"Home" Work

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Today's daily dose: Home work
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I personally don't know anyone who doesn't have "home" work to do. Children, teenagers and students will have assignments they need to do after school hours. Parents and adults may run their businesses from home and will need to do work after what can be deemed to be "normal" business hours. And most people who own or rent a house will also have some form of "home" work to do.

Like all things, motivation comes down to a few things. Why do you need to do them and what's in it for you.

If you know the reason why you need to do something, then the motivation usually follows.

I say "usually" because it may seem like getting a good grade on a minor assignment is rather pointless. But the one thing I always tell my children. It is how you handle the smaller assignments and pieces that tells you how well you are going to be able to handle the larger pieces. If you don't give yourself enough time, then the piece will be rushed. There may be basic errors in it, which may bring your marks down. It may be that you don't like the subject in which case you have to ask yourself why are you studying it? Is it because you "have" to? In which case, do that particular piece first and get it over with.

We all have things we don't like doing, and it doesn't get any easier as you get older - believe me.

So, as with all things, it depends on your personal discipline as well as time and project management skills (oh and a great site I've come across recently which may help you keep all your projects together - my kids think it's great - http://www.corralmystuff.com - great piece of software)...apologies I digress but you know me, I never say I like something if I don't know it - and for the cynical of you out there - no I don't get kick backs for telling you about the things I find and you may find useful.

Where was I? Oh yes, if you are struggling - then set yourself up a routine. I get home from my day job about 6pm. Assuming I haven't had to pick up the children on the way home, the first thing we do is reconnect. How has your day been, what homework do you need to do. We turn on two computers and we start thinking about dinner. As the computers are warming up, any laundry is fetched in and folded, the cats are fed and I get changed. Then the kids organise their homework files and I always make sure they are OK or whether they need my help to understand whatever it is. Sometimes if a child is unsure about a topic, if they have to explain it to someone else - it usually helps them to understand what they need to do.

The children get to eat, I snap on my running shoes and I go and exercise. I eat when I get back, and start working on my own "home" work.

It is a routine that has become a habit and one that works well for us. Now I know that not everyone wants that kind of rigid, structured life. But I know that once the work has been done, we then get the rest of the night to do what we want to do. We don't have "HAVE" to do stuff hanging over our heads.

And like all things, it has taken some time and some tweaking to get the right balance. But we think we have it. How about you?

Speak soon

Elle