Bay 12 Games Forum

Finally... => Life Advice => Topic started by: Angle on December 01, 2013, 01:57:08 pm

Title: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Angle on December 01, 2013, 01:57:08 pm
I'm sitting here, trying to do my homework, and... I can't. I literally can't. I just can't make myself do it. My mind skitters away, and seeks anything else to focus on. Even getting rid of all that, I just end up staring into space instead. I spent most all of yesterday doing the same thing, and got barely anything done. Does anyone have any advice?
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Darkmere on December 01, 2013, 03:17:58 pm
Shut the internet down, close everything but the blank page and stare at it until you have nothing else to do but start working. You don't need a drink from the fridge and nothing on TV is worth watching. Just write it. Start with one word and put another after it, repeat until finished.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Sinlessmoon on December 01, 2013, 03:19:22 pm
Do what I do when I really can't do homework. I give myself half an hour or so of doing the work then half an hour or an hour of doing whatever I want, then when that hour/half an hour is over, go back to doing homework and then rinse and repeat. Always helps me do my school work effectively.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Angle on December 01, 2013, 03:25:11 pm
This homework is on the internet, so that's not an option. it doesn't really matter though, I can keep from doing anything else effectively, but I still can't do my homework. I just end up staring at it blankly.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: freeformschooler on December 01, 2013, 03:37:10 pm
I highly doubt any advice can help you then. If you staunchly refuse to do something and pass it off as your brain rebelling (I'm physically unable to stop being lazy!), no amount of internet compatriots can convince you otherwise. Advice is kinda only helpful to those open to it, and mine would be shut up and work right now, forget any strategies just do it already, but you'll probably somehow convince yourself not to anyway
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Imp on December 01, 2013, 03:47:21 pm
Sings:

When you double post and you know it, delete one!
When you double post and you know it, delete one!
When you double post and you know it, well the forum really shows it,
When you double post and you know it, delete one!
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Imp on December 01, 2013, 03:48:58 pm
Some things I've done when I've been in a situation like this -

Imagined I was a slave with an aggressive master watching from nearby, one that would beat the -crud- out of me if I didn't get the job done, done fast, and done right.

Imagined this task was part of something vital that I really cared about happening (for me that's some sort of scientific advancement - but this is imagination - anything's fine to imagine if it motivates you, from imaginary advancement in VR video gaming to imaginary recruitment of the world's greatest sports team to absolutely anything) and that by getting this job done I was helping a portion of that job I really cared about get done.

Imagined I was teaching someone I liked and who really, really wanted to do what I was doing how to do this thing that I couldn't get started with, and it was their enthusiasm and interest that helped me keep mine focused on 'teaching' them the task by showing them how to do it, step by step as I actually got it done.

Imagined someone I loved was going to die if I didn't get this task done - either this task would directly save them from something deadly or torturous (my task was somehow like surgery to heal them from a deadly wound), or it would directly prevent them from getting into a deadly situation (my task is somehow like fixing broken brakes on their car, they're going to get into an accident if I don't get my job done), or that someone had kidnapped them and me getting this task done was the ransom.

Imagined I was competing with someone else, someone I really, really wanted to race or wanted to show up, and this task was what we were racing to do - and I really wanted to win.

Good luck!
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Angle on December 01, 2013, 04:25:21 pm
Quote from: freeformschooler on December 01, 2013, 03:37:10 pm
I highly doubt any advice can help you then. If you staunchly refuse to do something and pass it off as your brain rebelling (I'm physically unable to stop being lazy!), no amount of internet compatriots can convince you otherwise. Advice is kinda only helpful to those open to it, and mine would be shut up and work right now, forget any strategies just do it already, but you'll probably somehow convince yourself not to anyway

No offense, but "You suck and you'll always suck, give up and die" isn't very helpful.

Quote from: Imp on December 01, 2013, 03:48:58 pm
Some things I've done when I've been in a situation like this -

Imagined I was a slave with an aggressive master watching from nearby, one that would beat the -crud- out of me if I didn't get the job done, done fast, and done right.

