After you go to work, come home, do your chores, and eat dinner, you may be too exhausted to do anything but rot in your bed or read the Scroll of Doom.
Laura Mae Martin, executive productivity advisor at Google, says one potential solution to this burnout is to give yourself homework. You may have seen something similar on TikTok. People are giving themselves “personal curricula” or academically inspired syllabuses to help them learn a new language, complete an art project, or read a series of old books in their free time after work.
The idea that adding more tasks to your schedule can reduce fatigue may seem counterintuitive. Also, if you live far from school, giving yourself homework may not seem appealing. But “anyone can benefit from something that pushes the boundaries of productivity a little bit, learns something you’ve always wanted to master, and gives you value in achieving it,” Martin says.
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Martin says people rely on structure and deadlines to motivate them to get things done. “The key is to make it fun and engaging for the brain,” she says. Things like listening to podcasts about topics you wouldn’t read a book about, or using games or flashcards to study instead of reading long documents over and over again.
According to the World Brain Health Council’s 2017 report, staying “mentally active” and continuing to expand your knowledge is beneficial and an essential part of maintaining a healthy brain and reducing age-related cognitive decline.
Additionally, a 2018 study of more than 9,800 adults aged 60 and older found that participants who engaged in physical activity and mental stimulation had improved cognitive function, showing that it’s important to focus on learning something new at any age.
“My neighbor, who is 75 years old, just graduated from law school,” Martin says.
How to actually finish your homework
It’s not enough to say you’re going to do something, like “I’m going to learn Spanish.” Martin says you need a clear understanding of how to work to be most productive and a plan to keep your progress on track.
University courses typically come with strict deadlines and attendance requirements. Some students physically separate their homework time from the rest of their lives by visiting a specific location on campus (for example, the library) to get their work done. Some people hire private tutors to keep up their grades.
If you want to get serious about your curriculum, Martin says, you need to adopt the same lifestyle and mindset. Once you know what you want to spend your time learning, write down the tools you need to be productive.
“I define productivity as doing what you’re trying to do, when you’re trying to do it, in the best and most efficient way possible. That can be different for everyone, and often requires customizing the way you get things done,” she says. “Some people do better ‘focused work’ in the morning. Some people like to study in coffee shops or libraries with ambient noise. Others may need to concentrate alone. It’s all about working with your brain to accomplish tasks more easily.”
Content creator Valerie Craddock said in a TikTok video posted on Oct. 31 that she has her entire personal curriculum planned for November. These include walking 8,000 steps a day, practicing calligraphy three days a week, reading to “bump up” your vocabulary, and doing 30-minute workouts three times a week. She also said she prioritizes solo dates to remind herself that she’s more than just a mother and wife.
“This month’s curriculum is light,” Craddock said in the video. “My overall goal is to gain more clarity.”
Doing personal homework on top of professional work can be difficult. To better manage her time, Martin overlays her work and personal calendars to see what her actual week looks like, she says. This exercise helps you set “visual boundaries” and get a realistic idea of what you can and cannot accomplish that week.
“You have to say no to some things and yes to other things,” Martin says, adding: “I might have a calm day at work, but it’s followed by a night of fun activities for the kids. So I can see its ebbs and flows and manage my energy and tasks accordingly.”
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