Have you ever procrastinated on an assignment until the night before it’s due, leaving you to just sit and question your sense of urgency and priorities? You could doom scroll and ignore your responsibilities a little bit longer, but time is of the essence, and you must make a decision. Finish it before bed or set that alarm clock bright and early? Which is better for you? Which will result in better work? Better sleep? There are pros and cons to both but as Benjamin Franklin said, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”      Â
If you decide to complete your assignment before bed, that leaves you with more time to procrastinate and pushes back your sleep. But if you do finish the assignment before bed, although maybe taking away some of your sleep time, it ensures the topics are fresh for the day and can provide relief knowing you’ve completed your assignment. With that being said, going to bed early and planning to wake up early the next day helps to start your day off strong and productive. When your morning starts with a focused and driven mind, it ensures a domino effect for the rest of your day to follow suit. Also, once you go to sleep, you’re provided with a fresh and clear mind that’s ready to focus without any distractions. Â
A con of waiting until morning to complete your assignments, though, is that you would actually have to be confident enough to wake up to your alarm. Another con is that you could be stressed trying to complete the assignment before class, which is why it’s important that if you choose this option, set that alarm nice and early to give yourself more than enough time to complete the assignment. But doing this can also cut your sleep time shorter, leading to mental exhaustion. Another factor of this option is that if you’re a fan of caffeine, choosing to wake up early can contribute to unhealthy habits and dependency on this stimulant. Â
In conclusion, if there’s a pressing assignment needing to be done, it’s better to prioritize your sleep and complete it in the morning so topics are fresh in your mind. But, if it’s an exam you need to study for, before bed is the way to go so your brain can internalize and retain the information!