to highlight and discuss what he does well. He is passing classes! He is (maybe) doing chores! These failed classes are not the sum of his person, so stop treating them as if they are.

10 ways to take the struggle out of homework

I also want you to tell him that it’s typical to not want to do well for people to whom we don’t feel connected. My spidey sense is that something (or things) happened in grammar school that caused him to armor up, and the armor has grown thicker. And of course he’s lying to you. When people feel ashamed of their actions (not doing homework and failing), they lie, then they get in trouble for the lie (adding on more shame), which adds to more lying. Let’s just assume he isn’t going to do the homework for some of these classes. We can take out the extra shame layer.

I can hear you having a panic attack, and I know I have not told you what to do to fix this situation, but it is not going to get fixed. Your son is not broken; he just needs support. Please call your pediatrician for a good work-up, and peek around at possible learning issues. (Giftedness is on the table, too.) Please personally reach out to a teacher whom your son loves and respects, and ask for support. What got me through high school? A choir teacher, an AP English teacher, my Mom Mom, my aunt, and the fact that my parents didn’t give up and send me out of the house. That’s it. Find someone your son cares about, and have them start talking, hanging out, checking in, etc. As a former teacher, I did this and was never burdened by it; it is called community, and we all need it.

The most encouraging part about your note is that you know this is a relationship-first issue. Keep that as your North Star, and as your son begins to thaw, you can add other strategies, such as rewards and punishments. Check out Cara Natterson’s “ Decoding Boys ” and think about seeing your own parent coach or therapist. You are doing hard parenting work, and you need a safe place for your fears and big emotions.

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Adolescence

What to do if your child or teen lies about schoolwork, helping your child be truthful when he does not want to be.

Posted October 11, 2014

"That teacher is a jerk!" thirteen-year-old Alex yelled at his mother. He continued, "Mom, you always blame me for everything. Lots of people in my class did not turn those assignments in. And, anyway, that teacher hates me and is out to get me!" Sadly for Alex, after I spoke with the school counselor and some of his teachers, it became clear that Alex, like many other students with schoolwork avoidance problems, was quite distorted in his way of looking at things.

Sara, age ten, sitting across from me in my office blankly stared away when her mother pleadingly stated, "I thought you told me you were keeping up with your schoolwork okay. Then today I get that upsetting note from your teacher. I thought things were going to be better this year, Sara, but it is already starting not to look that way."

Jason, age fifteen, yelled at his father, "You always expect me to be perfect." His father replied, "No, that's not true, but I do expect you to be honest with me. I just wish mom and I could trust you to tell us when you are having problems at school." Jason answered, "Why should I trust you when all you and mom do is yell at me!"

As I discuss in my book, 10 Days to a Less Distracted Child , children and teens who lie about their school work only slip deeper into emotional quicksand! Like many children or adolescents with AD/HD, the examples above illustrate those who may otherwise desire to be responsible yet fall into a pattern of avoiding schoolwork and not being truthful about it. Being overly stressed out and desperate, such kids often feel that lying is the easiest way to deal with the demands of parents and teachers. These children and teens are usually not trying to be bad or malicious, but the repetitive pattern of lying becomes a bad habit. For many children and adolescents, lying to avoid schoolwork demands is self-serving in the short term (e.g., avoid doing something or deny responsibility for their actions) but creates long-term pain and chaos.

What to do if a child or adolescent lies about schoolwork:

• Probe for and validate the child/ teen 's underlying fears without condoning the lying behavior.

• Acknowledge and praise when your child/teen is up front and open with you by expressing appreciation for it.

• Remember to be vigilant for CANNOT versus CHOOSE NOT. There may be an underlying learning disability or AD/HD problem lurking below the surface.

• Be mindful of the stresses that your child/teen is facing in or outside of school. Remember that students often act out social, substance abuse , emotional, and home adjustment issues by shutting down on their academics.

• Realize that as gamey and manipulative as your child or teen appears, deep down he or she is not feeling good about things.

• Watch how you speak. Avoid being critical and shaming .

• When necessary, seek support from school resources, including guidance staff, and teachers.

Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein is a psychologist with over 23 years of experience specializing in child, adolescent, couples, and family therapy . He holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the State University of New York at Albany and completed his post-doctoral internship at the University of Pennsylvania Counseling Center. He has appeared on the Today Show, Court TV as an expert advisor, CBS Eyewitness News Philadelphia, 10! Philadelphia—NBC, and public radio. Dr. Bernstein has authored four books, including the highly popular 10 Days to a Less Defiant Child (Perseus Books, 2006), 10 Days to a Less Distracted Child (Perseus Books 2007), Why Can't You Read My Mind? , and Liking the Child You Love, Perseus Books 2009).

Jeffrey Bernstein, Ph.D. , is a psychologist and the author of seven books, including 10 Days to a Less Defiant Child.

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Living with sciatica and a sitting disability

How To Work Lying Down

My best purchase of 2020 has been my treadmill desk . I now have a great standing desk which helps me gets my walks in, and keeps me sane when I’m stuck indoors. I’m halfway to achieving a perfect work setup, but I still need to address the horizontal component.

Because I can’t stand all day ( or shouldn’t ), I lie down to do much of my computer work. And that’s where I run into problems. I’ve been having neck pain that radiates down to my arms, both sides of my forearms hurt, and lately my wrists have been acting up.

I doubted these pains had popped up for no reason, so I decided to spend some time researching the optimal reclining work setup. I learned that I’ve been violating just about every ergonomic best practice there is, so my pain is no surprise. But I also found that solutions do exist, and I have some ideas for how to improve my setup.

I’m sharing this knowledge in the form of a Q&A, which is really just me talking to myself.

Chairs suck. Are there any desks that will let me lie down?

Yes! But they aren’t necessarily cheap.

At least two companies, Ergoquest and Altwork , specialize in reclining workstations. Both companies target skilled, technical workers, like engineers and designers. Ergoquest’s radiology workstation in particular looks like it belongs on the space shuttle.

Prices range from $2,700 to $16,000 for a full workstation. Ergoquest also offers a range of workstations that can fit around a bed or recliner, so if you already have a comfortable place to lie down, you can get by for about $2,500.

I was most impressed by Ergoquest’s range and potential for customization, but I liked Altwork’s relatable origin story. Their reclining chairs were conceived after one of the founding partners, John Speicher, sustained a back injury that left him unable to sit comfortably.

There are, of course, cheaper options that don’t even pretend to be ergonomic. Like this As Seen on TV Air Space Desk , or this Laptop Bed Tray Table . If you have a laptop and only need to be able to work for a few hours at a time, this might be enough.

What Is the Ideal Posture for Using a Computer While Lying Down?