Imagined this task was part of something vital that I really cared about happening (for me that's some sort of scientific advancement - but this is imagination - anything's fine to imagine if it motivates you, from imaginary advancement in VR video gaming to imaginary recruitment of the world's greatest sports team to absolutely anything) and that by getting this job done I was helping a portion of that job I really cared about get done.

Imagined I was teaching someone I liked and who really, really wanted to do what I was doing how to do this thing that I couldn't get started with, and it was their enthusiasm and interest that helped me keep mine focused on 'teaching' them the task by showing them how to do it, step by step as I actually got it done.

Imagined someone I loved was going to die if I didn't get this task done - either this task would directly save them from something deadly or torturous (my task was somehow like surgery to heal them from a deadly wound), or it would directly prevent them from getting into a deadly situation (my task is somehow like fixing broken brakes on their car, they're going to get into an accident if I don't get my job done), or that someone had kidnapped them and me getting this task done was the ransom.

Imagined I was competing with someone else, someone I really, really wanted to race or wanted to show up, and this task was what we were racing to do - and I really wanted to win.

Good luck!

See, now this is more helpful. Thank you! I'll try this out.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: freeformschooler on December 01, 2013, 04:26:15 pm
Quote from: Angle on December 01, 2013, 04:25:21 pm
Quote from: freeformschooler on December 01, 2013, 03:37:10 pm
I highly doubt any advice can help you then. If you staunchly refuse to do something and pass it off as your brain rebelling (I'm physically unable to stop being lazy!), no amount of internet compatriots can convince you otherwise. Advice is kinda only helpful to those open to it, and mine would be shut up and work right now, forget any strategies just do it already, but you'll probably somehow convince yourself not to anyway

No offense, but "You suck and you'll always suck, give up and die" isn't very helpful.

That is exactly the opposite of what I told you to do. It's like you managed to skip the advice in there entirely. Amazing.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Imp on December 01, 2013, 04:40:24 pm
Quote from: freeformschooler on December 01, 2013, 04:26:15 pm
Quote from: Angle on December 01, 2013, 04:25:21 pm
Quote from: freeformschooler on December 01, 2013, 03:37:10 pm
I highly doubt any advice can help you then. If you staunchly refuse to do something and pass it off as your brain rebelling (I'm physically unable to stop being lazy!), no amount of internet compatriots can convince you otherwise. Advice is kinda only helpful to those open to it, and mine would be shut up and work right now, forget any strategies just do it already, but you'll probably somehow convince yourself not to anyway

No offense, but "You suck and you'll always suck, give up and die" isn't very helpful.

That is exactly the opposite of what I told you to do. It's like you managed to skip the advice in there entirely. Amazing.

Your style of giving advice was more the reverse psychology format - try reading it as if you'd never seen it before, and didn't know what you meant -

"I highly doubt any advice can help you then."  - Sounds like OP cannot be helped.

"If you staunchly refuse to do something and pass it off as your brain rebelling (I'm physically unable to stop being lazy!), no amount of internet compatriots can convince you otherwise." - If this is what is going on, then nothing any of us can say could help OP

"Advice is kinda only helpful to those open to it"  - Explanation of why OP cannot be helped

"and mine would be shut up and work right now"  - This is FFS's advice, to shut up and work.

"forget any strategies just do it already"  - this is also FFS's advice, however I dare say it's of dubious value for someone who has said what OP said about how his mind works.

"but you'll probably somehow convince yourself not to anyway"  - further support of the 'nothing any of us can say could help OP' concept.

