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Studies suggest that the average attention span has decreased over the years due to the constant stimulation from our devices, multitasking culture, and our increasing need for instant gratification. Nowadays, people are reported to have an attention span of only 8 seconds!
For children who are naturally more distractible than adults, this means keeping their focus while performing daily tasks can be extra challenging. So what can parents do to help their kids decrease distractions and increase their attention span?
Strategies on How to Decrease Distractions
Limit Phone/Computer Usage
Mobile phones have evolved into the biggest source of distraction in our everyday life. Many parents make sure their children, especially their teens, put their phones and computers into another room at night so they can get a good night sleep.
However, since most teens need their computers to do their homework, they are going to have to work out their own strategies to manage their technology use. All of the major operating systems and social media apps have time limit features, but you will need to get your teen to buy into this strategy in order for it to be effective.
If they need their computer for homework, turning off notifications for non-essential apps like social media can help maintain focus. They can use apps that control screen time such as Family Link, Qustodio, and OurPact. If that does not work, there are also devices like Brick that temporarily remove distracting apps from your phone. It requires you to physically tap the Brick to unblock apps and notifications, making it nearly impossible to bypass restrictions when you're away from the Brick device. Your child can hide the Brick device in a separate room while they work on their assignments and still have access to their phone if they need a calculator or web browser. If possible, using pen and paper for homework can eliminate gadget distractions.
You can also establish phone-free zones and times, such as the dining table during meals or study times.
Incorporate Breaks
Working without breaks can lead to mental fatigue, making children more susceptible to distractions. Taking a 5-minute break every 25 minutes or a 10-minute break after an hour of schoolwork can make a big difference. During these breaks, they can do things that help them decompress, whether it's going for a walk or briefly scrolling on Instagram, so they come back feeling more capable of sustaining attention.
Modify the Activity
If your child is easily distracted, projects can also be divided into smaller steps or phases. You can make the activity more interactive or incorporate themes that align with their interests. If necessary, prepare a visual guide outlining the expectations and steps involved in the activity to minimize confusion. Ultimately, our goal is to improve their ability to focus on increasingly complex tasks over time.
Mindfulness Exercises
Mindfulness or meditation exercises are proactive strategies to calm the mind and sustain focus. With practice, kids can learn to be fully present in tasks through breath awareness, body scans, and check-ins.
Practice mindful listening by having your child focus on specific sounds around them, such as a ticking clock or birds chirping. This helps sharpen auditory attention and trains the mind to tune out irrelevant noises.
You may also encourage them to engage in mindful movement activities such as yoga or walking meditation to integrate body awareness. These strategies will help your child learn to observe distractions without getting caught up in them.
Monotasking
Monotasking allows individuals to focus all their attention on a single task without dividing their mental resources among multiple activities. Through monotasking, your child will be able to immerse themselves fully in the activity and experience deeper information processing. While multitasking may seem more productive, it often results in inefficiency and more errors due to frequent distractions.
Environmental Modifications
To minimize environmental distractions, support your child in maintaining an organized workspace equipped with all their essentials. This reduces the need for them to get up and search for items, cutting down on distractions. Choose a quieter area of the house for their study space with comfortable lighting and temperature. Also, consider using privacy screens or partitions to block distractions and reduce noise levels.
Sensory-Friendly Tools
If your child tends to fidget, offer tools such as fidget toys or weighted blankets to help them stay comfortable and regulated. This can significantly improve their ability to maintain attention. Consider using a white noise machine, playing lo-fi music, or using noise-canceling headphones to create a sensory-friendly environment.
If your child is often described as “easily distractible”, Habit Coach is here to help! We offer expert advice, recommendations, and resources to help parents support their child in their struggles related to executive function.