Ah, here’s where it gets tricky. I admit that my best answer is an educated guess, as I haven’t been able to find any credible guidelines. I’d say the ideal posture is one where:

• Your spine, including your neck, is straight. This could be achieved either by lying supine, or in a zero-gravity chair.
• Your shoulders are not scrunched up, and your elbows are at your sides.
• You don’t have to bend your arm out at the elbow out to reach your mouse.
• Your wrists are straight, and you are not required to bend them to type.

Easier said than done, I know. When I evaluated my own posture against this list, I scored 0 for 4. Perhaps my pain is not entirely a surprise.

When I worked in an office, I would periodically get emails with ergonomic advice from Facilities or HR. Most of their recommendations, like, “Sit up straight, keep your elbows close to your body and at a 90° angle,” seemed unrealistic at best, and I always suspected they were withdrawn from some ergonomist’s nether regions. I don’t want to perpetuate that flawed approach, so bear with me as I go over some of the ergonomic considerations that I used to make this list.

Spine & Neck

The authors of Occupational Ergonomics: Theory and Applications, Second Edition note that, “The neutral position for the neck is with the crown of the head drawn upward and the chin tucked in but not bent toward the chest. This is the position that requires the least muscle activity to maintain.” My Mom used to tell me to pretend I had a string attached to the back of my head that was pulling me up. It amounts to the same thing.

I’m not sure how this translates to working while lying down, when one’s head is presumably supported by a pillow, and the neck muscles don’t have to do much work. Keeping your neck as straight as possible seems like a good idea, but I’m not exactly sure what will happen if you don’t.

My observation – and I admit I don’t have data to explain this – is that my neck and arms start tingling when I work while laying down. That pain is exacerbated by some weightlifting exercises, especially if I’m not careful about technique. My suspicion is that I’m pinching a nerve, possibly the ulnar nerve, which is in turn causing pain.

The authors note that shoulders are also prone to injury. What you really want, while working, is arms that hang down at your sides as if you were just standing straight.

Seated or standing workers may be tempted to scrunch up their shoulders if their computer is too close, or if the keyboard is too high. They may be tempted to lean forward if the computer is too far away. Either of these deviated postures can lead to shoulder pain.

The good thing about lying down is that gravity will naturally pull your elbows to your sides, so you may be less inclined to hunch your shoulders forward.

Arms & Wrists

For seated or standing workers, improper keyboard height can lead to injury. If a keyboard is set even slightly too high, workers will naturally bend their wrists up, which requires more muscle to maintain. The authors of Occupational Ergonomics note that when the wrists are bent too far up or down, “[T]he pressure in the carpal tunnel is increased 20-30 times.”

Generally speaking, it’s better to have a keyboard that’s too high, rather than too low. OSHA’s recommendations suggest placing the keyboard so that the elbow is bent up no more than 20°, or down no more than 45°. That may explain why I always find desks too low, even though I’m not extraordinarily tall. Designers, I assume, prefer to err on the side of too low rather than too high.

Courtesy of OSHA, I also learned that my laptop keyboard may be to blame, because its small size requires me to type with my wrists bent sideways. The awkward angle places extra stress on the tendons.

Are There Any Other Work-Related Factors That Can Lead to Pain?

In Occupational Ergonomics , the authors list three work-related factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders in computer users.

You are probably typing too hard, and clicking your mouse too forcefully.

How hard is too hard? That’s still up for debate, but the authors point out that if too much force is used to depress keys, the extra force is channeled to the tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Over time, this can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, like tendon pathologies or carpal tunnel syndrome.

I was dismayed to learn that computer users may pay a price for typing too fast. Or really, for knowing how to use a keyboard.

The authors cited one study in which every data entry worker typing at a rate over 11,000 keystrokes per hour had pain, while only 60% of those who made fewer than 11,000 keystrokes per hour had pain. True, this study dates from 1999, and it’s possible that keyboards have changed since then. But 11,000 keystrokes per hour is not that fast – it equates to about 37 words per minute.

I took an internet typing test, and clocked in at 59 words per minutes. (I also learned I can’t spell “jewelry.”) That’s respectable, but not crazy fast. I don’t think I’ve typed below 37 words per minute since I was in junior high. And even at that speed, the majority of study subjects had pain.

I can only conclude, based on this information, that I am screwed.

I covered this in detail above. Awkward posture can increase the strain on soft tissues and lead to injury. In some cases, muscles have to work too hard, which can lead to fatigue. In other cases, bad posture can lead to friction on tendons or nerves, which can lead to tissue damage.

Should I get an ergonomic keyboard?

The NIOSH handout on alternative keyboards stops short of recommending them, noting that there is no conclusive evidence that using a non-traditional keyboard affects one’s chances of developing a musculoskeletal condition.

But they don’t dissuade typists from using them either, noting that some designs help users keep their wrists in the proper alignment. The theory is good. What’s lacking is evidence.

Personally, an ergonomic keyboard will likely be my next addition to my work setup. My only concern is that I’ll go through a pile of them before I find one I like. (Which is what happened when I decided to get a wireless mouse.)

My Ideal Reclining Workstation

Now that I’ve researched the ergonomic factors that can lead to injury, and the options available on the market, I’ve concluded my ideal workstation would consist of:

• My current couch (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it)
• Ergoquest’s Ergonomic Desk 1
• An ergonomic keyboard

Now if you’ll excuse me, I will use my current reclining workstation to take a highly productive nap.

Published by Krista

View all posts by Krista

5 thoughts on “ How To Work Lying Down ”

• Pingback: Even Neanderthals Had Back Pain | My Upright Life

Great post for me. I HAVE to work lying down, but I didn’t know that for 24 years. Even though still ‘officially’ undiagnosed, I have come to understand its been CSF Leak(s) all along. I only figured this out 3 years go. The pain comes on in a drip-drip-drip fashion and a few other reasons kept it from being clear. SO for many years I worked half-time schedules because it’s all I could endure standing, or worse sitting upright. That’s where the pain comes on fastest and strongest. So, with new knowledge, I bought a cheap overhead laptop mount and an anti-gravity chair and I’m halfway to working comfortably again. I was alone with my condition for those 24 years, when I found this likely diagnosis, I also found a community of people who suffer same or similar fashion. I switched to playing music for a living so I could stand, and sitting up was so painful, but now I can do both, a life of rebuilding for me. Appreciate you.

Wow, that’s quite a story! It must have been a lonely and difficult 24 years. It’s great that you’ve finally figured out what’s going on (if not officially, then to your own satisfaction), and found a way to deal with it. It sounds like you’ve got a nice work station figured out.

Hello! Any chance you can share a photo of how your sofa set up works? I can’t afford those chairs! Thanks!