So I agree with both OP and FFS - there was advice given, but (assuming reverse psychology isn't a great solution this time) 'No offense, but "You suck and you'll always suck, give up and die" isn't very helpful.' isn't a crappy interpretation of what was actually said by FFS in its entirety, even if it's not completely true and wasn't what FFS completely intended to say.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: freeformschooler on December 01, 2013, 04:41:34 pm
Thank you for that. I will work on being better-communicative in the future.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: HmH on December 01, 2013, 08:53:34 pm
FFS, there's such a skill as 'being tactful'. It's a survival mechanism that makes you seem less of an asshole, which means that you insult fewer vengeful psychopaths and scorn fewer women during your day-to-day life. You might want to learn it.
It may seem obvious to some of us that "shut up and work" is the only way to start working, but that's only AFTER you've solved the actual problem behind procrastination. The problem in question is that "shut up and work" doesn't work unless you have some motivation to do the work: with nothing to back up the arguments of the work-eager part of your mind, your internal dialogue will always end with the lazy part of the mind winning.
The trick is getting motivated. Really, genuinely motivated, motivated enough to give you a really good argument in favor of working rather than doing a myriad other productive and beneficial things, like watching cats on Youtube.

One of the ways to get motivated, the one that worked for most self-made men, is to make a commitment. Commitment is pretty much your willpower applied to a statement to make it an internal absolute; an unyielding dogma, so to say, that your work-eager part can use to bludgeon the lazy parts into submission. The problem is that without a lot of willpower in the first place, it won't work, and most people have that strange tendency to derive their willpower from motivation rather than the other way around.

Another is to turn work into a part of your schedule and social life, though that works better with exercise than with homework.

Another yet, the easiest and most frequently used one by far, is to recognize that you're unhappy with your current state of life, then let the society trick you into believing that you'll feel happy once you've reached some sort of socially acceptable goal, like "high status", "new clothes" or "paying job". In other words, give up your youthful pride, sell out and adopt the consumerist values. It won't make your life meaningful, or happy, or worthwhile, but it will get you working. That is why, say, barely educated consumerist ladies or gentlemen without a single rational thought in their heads manage to claw out a better GPA than a bright, yet unmotivated geek.
In any case, lack of motivation is a long-term problem with a suitably long-term solution. Short-term solution is much simpler.

Angle, your problem right now is being overwhelmed with the amount of homework you're about to do.
I have the same problem. My solution is to forget that I have to do ALL of the homework and to tell myself that I'd "only answer this first question". It's way easier to do "just one question" if you don't have to accept the responsibility of answering ten more questions after that.
By the time I am done with that first question, I am either as lazy as before but satisfied with myself, or hooked and willing to continue working on the second question, and then third, and so on.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: freeformschooler on December 01, 2013, 09:13:19 pm
I can't help anyone and am taking it out at random toward people on this forum which is not fair so now is a good time for a break. Sorry for taking over your thread, Angle, and sorry for being untactful and sorry for not apologizing before. Please understand people here do want to help, hopefully, even if they're assholes sometimes.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Imp on December 01, 2013, 10:10:58 pm
Quote from: freeformschooler on December 01, 2013, 09:13:19 pm
I can't help anyone and am taking it out at random toward people on this forum which is not fair so now is a good time for a break. Sorry for taking over your thread, Angle, and sorry for being untactful and sorry for not apologizing before. Please understand people here do want to help, hopefully, even if they're assholes sometimes.

I do understand.  Please note my post to you did not include any instructions other than 'reread as if you didn't know your intention'.  In particular, I didn't tell you to go away.  And don't feel bad about the hijacked thread, that'll fix itself shortly, it usually does.

I will challenge what you say though, FFS, when you say that "[You] can't help anyone".  Take a break if you want a break, if a break is best for you.  But you're more good than bad, I say.  Your being on the forum and interacting as you please is more positive than negative for others - and I hope for yourself too.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Urist McScoopbeard on December 01, 2013, 10:40:15 pm
I think we should all just calm down.

