When you were a teen and it was time to do homework, what were your distractions? Was it the sound of birds, the call of sunshine, or the sound of kids playing outside? Did you doodle on the front of your notebook or “gasp,” even write on your very plain and functional wood desk? I have teenagers of my own now. It takes them hours to get their homework done. Sometimes they stay up late into the night to complete one assignment. What is the problem? How do you solve it?
Technology
Technology and devices including smartphones and computers aren’t just a distraction. They are a derailment. Teen are not distracted for minutes because of their devices but are often distracted for hours. At their age, they don’t have the skills to resist a text, a video, or the latest comment on their Instagram page. One view leads to many and before they know it, an hour or more can go by. The same thing happens to adults. Today, homework distractions can be attributed to information overload and are interfering with time management skills and productivity.
How to Help Your Child and Yourself
The other night I took my son’s smartphone away from him as a cooperative experiment in focus. I sat in the kitchen and sent him upstairs to do his work. During that period of time, he received WhatsApp messages, various texts, Instagram alerts, and other continuous distractions and notifications. His phone lit up like a Christmas tree. Not all of the distractions were due to social media. Many notifications were from other students asking for help on a math problem or asking about an assignment. It became clear that these kids continued to interrupt each other over and over and over. Taking his phone away that afternoon was such an efficient method of support, and empowered him to finish all of his work in half of the time.
A Failed Experiment
Yesterday we tried the same tactic again but then he took his phone to “just” listen to music while he “worked.” Exhausted by my own day, I went to sleep early. I woke up the next morning to find books strewn across the kitchen and a child who couldn’t get out of bed. I fear that allowing him to have his phone last night backfired on both of us. If your child or teenager has a smartphone, it just may be the source of more anxiety and stress than you had previously imagined. Homework distractions seeped into his night and he was unable to manage it all.
Solutions for All of Us
So how do you not get distracted while doing homework?
- Find a good study space. My mom used to have us sit at the kitchen table while she cooked dinner. It was a pain but it worked. Remove yourself from the environment that is just too fun.
- Use the “Do-not-disturb” button on your phone. I don’t do this often enough. Your friends are notified that you have it turned on so they’ll know why you’re not responding.
- Consider using noise-cancelling headphones. Whether you have siblings or you’re in a noisy dorm room, they can help you focus on the tasks at hand.
- Have a routine. This can help you finish tasks and start new ones. Humans thrive on routine. My mom demanded we did our homework right after school. It worked.
Setting yourself up for success and eliminating homework distractions so you can focus is a life skill. Time is one of the most valuable resources we all have. Some organizations can help you, from tutors to Princeton Review that have published an article here on homework distractions.
Do you value your own time?
Does social media and your own smartphone take your attention away from your family and your sanity? Many parents are also addicted to technology and need to develop better coping skills. Only through addressing and recognizing how valuable our own time and productivity are can we help our own children do the same. Charles Darwin said: “A man who dares waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.”
The solution to limiting distractions starts with us. Somehow we need to figure this all out and communicate the importance of technology balance to our children.
Now excuse me while I go check on my own offspring!
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