Hi Christiane, I understand, custom equipment ain’t cheap!

There really is no secret to my sofa setup. I lay on my sofa, and use my laptop. I have one of these laptop stands , which works pretty well for me.

In addition to the photo I have in this article, I have a picture of my old work setups here: https://myuprightlife.com/index.php/my-workstation/

And then I have a photos of my office here: https://myuprightlife.com/index.php/2020/10/01/my-new-home-office-is-sitting-disability-approved/

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Why Working Lying Down is Healthy, Doctor Explains

The lying-down or reclining position has been completely excluded from the work life of a regular person – working while lying down is considered widely unacceptable these days. A person lying down is thought to be inactive and lazy. However, a closer look reveals that the pressure on the spine is at its lowest when we are lying in the supine position (it is under eight times less pressure than when we’re sitting). It promotes most complete muscle relaxation , stress-relief and slower heartbeat .

The supine position is one of the least studied because researchers are least interested in this form of motor activity. But, in fact, it saves our bodies more energy than any other working pose. It is easy to choose the pose that works best for you: lying on the back, on the stomach, on the side or in the fetal position. The latter is a position in which you bring the head closer to the chest, bend the arms at the elbows pressing them to the body, hands should be clenched into fists, and legs bent. The fetal position can be characterized by the increased flexor muscle tone .

One of the benefits of the supine position is that it ensures maximum rest and releases the tension of articular surfaces. No wonder it is referred to as ‘the rest pose.’

Historically, people were quite used to working in the supine, or reclining, position. The entire ancient world ate, read and wrote lying down. Actually, you don’t have to travel that far back in time – suffice to remember some celebrated personalities of the modern world. Take Churchill , for instance. The former British Prime Minister usually woke up at around 8 am and remained in bed where he read newspapers, received ministers, caught up on correspondence, and went on like this until noon. Famous writer Truman Capote said he couldn’t think, let alone write, unless he was lying down on the sofa.

Modern lay-down workstations

Here is a short list:

1.  Ergonomic workstation iClubby Phoenix

It is a very special chair, a true embodiment of comfort, design and ergonomics. It is equipped with daylight quality light and a rare mechanism that allows you to work almost lying down.

2. Super Gorone Desk

It looks almost like a usual stand for a laptop that adjusts to any working position. It can be easily transformed from a dinner table into a work surface and back. It withstands up to 60 kg of weight and is height adjustable. To top it off, it has a special safety belt and a set of holders below.

3. Lazy pillow

It was designed by the Thanko company for the convenience of those who like to watch TV or work on a laptop while lying down or sitting on the floor. It’s a curious invention, but this fact doesn’t diminish its undeniable health benefits. It can be propped up at a variety of angles from almost completely flat to any other comfortable degree. There is even a special notch for the chin!

The supine position is ideal to promote creativity and fantasy.

If you are looking for a solution or an original idea, sometimes all it takes is to assume a comfortable lying position. This way you can listen to audio,  talk on the phone, watch videos and workshops, while making notes. The supine position helps if the work you do requires thinking, rethinking and generating new ideas.

Staying in the lying position for a brief amount of time works just fine, too. If you work in a standing or sitting position your back eventually gets tired of its static posture. The transition to a horizontal position triggers a redistribution of blood and will allow you to focus on another type of work. You can lie down for 5-10 minutes if you need a break from intensive work.

Bottom line

• The supine position is a full-fledged working position with a great number of benefits. And, if anyone asks, tell them it’s the doctor’s orders.
• Do not abuse the supine position. It is most healthy in the first 30-40 minutes. After that, because your metabolism slows down, you might want to doze off. And it won’t be productive for you at all. Assume the lying pose whenever you combine certain activities or want to take a break from work.
• Useful gadgets, pillows and workstations can make the supine position even more comfortable.

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Dear ADDitude: How Can I Help My Child Stop Avoiding Tough Assignments?

“my son avoids assignments when he doesn’t understand the requirements or thinks they are too difficult. he has started lying about upcoming work and tests, avoiding what is overwhelming to him. what can we do”.

ADDitude Answers

Take a step back and figure out why your son is overwhelmed. Maybe there are problems with executive function (organization, time management) or he could be having trouble paying attention at school and is missing important information. Talk to his teachers to see if you can get a handle on why he is struggling.

There are several kinds of accommodations that might help: having an extra set of books at home, having teachers provide you with the upcoming schedule of tests, having teachers supply you with notes from classes or study sheets before tests, a schedule of upcoming homework assignments. Some school districts have such information online, so it is accessible to all students and parents. Your child’s problems are mostly about inattention, so talk with your doctor. If your son is on medication, perhaps he can adjust the dose.

Posted by Eileen Bailey Freelance writer, author specializing in ADHD, anxiety, and autism

A Reader Answers

You sound exactly like me and my 13-year-old, except that mine is not in honors classes. I chose to have him in team-taught classes instead. That means there is a special-ed teacher and a general-ed teacher in each class. The special-ed teacher is the one assigned to him and the one I communicate with. Does your son’s school have that option? Everything is still a struggle, but the work load is not quite so intense. We also have access to an online system that makes it easier for me to access information about assignments. If I can’t find what is needed, I email the special-ed teacher. Can you ask for an IEP meeting to make revisions? Clearly the bad grades are evidence that his disability is impacting his mastery of the curriculum. Good luck!

Posted by kelro

This is EXACTLY what is going on the last few weeks with my seventh grade daughter (EF problems with ADHD and writing disability). And we are a married couple but both work full-time jobs, so starting homework at 5:30 pm (we hope), and meds are worn off by then. Ugh. This is what we are doing to try and survive.

1. We got copies of all her textbooks to keep at home.

[ Free Download: Transform Your Teen’s Apathy Into Engagement ]

2. I got access to the teacher’s calendar for when quizzes and tests are coming up so we aren’t surprised.

3. If I have the last minute notice for tests or quizzes I’m calling the Vice Principal who does disabilities to ask for an extension for a couple days to take the test later. Social studies teacher is an old guy and can’t seem to plan ahead more than a day which is a crying shame.

4. We had a teacher meeting with the vice principal and the disability specialist at the school. They also recommended that teachers give her a copy of their notes, which also gives me something else to review with her before tests. Which reminds me I have to dog them to get notes because none have come home this week.

5. I’ve cried on my BFF’s shoulder twice in the last few weeks over this feeling like I’m a failure as a mom. Especially in our city there are special high school academies that have much better education, and if her grades tank in seventh grade she won’t have a shot at that for high school. I feel the injustice of the whole system for kids who need TIME.

