Leslie Josel
Leslie Josel is the Principal of Order Out of Chaos, an organizing consulting firm specializing in student organizing. She is the author of several books, including the recently published How to Do It Now…Because It’s Not Going Away, as well as the creator of the award-winning Academic Planner: A Tool for Time Management.
This is the most common question I’m asked since so much learning has moved online! How do we keep kids e-learning without getting distracted? First, I really need to say this: I don’t blame them. The struggle is real—and not just for them, but for all of us! I find myself working and needing to hop on social media to get daily news updates, check in with friends, or just to watch “feel good” videos.
Our computers hold our entire lives. So my first tip is to have some patience and give your child a little leeway. If he is getting his work done, but it’s just taking a little longer than usual, then let it be. However, if his “scrolling” habit is truly disruptive to getting his work done, following are a few strategies to try.
There are actually some ways computers make it easy for us to hide distractions.
1. Each Subject Lives Alone
In the same way that I advise students to put different assignments at different stations around a table or room to help stay focused, your son can do the same with his Internet browser windows. Is he writing a research paper? Dedicate one browser window and a few tabs to just that subject. By using one window per subject or assignment, he’ll find himself focusing on the single task and less likely to open extra websites to start browsing. When Chrome or Safari is cluttered with hundreds of tabs for each different subject, that’s when the temptation to wander increases.
2. Take It A Step Further
Our computers can actually open multiple desktops, allowing us to dedicate one screen per active subject. Meaning his English paper goes on one, history assignment on another, and math help on a third. By zeroing in on one subject per screen or browser window, he’ll be less tempted by outside distractions—and websites—and focus more on what’s right in front of him.
3. Where Is He Doing Homework?
If your son is doing work in his bedroom, I suggest he move to a common space in your home to discourage online surfing. If he resists working in the open for all to see, purchase an inexpensive trifold presentation board that he can place on the table to give him some privacy but still allow you to monitor him from time to time.
4. Plug In the Plug-ins.
If you feel your son lacks the self-control to monitor his computer usage, there are dozens of apps and settings that can be installed directly on his computer. These programs allow you to set time periods during which he will have no access to the Internet at all or block certain websites (e.g., those he scrolls for fun) from his computer during certain times of the day. As with any technology, these change daily. However, websites such as the SelfControl app are great options, providing a variety of ways to block his biggest time robbers.
That said, I’m not the biggest fan of parental controls as they may rob teens of the opportunity to practice an important life skill. The Internet, social media, and our online world are only going to become more pervasive over time. Look at our lives right now! And we all—not just our teens—need to figure out strategies and systems to manage their intoxicating pull. Learning time management and decision-making regarding technology now more than ever are critical for your son’s future success.
This article was adapted from ADDitude Magazine where Josel writes a weekly column called Dear ADHD Family Coach®.
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