If you are studying several subjects then you school or college will have a timetable specifying the frequency of homework. You will also have been given an idea of when particular piece of coursework or project will need to be submitted over the course of an academic year.

Put all of these dates in your diary and make a note of a few days prior to the submission dates as these will be the dates that you are aiming for.

Make sure that you also make a note of holiday dates or family occasions such as birthdays. At this point it is a good idea to have the mind-set that you will not leave all your homework until the weekend and catch up then, because the reality is that friends and family will have organised fun activities.

You probably have interests and hobbies outside of school, so make sure that you put those down in your diary.

Before you start any task, make sure that you have everything you need. This includes pen/pencil/paper if appropriate, or laptop and flash drive. Include in this list the instructions for the work.

Set yourself realistic goals. If you spend too long on homework assignments every evening after a full day in the classroom, then it will get so much of a chore that you will lose interest and keep putting it off, which will cause a lot of stress. In this case, you can find help here and fade your worries away.

Sometimes no matter how well you plan you may feel lethargic and uninspired. Take a break. Get up and move around, go for a walk as this can often help motivate and inspire ideas.

Make sure that where you intend to do your work is comfortable and stress free. Do not try to work in front of the TV as this will provide too many distractions. Most of us need some background noise, but each person is different and needs different levels and different types of background noise. (Some people work really well in coffee shops or libraries).

Make sure that the people you live with know that this the time that you have set aside for working (so, you cannot take the dog for a walk; empty the dish washer or ‘run a quick errand’).

Turn off you cell phone. An interruption of a call of text can spoil you train of thought. If you spend an uninterrupted hour on your work, you will get far more quality work completed than 3 hours of attempted work with several interruptions.

If you are doing any online background research make sure that you stay on task. It is so easy to get side tracked and start researching for that new pair of shoes that you really need.

Make sure that you schedule in rewards. If you know that you have to spend a long time on a task, make sure that you take a break. Small breaks can involve a snack (but make sure that you get the opportunity to move away from your work), or it could be a slightly longer break of watching your favourite programme.

If you are completing a large project, change your schedule so you have a few no-homework days when you have finished.

Proofreading may not really be a reward per se, but it is a reward if by actively doing it you can reduce the time spent by doing continual rewrites.

Always view time management of your homework as a positive motivational action. It requires discipline but in the long run it pays off.