6. I would give my right arm for a school that was self-paced for teaching my kid so she just learned things until she mastered them and then moved on. Seriously considering switching up my job and husband’s job to work from home partial hours and homeschool next year. We already spend 3 hours a day on homework and my kid has no LIFE — how much more could it possibly be? Even if it’s 5-6 hours a day I think we still would be way ahead.

7. Some serious support for my daughter because she says she doesn’t care and the Fs don’t bother her. But they do. So trying to give lots of positive praise for her hard work and give her adult perspective that middle school grades do not define your worth or value to God, family or society. We have some nice role models in our family and church and that really helps.

Posted by vowedmom

We are in the same boat — seventh grade and barely keeping his head above water. My son has to take a 5 mg Ritalin pill after school with a meal so he can concentrate on his homework — wears off after 2 hours but it helps.

These are the tough years — I am ADHD and I didn’t hit my mental and organizational stride until high school, once I had matured a bit. Middle school was tough but those few teachers that care and understand will make the difference to your son now.

[ Why Teens Stop Trying — and Achieving — at School ]

My son has a 504 Plan and he is only allowed to work on homework for so many minutes/hours per night — so homework is limited. And he gets extended time on tests in another room so he isn’t rushing. We work on these accommodations constantly with his counselor. Unfortunately we have to stay on the teachers’ radars and know the expectations. And of course I am a huge advocate of exercise before homework — even a quick run. It clears their brains.

The regular school set-up just isn’t ideal for our kids — they will struggle. Good luck — you are not alone!

Posted by LC2boys

We had the same problem with our son last year as he entered into middle school. One thing you need to remember is this is MIDDLE school. They are teaching them to do things and be responsible on their own, even if that means not passing. I am a control freak momma and it was hard for me to hear those words…I want to do it on my own! But you need to give him a little space and let him try himself. As a parent, if you are not getting the support you need, make a fuss with the school and keep pushing. We finally went to the superintendent of the district before they actually tested him and switched him from a 504 to an IEP. At the very least, make an appointment with the school counselor and let them know of your concerns and request an in-school tutor!

Posted by xzillajjxj

1. Take notes by hand if possible. That is an active process and to get information into working memory you need to involve multiple pathways of information processing in the brain. The more pathways you activate, the more integrated the information (with information already learned) and the likely the information will be stored in long-term memory.

So in other words make learning active — move, talk, write, etc.

2. Sit up front so that you are less likely to “tune out” during class.

3. Get a day to day planner and care it with you everywhere. Schedule when you are going to study with class and then keep to it.

4. Study one minute per year of age. My son is nine, so really his effective studying rate is only about 10 minutes. So he studies for 10 minutes then relaxes for 10-20 minutes, then back to studying.

Finally, let go of previous results on exams. The past is the past and you can’t change it. Set a goal for passing and anything else is gravy. As someone who sits on the interview committee for medical school admissions, we are more impressed when we see a student who struggled academically initially and then figured out what they needed to do to be successful. Makes us think that if they struggle in medical school, they will figure it out.

Posted by faye

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This article was last updated by Deepika Adhikari on March 14, 2023

Can You Work While Lying Down?

• by Deepika Adhikari
• February 23, 2023

Have you ever called someone lazy or inactive for simply working lying down, or have you been shamed yourself?

Here is something you should know. Although working while lying is frowned upon, there is nothing wrong with it.

It has been proven that working while perfectly lying down promotes a perfect body posture.

However, not everyone is up for a lying work position as it requires a comfortable place to rest, tools to support a laptop or computer, and a bit of practice.

Read on to learn how to improve your body position by adopting a new lying down technique.

Table of Contents Show

Lying down vs. sitting, 1. facing upwards (supine), 2. face down (prone), 3. sideways (lateral), 4. the 45° bent incline, how to ergonomically work lying down, best ergonomic products for working lying down, the bottom line.

When we think about lying down, we naturally assume a person is resting or sleeping, which gives an impression of inactivity.

Therefore, assuming this working position may seem ridiculous at first.

However, there is no truth to it.

A recent finding has claimed that the pressure on the spine is at a minimum when lying down.

Besides resting, the sleep position is commonly used for yoga or Pilate, among the most focused activities. Hence, you can work effectively in a sleep position too.

And, it does not have to be only one lying position. Choose what works best for you; supine, lying on the stomach, or sideways.

However, do not abuse this position as it will likely induce sleep.

The sleep position is most healthy in the first 30-40 minutes. After which, your metabolism slows down to give way to sleep.

When assuming a lying position, ensure to take frequent breaks in between.

Did you know sitting for a prolonged period affects bones, muscles, and metabolism, causing weight gain and injuries?

Although people assume that sitting is the natural position for work, it may put your body at significant risk, including wrong body postures.

A wrong sitting posture puts tension and stress on the neck and shoulder; a prolonged sitting posture prevents regular blood circulation in the lower body.

Major issues that may appear later include digestion problems, back pain, spinal dysfunction, and joint degeneration.

On the other hand, the lying position encourages a more natural body posture to increase blood flow.

Here are a few traits of working lying down vs. sitting.

Ideal Positions for Using Laptop/Computer While Lying Down

Face up, or prone position, is when a person lies down facing upwards, also known as a neutral position.

In fact, it puts 8x less pressure than sitting and relaxes the muscle, relieves stress, and promotes a slower heart rate for focus.

The neutral position promotes muscle and back relaxation that prevents wrong body posture.

Many workers also assume this position to beat stress by slowing the heart rate and breathing.

However, working on a laptop may seem impossible in this position unless you have a desk or tools for support.

A Super Gorone Desk is an adjustable desk that supports any position, including supine.

Facedown or prone position is when your body is facing downwards.

Opposed to the supine position, many people assume this position to work, study, and even write.

The prone position promotes blood return to the right heart chamber and reduces the constriction of blood vessels in the lungs, encouraging improved blood circulation.

However, the prone position is lying on the face entirely but taking support of your wrist to lift your upper body.

Otherwise, lying on a raised bed, usually found at the dentist, may also help.

Grafeiophobia furniture is perfectly designed for workers who want to work facing down.

The sideways or lateral position is usually assumed for resting, sleeping, or surgical procedures.

However, you can also use this position to work, such as writing, reading, or using a laptop.

It may also be helpful if your body does not respond well to either supine or prone positions.

Many workers assume this position to increase comfort, prevent pressure injury, and reduce deep vein thrombosis.

Lying inclined or 45° Bent is a commonly assumed position for reading or working while seated on the bed or couch.

Although much similar to a supine position, the lower body remains flat while the upper body arches forwards when inclined about 45°.

You can easily access your laptop screen and keyboard when seated in this position.

However, do not forget to put soft material like a pillow or cushion behind to support your back comfortably.

You can assume multiple fairly obtuse positions to resist the temptation to lift your head to get a better look at the screen.

