According to research, the typical student is distracted for at least five out of every 15 minutes they set aside to study. Over time, these distracted moments could add up and have a detrimental effect on your child’s progress.
Study distractions are everywhere, whether it’s a phone buzzing, a TV in the background, or other people chatting nearby. While these distractions can be difficult to avoid in the busy family home, there are many ways you can help your child to stay focused on the study goal at hand.
In this article, we’ll give you actionable tips on how to avoid distractions while studying and create an inspiring and productive environment. From creating a quiet and calm place for your child to using study music to improve focus, we’ll help you to block out the noise while hitting the books.
How to Avoid Distractions While Studying at Home
In the classroom, your child’s teacher will take control of distractions and help your child to get the best from their learning experience at school. It’s when your child comes home to the family household where problems might occur. Younger siblings, traffic noise, game consoles, and even the sounds of dinner being prepared could distract your child from their study or homework.
The good news is that with a little effort and patience, you can create the perfect environment for your child that promotes focus, concentration, and ultimately a good understanding of their study material and goals.
1. Write Out A Study To-Do List
Juggling multiple projects and deadlines at school can be stressful. While many distractions are external, internal distractions, such as anxious thoughts, can be just as disruptive. When students don’t know which tasks to focus on first, they may feel overwhelmed by the ‘noise’ inside their heads.
The trick here is learning how to not get distracted while studying by creating a simple study to-do list or study schedule. Creating a to-do list at the start of each study session will help your child to understand which tasks need to be tackled first. Ensure your child crosses off each task once it is complete. This helps to keep them accountable and instils a feeling of accomplishment.
2. Find the Right Place To Do Work
Whether your child needs a quiet place for their online tutoring sessions, or they have an exam coming up, the right environment can be everything when it comes to concentration and productivity. For younger children learning how to focus on studying, finding the perfect place with few or no distractions can make a world of difference.
It’s important to find out what works best for your child. Some children like to study with a little noise in the background, such as a TV on low volume or study music playing. Other children might prefer a quieter environment, such as their local library, or a more peaceful part of the house.
3. Break Down Work And Take Regular Breaks
Procrastination is a huge distraction for so many students and usually occurs because tasks feel overwhelming. Often, the student doesn’t know where to start, which results in them not starting at all.
Breaking down large projects into smaller tasks can feel much more manageable and helps students stay motivated. It’s also a good idea to split study sessions up into 35-45 minute work sessions with a 10-15 minute break every hour.
Taking regular breaks has even been shown to help students retain information and increase productivity levels.
4. Put Phones On ‘Do Not Disturb’
Resisting the distraction of phones is very difficult for many students and can have a negative impact on productivity levels while you try to focus on studying.
The easiest way to avoid these portable distractions is to activate ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode and put them somewhere out of sight. In fact, having a phone-free zone can be hugely beneficial when it comes to students focusing and retaining information.
5. Listen To Music
If students are trying to study in a busy environment or can just hear the general household noise in the background, it can be very distracting. That’s why using headphones to listen to music can make it much easier to focus and enable them to zone out any noise.
Research has also found that listening to classical or instrumental music improves concentration while working. So, if you’re looking for tips on how to avoid distractions while studying, this might be helpful for you!
6. Use Rewards
Having some motivation can go a long way when it comes to focusing and working hard while studying. Set up a simple reward system for when your child has completed their to-do list or a big homework project.
If they get everything done that they intended to at the beginning of the session, they can reward themselves with something like watching a YouTube video, a movie, or just hanging out with friends.
How to Avoid Distractions While Studying: Find What Works for Your Child
The key to focusing on studying may be different for your child than for another. Trying our different tips on how to stay focused while studying will help you to find what works best for them.
Don’t feel discouraged if they haven’t found the winning formula for what works for them yet. Keep trying new things and see what helps them thrive.
Be sure to check in with them regularly and ask if there is any way that you can help them to be more successful during their study sessions. For example, your child may tell you that the household is too loud during study sessions or that they find some topics more difficult than others and need help.
Put Your Focus on Studying and Leave the Distractions Behind
Learning how to avoid distractions while studying is crucial and can help your child to gain a better understanding of the material that they are learning. Using the tips that we’ve outlined here is a great way to help your child keep their focus on studying and truly gain an understanding of a subject.
Are you a student or a parent of a student who is looking to gain some practical skills around organisation, planning, and time management? Is your child regularly distracted from their work, or feeling overwhelmed with too many tasks? Learn more about our X-Skills program to see if it’s the right fit for you or your child today!