On a question-related note however, just think of how shitty you life will be when you have no idea what you're doing because you didn't do the homework. If you take any advanced math class and your not a genius if you fail to do the homework you will be entirely lost. (that's just one example there are many classes that as you get older the homework is pretty much mandatory if you want to understand the material.)
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Vector on December 02, 2013, 12:34:29 am
Quote from: HmH on December 01, 2013, 08:53:34 pm
That is why those consumerist whor bitc ladies without a single rational thought in their heads manage to claw out a better GPA than a bright, yet unmotivated geek.

Excuse me?
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Angle on December 02, 2013, 03:18:00 am
@FFS: You didn't hijack my thread, and your post was actually relatively helpful, I just didn't understand it at the time.

@HMH: That sounds like really good advice, though you might not want to use such language, even in strikethrough. As for finding motivation, well, that's really difficult. I've been working at that for a long time now, and haven't had much success.

@Urist: I've been doing all the homework before now, and I still have terrible grades. What I really need is to do the homework and study, and that's just too much for me.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Imp on December 02, 2013, 03:30:08 am
Angle, have you ever had a tutor?  Specifically, I mean someone who worked with you one on one for a significant period of time, a person who also really understood the subject (more about it than what your class itself teaches) and who actually really liked the subject?
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Angle on December 02, 2013, 03:47:48 am
Noooooo, never had anything like that. Most of my teachers have been either overworked, incompetent, uninterested, or some combination of those. I've had a few who both knew and cared, but they never worked anything close to one on one.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Imp on December 02, 2013, 04:07:47 am
Teachers are rarely tutors.  Similar but different, tutors usually work one on one, and there's actually a LOT of other differences.  For one, maybe read up a little on tutors.... I'm serious by the way. Check this out -

A basic explanation of what a tutor is:
http://www.anokaramsey.edu/en/resources/Success/TutoringSrvcs/becometutor/TutorTraining/M1-Role.aspx

these are links -for- tutors, to help them understand their job and how it's different from a teacher's job:

http://www.anokaramsey.edu/en/resources/Success/TutoringSrvcs/becometutor/TutorTraining/M2-EffectiveTutor.aspx
http://voices.yahoo.com/5-key-differences-between-tutoring-teaching-205414.html?cat=4

These is a link for parents, to help them understand 'why consider a tutor':

http://www.tutoringupgrades.com/Teacher-or-Tutor.html

So a tutor is a person who would work directly and specifically with you, would discuss your classwork and your subjects, the material you are responsible for.  A tutor would talk with you enough to assess your knowledge level, your understanding level, and help talk you though any gaps or problems.  Tutors commonly review homework with their students, discuss strengths and weaknesses, and help you improve in a lot of ways -

But tutors also can be incredibly motivating.  The teacher's doing a job and that job's to work with all of their students and get most of them up to a reasonable competency level - not to help any exceptionals exceed further (that's a dream, but not even a goal), and not, sadly, expected to succeed with every student (again, a dream - but not actually a goal, and even when it 'is' a goal... the resources are lacking to make that possible).

Tutors, on the other hand, are doing a job - and that job is to work specifically with you.  And to take you 'upwards' in terms of mastery of the subjects involved - which can be remedial or exceptional.  You are the tutor's job, your understanding, your learning style, your confidence, your improvement.  It's super different than 'normal classroom education'.
You have a guidance councilor, yes?  One of the first steps if you'd like to explore seeking a tutor further might be to make an appointment with that person (before or after you involve your parents or guardians in the idea) and discuss with them how to find (and afford... there are some that charge, some that don't) a tutor in the subject(s) that you need help with.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: HmH on December 02, 2013, 04:43:06 am
Quote from: Vector on December 02, 2013, 12:34:29 am
Excuse me?

Spoiler: Off-topic apology (click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Angle on December 02, 2013, 05:25:03 am
Well, I'm actually in college right now. I could probably acquire tutoring one way or another, though. I'll look into it.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Tiruin on December 02, 2013, 07:03:37 am
Hiya Angle!

Tiny query: Do you think the problem is in your analysis? As in, how you see the [WORK_TO_BE_DONE] and its value to yourself?