When sitting inclined, especially on the bed or cushion, introduce more pillows strategically to keep your body more natural.

You should assume an ideal posture to offset the wrong body posture risks.

Here are a few things to remember.

• Keep your spine, including your neck, straight. Lying supine naturally achieves a straight neck posture.
• Do not scrunch your shoulders, and keep your elbows beside your torso.
• Do not overstretch or bend your arm wide at the elbow to reach the mouse.
• Keep your wrists straight to your body, and avoid bending them when typing.
• Invest in an ergonomic workstation that facilitates working in a unique position.
• Take frequent breaks every two hours and work sitting or standing.

Here are a few recommendations to raise ergonomics at different positions.

Lying in a working position may be adequate to promote a healthy body posture.

It may take a while to get the hang of it as most workers are not used to working completely lying down.

If it may seem complicated, switch between lying and seated positions until you find a permanent work posture.

• Work From Home

Deepika Adhikari

Deepika is your typical office worker who works from home. But there's one thing that sets Deepika apart from her colleagues: she's Nature Friendly. She recycles everything she can, from paper to plastic to aluminum cans. In short, She does her part to make her workspace a cleaner, greener place - one small step at a time.

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How to Get Out of Doing Homework

Last Updated: March 4, 2024 Fact Checked

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 111 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. 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 282,558 times. Learn more...

Sometimes you just can't get it together and finish your homework. Maybe you had a concert or a game after school and you were too tired to think when you got home. Maybe you ran out of time, or you fell asleep early. Maybe you just had something way better to do! This article will give you ideas for how to get your parents off your back about doing homework and convince your teachers you have a perfectly good reason why you didn't do the assignment. Plus, learn techniques on how to make it look like you made an attempt at your assignment, but life, fate, or technology got in the way. Just don't make a habit of it, or your grades may suffer.

Making Excuses to Your Teacher

• Notice how your teacher reacts when other students forget their homework to gauge how much you can get away with.
• Notice if your teacher collects homework or usually just walks around and glances at your worksheet to make sure you did it.
• Try to get an idea of what your teacher likes. If they have pictures of their cat everywhere, you may be able to use that to your advantage later by telling them your cat is very sick or had to be put down and you were too devastated to finish the assignment.
• Remember that your teacher probably got into teaching because they are passionate about their subject. Participate in class as much as possible: if they believe you love history, too, they're probably more likely to be sympathetic later.
• Find out how much homework counts toward your final grade. If homework only accounts for 20% of your grade and you ace all your tests, projects, and class participation, you might be able to get by without doing homework and still get a decent grade.

• If your teacher expects you to email them your assignment, ask them the next day if they got your email. When they say they didn't, act confused and explain that you definitely emailed them and that you can't believe it didn't go through. They probably can't check to see if you are lying and will probably give you an extension.

• Claim the death of a family member. Make it someone close enough that it would affect you, but not so close that the teacher will find out about it. A great aunt or uncle works as they tend to be older. There is also no limit on the amount of great aunts and uncles you have, whereas with grandparents there is a limited number of times you can use that excuse. Plus, you don't want to tempt karma by saying your grandma died unexpectedly.
• Say that you are having a private family issue and you don't feel comfortable talking about it, but you can't do the homework.
• Tell your teacher your pet died. But be aware that if your teacher happens to be having a conversation with your parents and says something like "Sorry about the dog!" they may find out you were lying.

• Tell the teacher you were in the bathroom when they assigned the work and you completely missed that you had homework. However, if your teacher has a good memory or writes homework on the board or on a school website, there is a high chance this will not work.

• This works best if you are somebody who rarely gets sick(maybe once or twice a year) then you will be more trustworthy if you appear sick.

• If you do this too often your teacher will stop being sympathetic, so make sure it only happens once or twice.

Making It Look Like You Did Your Homework

• If your teacher walks around the class checking for homework, but doesn't take it in, write your homework page and task at the top of some random notes you have for that class. If they're not attentive, they won't notice.
• If they are attentive, try to distract them by asking a question related to the subject or show them a word in the textbook you don't understand.

• Say you must have left it on your desk/in the car/on the bus and ask if you can turn it in at the end of the day. Then you can quickly do the assignment during lunch.
• Be smart when pretending to be upset that you lost your homework. If you usually slack off and don't do your homework, it may seem odd to the teacher when you suddenly worry about not having your homework.

• If you cheat on writing based homework, paraphrase it so your teacher can't tell that you cheated. Also, think about how you usually perform in class. If you don't usually do well in class on homework and tests, your teacher could get suspicious if you get all the answers right. So to be smart, get some answers wrong on purpose.
• Try asking one friend for answers to questions #1 and #2, then another friend for the answers to questions #3 and #4, and so on until the assignment is complete.
• Assemble a study group and let them work out all the answers.
• If you have a friend who owes you a favor, tell them this is how they can repay their debt.

• Bring in a blank flash drive and swear to your teacher you saved it to the drive and you don't know what happened.

• Go into File Explorer and find the file you want to make corrupt. Right click over the file and select 'Open With...', then select Notepad. Once the file opens in Notepad you should see a really bizarre document with gibberish. Click anywhere within the document and type something random in it, disturbing the flow. After this just save and submit. When your teacher opens it, it will show up an error.
• Do not select "use application as default" when selecting Notepad after File Explorer step or else all word documents (.docx) will automatically in Notepad showing gibberish.
• Create a blank image in Paint and save it in .bmp format. After that, forcefully change its format into .doc (right-click and hit Properties), and change the title to the name of your homework assignment. Now, when you try to open the file in any text viewing program, it will show up as a broken file. Send it to the teacher, and if they ask you the next day, just say sorry about this inconvenience and promise to send it this evening. Now, you have an extra day to complete your homework.

Convincing Your Parents

• So your parents check your history? Easy. If you have the Google Chrome browser, you can use Incognito mode. This will not track your history at all. Press ctrl+shift+N at the same time to open an Incognito tab. Remember to close all Incognito tabs before you go back to doing your homework.
• Remember ctrl + w closes a window with one tab without prompt, so it is the perfect way without downloading Firefox and certain add-ons to use the computer without parent's knowing anything of your exploits.

