Why Cant I Focus When I Do Homework?
If your inability to focus on homework is persistent and indicates a larger issue, it’s wise to seek professional assistance. Consider speaking to your GP or Kids Helpline counsellor.
Reduce distractions by clearing away anything that’s unrelated to your homework, like TV and music players. Some may find it helpful to work in an atmosphere-free space like a library or their bedroom for optimal concentration.
1. Distractions
Distractions are anything that divert your attention away from completing the task at hand, from an incoming phone call to your hunger pangs. Distractions often prevent us from getting our work completed on time – but these obstacles can be easily addressed using some simple strategies.
External distractions can be an enormous hindrance when trying to focus on homework. These distractions include things such as music, TV shows, video games and people; as well as sounds such as barking dogs or talking voices.
Internal distractions refer to your own thoughts and emotions that divert your focus away from completing the task at hand. They might include thoughts of pressing responsibilities, enjoyable things you’d rather be doing instead, anxiety or fear feelings or worries over tests or life circumstances that pull your focus from being on task.
If you find that you easily become distracted, try keeping a distraction journal to track when and why this occurs, and perhaps find ways to combat these distractions.
Consider turning off or placing your phone on silent during study time to avoid temptation from apps, social media sites and text messages. If necessary, download Freedom, StayFocusd or Limit apps which allow users to block access to distracting websites during study sessions.
Concentration can be hard if you’re sitting on an uncomfortable chair or working from home, so to alleviate this challenge sit on an exercise ball or wobbly desk chair to add some movement into your day and help improve blood flow to your brain, making homework assignments simpler to focus on.
If you find that studying at home distracting, consider going to the library or coffee shop instead. These environments often offer quieter spaces more conducive to homework than your living room or bedroom. Or join a study group with friends – this could make learning fun!
2. Lack of Motivation
Doing homework requires striking a delicate balance between motivation and self-control, with neither element taking over completely. Unfortunately, individuals can sometimes struggle to complete their assignments when one element becomes stronger than another. Thankfully, there are numerous strategies for increasing motivation and encouraging oneself to complete assignments.
First step to successful studying: eliminating all distractions in your workspace. This may mean turning off your phone and TV as well as finding a quiet area to study in. Block off time on your calendar for each part of your assignment to reduce potential interruptions such as checking social media or the weather updates.
Your studies should also take place in various environments or with apps designed to aid focus. Some students find they can better concentrate when physically active. Breaks such as walking around, refilling water bottles, petting the dog or stretching are great ways to rejuvenate and restore focus. Furthermore, multitasking will only slow down and lengthen your work processes further.
Finally, try altering your mindset about homework. Instead of viewing it as something to be completed for schoolwork’s own sake, view it instead as an opportunity for rewards that you desire – this will help shift from apathy and lack of motivation to seeing the value in what you’re doing.
One way to boost motivation is setting realistic and attainable goals for yourself in areas where you may be struggling. These could include areas of study, career goals or fitness targets. Set yourself goals that will inspire motivation without feeling too daunting or unprepared – or too grandiose that it becomes unmanageable.
If you’re struggling to complete assignments, set yourself a goal of reading one chapter per night from your book that presents difficulty; this will provide something positive to look forward to and motivate you towards meeting your goals while helping relieve any feelings of stress or anxiety about what lies ahead.
3. Overthinking
Overthinking can become a vicious cycle that makes concentration hard to come by. Recognize when your thoughts have taken over and take steps to address it before losing focus on homework assignments or your physical wellbeing. Overthinking can increase stress levels and have serious repercussions for physical wellbeing.
Overthinking typically manifests itself in the form of rumination or worrying. Rumination involves repeatedly dwelling on past events or future possibilities with an adverse attitude; overthinking can also be a symptom of anxiety or depression.
If you find yourself overthinking every situation or dwelling on what-ifs, it might be time to seek professional assistance. Overthinking can have serious repercussions that impact sleep, relationships, and careers – it’s natural to analyse events from time to time but when these thoughts become preoccupying or overwhelming it’s important to seek assistance.
Overthinking can seriously hinder your homework-doing focus by distracting you and leading to anxiety. But you don’t need to overthink forever: with some skill training you can learn how to stop overthinking and return back on track.
Your first step toward managing overthinking can be to identify its triggers. For example, if a specific situation is stressing you out and prompting overthinking, taking out your notebook and tracking any thoughts that come to you automatically can help identify them and evaluate whether or not they’re rational and helpful.
Finding the right study buddy may also help reduce overthinking; studies have demonstrated the positive results from studying with friends. Meditation can also be effective for relaxing and relieving anxiety; studies have also proven this beneficial in improving concentration and decreasing overthinking.
Finally, it’s essential to remind yourself that you can’t control everything and that there is always an alternative solution available to you. A well-known quote states “The ideal time and place to plant a tree was twenty years ago – now is an acceptable second best time”. When overthinking something or worrying too much, keep this quote in mind: there will always be another task requiring your attention; put off important decisions when necessary and put something off until later if need be.
4. Stress
Stressful situations can wreak havoc with our ability to concentrate and learn effectively when doing homework. Feeling overwhelmed, worried about making mistakes or having too much to do can all make it hard to concentrate and learn effectively. If this is causing the inability to focus on tasks effectively then speaking with either your teacher or Kids Helpline counsellor about this may help.
As mentioned previously, it is also important to keep in mind that there are effective strategies available for managing homework-related stress without it becoming a source of major anxiety. These could include things such as receiving extra support at school, giving yourself enough time to complete your assignments, and setting reasonable expectations for yourself and others.
When working on an especially challenging or stressful assignment, taking a break may be necessary. Make the most of this opportunity to relax by listening to music or engaging in something you enjoy – but only take breaks when necessary; otherwise you could risk using them as an excuse not to complete your homework!
Distraction or loss of focus when studying is something every student will face at some point; however, the best students don’t let it get them down; instead they find ways to overcome it and study smarter. Try these student-tested and neuroscientist-approved tips to bring your best game when doing homework; you might just surprise yourself!