Edit: *college-high-five*
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Angle on December 02, 2013, 01:03:50 pm
@Naxza: Indeed, I'll try that. It does sound like it'd help, and I've never really done anything like that. My attitude has always kind of been "School is a place of Pain and Suffering, to be escaped as soon as possible", so maybe I should give that kind of thing a try.

@Tiruin: Yeah, that probably is part of the problem. I've been mildly depressed lately, and have been having a hard time really caring about anything. It's probably just because I'm not getting out enough.

*Returns High-five*
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Vector on December 02, 2013, 09:50:35 pm
Quote from: HmH on December 02, 2013, 04:43:06 am
Quote from: Vector on December 02, 2013, 12:34:29 am
Excuse me?

Spoiler: Off-topic apology (click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Jelle on December 04, 2013, 04:16:52 am
This thread still open to advise? If so here's me chiming in to give my insight as a rather chronic procastinator.

Don't try to reason yourself into getting to work. Why? Because many times procastinating is a very natural course of action. Evolution made sure our thought processes are so as to avoid any unnecesary work in order to maximize survival chance. This is done through a reward based system of conditioning; when our actions are rewarded in some substantial way we learn that this work is meaningful, and when it is unrewarded it is pointless and best avoided. Problem with this is it only really works with relative immediate gain, so long term benefits are trickier. Furthermore many things in the construct we made called society are inherently pointless, exercises in futility. Education especially, there many things you learn and practice you may never need. That homework you are tasked to make may never have any substantial reward, apart from say a pat on the back or some other form of commendation that really doesn't mean much.

But enough rambling, it's got to get done so here's my advice. Best way to motivate yourself is to trick your brain into thinking your homework is a meaningful task (and if it really is all the better) with an immediate reward. Say you play DF (just as practical example), then make an effort if you have some homework to be done to not play at all. Only reward yourself after making an effort to get the work then. You can start slow at first, short interval of work followed by a reward. If it works you'll find yourself gradually able to get more work done at once. Just remember the reward always comes after.

Come to think of it I'd argue the over saturation of reward stimuli is part of the procastination problem, but I'm rambling again.

Anyway second is get a fellow student (someone who also procastinates is ideal) and make an effort to work together and motivate one another. Or get a group of students, the more the better in this case. Social pressure is a powerful thing, one that can defy what seems reasonable, it can help you get something done that seems pointless. Check up on one another to make sure you're doing the work you're assigned, and as a plus you can help one another with the work itself when needed.

Like HmH (not so tactfully  :P) put it get involved in the rat race. I'll be first to criticize that little part of the human condition at the root of consumerism, but you got to do what you got to do to be a functioning member of society! Just you know, keep in mind the big picture.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Tiruin on December 04, 2013, 05:41:32 am
...I really sincerely and truly doubt procrastinating is natural. Procrastinating didn't happen to me in the past 15 years, and I've only felt it when I entered college..

Meaning: I really believe its in the outlook one has on life and 'what to do' with it, what one values and their viewpoint or perspective on things, and NOT bloody evolution.  ::)

Edit: I've to also go against your statement, Jelle. Staying with other procrastinators doesn't help at all if you're trying to organize yourself more [...and now I go against me going against yours, I didn't read the oncoming sentence. Motivating each other is a GOOD thing :D]. Given that there is no time management (we all have an equal # of seconds each), its all in the self-management.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Angle on December 04, 2013, 08:14:03 pm
Thank you everyone for the advice. I think it's helping me already.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Imp on December 04, 2013, 08:37:55 pm
Quote from: Angle on December 04, 2013, 08:14:03 pm
Thank you everyone for the advice. I think it's helping me already.

I'm really glad to hear this!  Keep us posted if you want to.  Good luck in these adventures!
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: LeoLeonardoIII on December 11, 2013, 06:33:53 pm
I suggest getting out. Physically moving yourself to do something else somewhere else. Go for a run. Be gone at least half an hour. Turn your phone OFF off and don't touch it. Think about nothing, or if you can't, think about your homework project. Explain it to yourself. Give yourself the lecture you would need to give to tell someone else how to do the project.