Community Q&A

Tips from our Readers

• Try to sound very stressed about not finishing your homework. Try to only skip homework when you really need to. It might be obvious that you're not trying if you never do it.
• Try to be honest when you get caught. If you lie and get caught, you might be in bigger trouble.
• Remember: in most cases, it is unlikely your teacher will excuse you from doing the homework altogether, even if these tactics work. Go into it thinking they will give you an extension and you will have time to catch up on your work without it impacting your grade. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Homework is there to help you. In the long run, not doing homework will impact not just your report card but your future. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Avoid lame and common excuses. These excuses have no effect, so don't even try to use them. Avoid "I forgot" and "My dog ate my homework" kind of excuses. Using long, boring excuses may make the teacher just dismiss it and tell you to turn it in tomorrow. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://edinazephyrus.com/how-to-fake-sick-successfully/
• ↑ https://corrupt-a-file.net/

About This Article

If you weren't able to finish your homework, there are a few good excuses you can use to keep your teacher off your back. You can blame technology and say your computer or printer broke. If you needed the internet for your homework, say your internet went off for a few hours. Pretending you forgot your homework isn't the best excuse, but it sounds better than admitting you didn't do it. Search through your bag and pretend to look for it, then tell your teacher you must have left it at home. To make it more convincing, see your teacher at the beginning of class and say you had a busy week and forgot to do the homework. You can even tell them you had a family issue. Teachers are unlikely to call you out for being sick, so try going to the nurse before class and telling them you feel sick and you can’t go to class. For more tips, including how to get out of your parents making you do homework, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The East Coast earthquake came from a fault that's been asleep for hundreds of millions of years but suddenly reactivated

• The 4.8-magnitude earthquake on the East Coast Friday came from ancient dormant faults.
• The faults formed when two continents collided about 500 million years ago, creating the Appalachians and Atlantic Ocean.
• Leftover stress from the retreat of Ice Age glaciers may have reactivated a sleeping fault.

The earthquake that just shook the East Coast was caused by one of dozens of ancient fault lines that have lain dormant for hundreds of millions of years, top scientists announced on Friday.

Millions of New Yorkers and other East Coasters may have been shocked to feel the swaying of the 4.8-magnitude quake Friday morning. The area is not really known for its seismic activity.

But the earthquake didn't come from nowhere . Scientists knew of a potential hazard deep below the Earth's surface — ancient faults sleeping quietly.

"This is an area of older, generally inactive faults, but they can become reactivated at any time," Jessica Jobe, a geologist at the US Geological Survey, said in a briefing on Friday.

Ancient faults from the formation of the Appalachian mountains

The earthquake's epicenter seems to have been in New Jersey , preliminary USGS data suggests.

That means it came from a region of faults called the Appalachian fold-and-thrust belt, which is much more ancient and quiet than fault lines on the West Coast .

"Many of these faults, we don't know where they are until you have an earthquake," Lingsen Meng, associate professor of geophysics at UCLA, told Business Insider.

These faults come from the collision of two continents 500 to 300 million years ago. As the continental plates crashed together, closing an existing ocean and opening up the Atlantic Ocean , the plates crumpled against each other to give rise to the Appalachian mountains.

That extreme event also opened fault lines in the Earth's crust throughout the region.

"There were many dozens of faults that were active millions of years ago, and those faults are still present in the Earth's crust," Jobe said. "As we have tectonic plates move , and stresses kind of moving around in the Earth's crust, every now and then one of those faults will become infrequently or intermittently active, just in a single earthquake, or a series of small earthquakes."

Related stories

As far as scientists know, those faults haven't been active since they formed "a couple 100 million years," ago Jobe said.

It remains to be seen whether this is just one quake or a series. Aftershocks are possible in the coming weeks , USGS warned. Most likely any aftershocks will be smaller quakes, but there is a small chance that an ensuing quake will be of similar or larger magnitude.

Because there are dozens of faults in the Appalachian fold-and-thrust belt, USGS isn't yet able to attribute Friday's quake to any specific fault line, though early data suggests the culprit was about 3 miles deep.

The next question is what caused the fault to reactivate on Friday.

This quake may be a remnant of the Ice-Age glaciers' retreat

On the West Coast, earthquakes often come from movement along the boundaries of tectonic plates. The East Coast, however, is located in the middle of a plate and doesn't experience much of that movement.

Instead, East Coast quakes come from stress that builds up on those ancient fault lines.

"When that stress is released, they give rise to earthquakes. And that appears to have been what's happened this morning in New Jersey," Ben Fernando, a post-doctoral fellow studying seismology at Johns Hopkins, told BI.

A likely source of that stress, Meng said, is the Earth's crust rebounding from the weight of the glaciers — yes, the glaciers that covered North America during the last Ice Age about 20,000 years ago.

"That was a huge amount of weight that deformed the underlying rock in the crust," Fernando said.

The glaciers heavily weighed down and compressed the northern part of the East Coast. Though that weight has been lifted for more than 10,000 years, the Earth's crust is still rising back to its former shape.

"It's constantly rebounding," Meng said. "During that process, it will put stress on whatever the weak structures [are] inside of the crust."

That has slowly put mild stress on the fault lines, he said, but "given enough time, you can still build enough stress to cause the earthquakes."

Scientists should be able to discern whether glacial rebound contributed to Friday's tremor as they continue to analyze data.

Watch: New York City resident reacts to 4.8 magnitude earthquake

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Dawn Staley has a hilarious way to remember ‘lying’ or ‘laying’

A s Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks prepare for Friday’s Final Four matchup with the NC State Wolfpack, the coach’s media availability on Thursday featured an important discussion.

Do you lie down or do you lay down?

It’s one of the most common mix-ups in the English language, as it very specifically depends on what the subject of the sentence is when you’re using the word.

Staley took the time to address this, while referencing a tweet she sent earlier and then arriving at a hilarious conclusion.

“I have a brief question, ’cause you guys are writers. I just posted a tweet, and we had a long discussion in our coaches meeting. Our players were in the locker room, lying or laying down?” Staley asked.

Upon being told “lying” is the correct form of the word, Staley came up with a great way to remember it. “I told our coaches, someone taught me, you lie to get laid, right?” She said as the room filled with laughter.

Staley is in the midst of her fourth straight Final Four appearance as she and the Gamecocks look to win the NCAA Women’s Tournament for the first time since 2022 after being foiled by Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four last season. South Carolina will have an opportunity for a rematch against Iowa should the Gamecocks beat NC State and the Hawkeyes beat the UConn Huskies Friday night.

[ Amanda Poole ]

The post Dawn Staley has a hilarious way to remember ‘lying’ or ‘laying’ appeared first on Awful Announcing .

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Half a million California workers will get $20 minimum wage, starting today

Alina Selyukh

Vanessa Romo

Fast-food workers rally for health and safety protections near a McDonald's in Los Angeles, in 2021. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption

Fast-food workers rally for health and safety protections near a McDonald's in Los Angeles, in 2021.

Some half a million workers in California are getting a big bump up in pay.

The state's minimum wage for fast-food employees jumps to $20 an hour on Monday, giving many a raise of 25% from just last week. The law affects some of the biggest restaurant chains — McDonald's, Pizza Hut, KFC, Subway, Starbucks — and local franchisees have raised alarms about the increase in labor costs.

Fast-food jobs are among the lowest-paying in the U.S. economy, where wages have been growing in recent years, after stagnating for decades. The workers are often women, immigrants and people of color; many live below the poverty line.

McDonald's worker Jaylene Loubett from Los Angeles points out that California is among the most expensive states in the country, and her city is one of the priciest in the state. Plus, inflation has meant higher cost of food and bills.

Help Wanted: Where Are The Workers?

Retail jobs are treated as a temporary bridge to something better. but why.

"Even though it's a big help, people need to realize that $20 compared to the cost of living in Los Angeles, it's still not enough to feel secure," says Loubett, 25, who's worked at McDonald's for six years.

She shares a one-bedroom apartment with her parents, who deal with medical issues. Ideally, Loubett hopes to use her raise to start saving toward a bigger home – or at least lessen the stress over expenses.

"It gives me a little bit more of a wiggle room," she says.

California's minimum wage for jobs outside fast food remains $16 an hour, though it's higher in some cities and counties. Employers paying under $20 an hour will likely face stiffer competition for workers.

Delivery drivers lose jobs and smoothies are pricier

California restaurant chain owners and franchisees say that higher labor costs will force them to raise prices, add automation, cut workers' hours or even close shop.

In December, Pizza Hut franchisees laid off hundreds of delivery drivers ahead of the wage hike and switched to apps like Uber Eats and Door Dash, which pushes more delivery fees onto customers.

Chains including Jack in the Box, Starbucks, McDonald's and Chipotle say they plan to raise prices more than they have already. The cost of eating out has stubbornly inched higher in the U.S. even as inflation has cooled elsewhere .

What's at stake for California's $20 minimum fast-food wage

Brian Hom, who runs two franchise locations of Vitality Bowls, says the price of smoothies, salads and other items on his menu will increase 5% to 10% this week to offset the higher wages for his 30-some employees. Before Monday's raise, the minimum wage at his stores was $17.55.

"I'm happy that my employees are going to make more," Hom says. "But the impacts to the business are the concern... Will I be able to sustain the business?"

Other restaurant owners expect workers will be working fewer hours. That was the main side-effect of a minimum-wage hike in Seattle a decade ago, research suggests , with workers overall not losing jobs, but losing hours, though still generally earning more.

The rule applies to fast-food chains with at least 60 locations

California's pay hike is a result of a contentious deal struck by labor leaders, including the large Service Employees International Union, and fast-food companies.

The new wage law applies to fast-food chains with at least 60 locations nationwide, with exemptions for some bakeries and smaller outposts inside grocery stores, airports and other venues.

'Gives Me Hope': How Low-Paid Workers Rose Up Against Stagnant Wages

Under the new law, a new Fast Food Council was formed as part of the state's industrial relations department. The council, which includes both restaurant workers and owners, will develop standards, rules and regulations for the fast-food industry.

Broadly, California often sets the bar for many business decisions that other states later follow. Advocates hope something similar will happen with fast-food pay – spreading to other industries in the state and across the country.

In recent years, the battle for higher minimum wages has increasingly played out at the city, county and state levels as the federal minimum languishes at $7.25 an hour .

KQED's Farida Jhabvala Romero contributed to this report.

• fast food workers
• minimum wage

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The Five Minutes That Brought Down the Francis Scott Key Bridge

When a massive cargo ship lost power in Baltimore, crews scrambled to control the ship and to evacuate the bridge lying ahead. But it was too late.

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By Annie Correal ,  Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs ,  Campbell Robertson ,  Michael Forsythe and Mike Baker

Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Campbell Robertson reported from Baltimore, Annie Correal and Michael Forsythe from New York, and Mike Baker from Seattle.

Follow our live coverage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore .

“Hold all traffic on the Key Bridge.”

The terse command from an officer in Baltimore’s busy commercial shipping port was one of the first warnings of a disaster that experts now predict will transform shipping on the Eastern Seaboard and change how ships and bridges function around the world. But after the cargo ship Dali lost power early Tuesday, there were precious few minutes to act.

In those minutes, many people — from the ship’s crew, who sent out a mayday signal, to the transportation authority police officers, who stopped traffic heading onto the Francis Scott Key Bridge — did what they could to avert catastrophe, most likely saving many lives.

And yet — no matter what anyone did — several factors made catastrophe all but inevitable. When a ship of this size loses engine power, there is little to be done to correct its course, even dropping an anchor down. And the Key Bridge was particularly vulnerable. As long ago as 1980, engineers had warned that the bridge, because of its design, would never be able to survive a direct hit from a container ship.

The collision and subsequent collapse of the bridge swallowed up seven road workers and an inspector who could not be alerted and pulled off the bridge in time; two were pulled alive out of the water, but four others are still missing and presumed dead. Two bodies were retrieved on Wednesday, authorities said.

Also caught up in the disaster were the ship’s 21 crew members, all from India, who had prepared for a long journey to Sri Lanka on the Dali. While none of them were hurt, they would be held on board for more than a day as the ship sat in the harbor, the ruins of the bridge tangled around it, as authorities began their investigation.

The accident, the deadliest bridge collapse in the United States in more than a decade, will have a lasting impact on the Port of Baltimore, with its 8,000 workers, and industries that rely on the port, which is the leading American hub for auto and other wheeled equipment, said Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. transportation secretary, on Wednesday.

“It’s difficult to overstate the impact of this collision,” Mr. Buttigieg said.

He compared the Dali, roughly as long a city block, to the size of an American aircraft carrier.

“A hundred thousand tons, all going into this pier all at once,” he said of the impact on the bridge support structure.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation into the accident, boarded the Dali on Tuesday night to gather documentation. They obtained data from the voyage data recorder, the equivalent of an aircraft’s black box, hoping that it could help investigators determine what led to the accident.

Mr. Buttigieg said that any private party found liable in the accident “will be held responsible.”

The ship left the Port

of Baltimore around

1 a.m. on Tuesday.

Ship called for

tugboats to return

Francis Scott

Alarms sounded on ship

Traffic onto bridge was halted

The ship hit

at 1:28 a.m.

Alarms sounded

Traffic onto bridge

Sources: MarineTraffic, Google Earth

By Agnes Chang, Weiyi Cai, and Leanne Abraham

It was about half an hour past midnight on Tuesday when the Dali, loaded with cargo containers, departed its dock, guided by two tugboats, as is customary. On board was a local harbor pilot with more than 10 years of experience and deep familiarity with Baltimore’s port, as well as an apprentice pilot in training.

The sky above the Patapsco River was clear and still, lit by a full moon.