When you return, sit down somewhere other than your computer. Get some paper, again a physical object. Write out all the pieces you need for this project. Do you need to do research? If so, what pieces of information do you need to find? What are some likely sources?

Come back to your computer. Do not open your email. Do not turn on your phone. Do not open a game. Fire up your word processor and  open the file - or notebook page - that has the project description in it. Review the description and make sure you're on the right track - it sucks to do a bunch of work you didn't need to.

Type up an outline of what your homework will look like. If you're answering a set of questions, type up those questions. If you're writing a paper, type up your paper's structure. Most papers need some kind of thesis, body, and conclusion. Some styles are more formal. Get the outline down and think about how you're approaching this.

Are you starting with your conclusion and trying to support it? Are you casting a wide net and gathering information to come to a conclusion? The latter is the better way to do it, but I confess I've done the former also. It's easy but it screws you up, and it's not as valuable.

Are you answering questions? Just go out there and get 'em! Finding a legitimate source is probably the hardest part. You may not be able to reference Wikipedia (although at least one study showed that Wikipedia had fewer errors than other print encyclopedias), but you can use the sources Wikipedia lists at the bottom of the page!

You might want to do the parts of your project that are easiest first. Do the fun stuff. Get something done, anything, and it makes the whole thing less imposing. That's what outlining it does, too. Your brain can encompass the project completely and there's less emotionally intimidating about it - certainly intellectually intimidating! But at least there isn't the dread of starting a project of unknown dimensions.

Finally, get something done at least, something finished. Turning in bad work is better than turning in nothing (in school anyway). Try to set aside time to review and edit it with fresh eyes before printing it or emailing it to turn it in. You'd be surprised some of the really crazy mistakes I've made in papers - whole paragraphs duplicated and moved around, obvious tpyos, etc.
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Lectorog on December 11, 2013, 07:35:37 pm
Quote from: LeoLeonardoIII on December 11, 2013, 06:33:53 pm
(although at least one study showed that Wikipedia had fewer errors than other print encyclopedias)
[citation needed]
Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Imp on December 11, 2013, 08:00:16 pm
Quote from: Lectorog on December 11, 2013, 07:35:37 pm
Quote from: LeoLeonardoIII on December 11, 2013, 06:33:53 pm
(although at least one study showed that Wikipedia had fewer errors than other print encyclopedias)
[citation needed]

Here's a news article about a study done in 2012 which does not support Leo's claim:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120417113527.htm

Here's a news article from 2005 which does support the claim:
http://news.cnet.com/2100-1038_3-5997332.html

a news article from 2011 which does support the claim... whoops!  Turns out that article was written in 2011 - but it was still about that 2005 study!  gotta be careful about dates of sources ;p  http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2042333_2042334_2042491,00.html

Here's a 2006 actual study, though not published in a widely accepted as being rigorous scientific journal, that does support the claim - http://firstmonday.org/article/view/1413/1331

Here's a new article about study done this year, published this year in a somewhat-to-highly respected journal (as far as I can tell) that doesn't support the claim:  http://media.prsa.org/news-releases/survey-finds-errors-in-wikipedia-articles-have-damaged-the-reputation-of-companies.htm

So the jury is out about the errors thing.  And since Wikipedia is changing every day, with new errors added and some old errors fixed or removed.... it's a very hard thing to measure in absolutes.   A measurement over time might be the best possible near-accurate answer, but even then it's not going to be highly accurate - because accuracy of Wikipedia is an uncontrollable variable that can shift at any instant.



Title: Re: Can't do my Homework
Post by: Angle on December 11, 2013, 09:25:16 pm
I got together with a friend and we studies for our math final, and I think I did way better than I would have if I hadn't studied with him, so that paid off, at least.