At 1:25 a.m., after the two tugboats detached and turned back, the Dali had accelerated to about 10 miles per hour as it approached the Key Bridge. But just then, according to a timeline released by the National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday, “numerous audible alarms” started sounding on the ship.

For reasons still being investigated, the ship’s powerful propulsion system stopped. The lights flickered out.

The ship had a “complete blackout,” according to Clay Diamond, head of the American Pilots’ Association, who was briefed on the account of the pilot of the Dali. (The chair of the N.T.S.B., Jennifer Homendy, said officials were still trying to determine whether the power failure was complete.)

The harbor pilot noticed the ship starting to swing right, in the direction of one of the piers holding up the Key Bridge. At 1:26, he called for the tugs to return; he urged the captain to try to get the engine back up and directed the crew to steer hard left. As a last ditch measure, at 1:27, he ordered the crew to throw down the port anchor.

One of the tugboats, the Eric McAllister, turned around and raced back toward the ship.

But the failures onboard were cascading. The emergency generator had kicked on, sending a puff of thick smoke belching from the ship’s exhaust stack and briefly restoring the lights, radar and steering. It did not help. With no effective propulsion, the 95,000-ton ship had become an unstoppable object, drifting toward one of the most heavily traveled bridges in Baltimore.

On land, officers with the Maryland Transportation Authority moved swiftly into action. “I need one of you guys on the South side, one of you guys on the North side, hold all traffic on the Key Bridge,” someone is heard saying on the audio recording of emergency radio traffic that night. “There’s a ship approaching that just lost their steering. So until they get that under control, we’ve got to stop all traffic.”

Vehicles were held on either side of the bridge as the ship continued its inexorable drift toward the 1.6-mile-long span.

A minute later, the officers turned their attention to several workers, some of them immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Mexico, who were still laboring on the bridge in the chilly darkness, taking advantage of the light traffic at night to fix potholes.

“There’s a crew up there,” one officer is heard saying on the audio recording of the radio exchange between officers. “You might want to notify whoever the foreman is, see if we could get them off the bridge temporarily.”

But even then, the ship was striking the bridge. Almost at once, the pier buckled and collapsed, twisting over the ship, with its cargo containers stacked high on the deck. Then the rest of the bridge went, breaking into sections as it plummeted and splashed into the dark river waters below.

“The size and weight of these ships make them really difficult, even with propulsion, to stop them,” said Stash Pelkowski, a professor at State University of New York Maritime College and a retired Coast Guard rear admiral. With no power, he said, “There was very little the pilot or the crew on the Dali could do.”

The collapse had happened in seconds. Except for the stumps of the piers, the central span of the bridge had plunged into the frigid river — where divers would spend the whole day searching amid twisted metal for survivors — by 1:29 a.m.

“Dispatch, the whole bridge just fell down!” an officer called out. “Whoever, everybody, the whole bridge just collapsed.”

Stray ships had long been seen as a risk to the Key Bridge. Just a few years after the Baltimore structure was constructed in 1977, a vessel crash knocked down the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay, Fla., killing 35 people.

Officials acknowledged that the Key Bridge would not be able to withstand that kind of direct hit from a heavy cargo vessel. “I would have to say if that ship hit the Bay Bridge or the Key Bridge — I’m talking about the main supports, a direct hit — it would knock it down,” John Snyder, the director of engineering for the state Toll Facilities Administration told the Baltimore Sun at the time.

But building a bridge that could withstand such an impact was simply not economically feasible, he said. When the bridge was built, cargo ships were not the size they are today. A much smaller freighter did hit the bridge in 1980 , but the bridge stood strong.

Minutes after the bridge collapsed on Tuesday, both tugboats that had accompanied the Dali arrived on scene, followed soon by the Coast Guard and the Baltimore City Fire Department.

Two of the workers who had been on the bridge were rescued from the water. The others could not be found.

Jack Murphy, who owns Brawner Builders, the company whose workers had been on the bridge, got a phone call about the collapse and raced to the area, about a 30-minute drive away. He stayed by the bridge all night, and eventually began making calls to the men’s families.

Two workers’ bodies were discovered in a red pickup truck found near the bridge debris, police said Wednesday. They were identified as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, an immigrant from Mexico, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, a native of Guatemala.

About two miles from the bridge, Andrew Middleton had been lying awake when he heard the crash. He first thought it was thunder, maybe a low-flying jet.

It was only when he awoke a few hours later that he saw the news of the collapsed bridge. “I thought to myself, I was just with those guys yesterday,” he said.

Mr. Middleton, who runs Apostleship of the Sea, a program that ministers to sailors coming through the port, had driven the ship’s captain and a few crew members to Walmart on Monday to stock up on goods for the 28-day voyage ahead — toothpaste, snacks, clothes, Bluetooth speakers.

He recalled the captain telling him their next port was Sri Lanka, but that they were taking a longer route, down around South Africa, in order to avoid recent Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea.

Mr. Middleton immediately messaged the crew on WhatsApp after hearing the news on Tuesday, he said, and “they responded within a few minutes saying that everyone was OK,” he said.

Around the site of the bridge collapse, firefighters and rescuers in diving gear were swarming around the shore, followed by news crews. John McAvoy, who owns a nearby restaurant, had driven over with hot meals — chicken, crab balls and pretzel bites — to hand out to the crews.

But by nightfall on Tuesday, officials had called off the rescue efforts and said they would switch to searching for bodies. “The water’s deep, visibility’s low, it’s cold as I-don’t-know-what,” said Kevin Cartwright, a spokesman for the Fire Department.

The signs of all that had changed were only starting to become clear on Wednesday. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it was mobilizing more than 1,100 specialists to clear the wreckage of the bridge and unblock the Port of Baltimore’s shipping lane. In the meantime, Mr. Buttigieg, the secretary of transportation, said the East Coast would have to rely more heavily on ports outside Baltimore.

Mr. McAvoy said the tragedy would ripple over the port for years.

Fishing crews always have found their way home following the Key Bridge, he said. “It’s going to change a lot of things for a lot of people.”

Reporting was contributed by Daniel Victor , Jacey Fortin , Zach Montague , Eduardo Medina , Miriam Jordan and Judson Jones . Susan C. Beachy contributed research.

Annie Correal reports from the U.S. and Latin America for The Times. More about Annie Correal

Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs reports on national stories across the United States with a focus on criminal justice. He is from upstate New York. More about Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs

Campbell Robertson reports on Delaware, the District Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, for The Times. More about Campbell Robertson

Michael Forsythe a reporter on the investigations team at The Times, based in New York. He has written extensively about, and from, China. More about Michael Forsythe

Mike Baker is a national reporter for The Times, based in Seattle. More about Mike Baker