Category: Attention, Focus, Concentration

Dad says, “He has continuously asked me for help with concentration”

I received this email today from a friend, the father of a senior in high school:
“My son is having a hard time focusing when in class and doing homework. He says he’s taking the breaks and even getting up and walking around during class to try and get focused.
He has been keeping a list of things to do every day. He’s getting good grades and not in any trouble but he has continuously asked me for help with concentration. He is now asking about what doctors do to help ADD. Any suggestions?”
I have worked with his kids a few times over the years, and since they both have relatively good executive function, a few coaching sessions gave them enough so they could run with it. Of course, most of my students need consistent coaching to make significant changes, but sometimes a “tune-up” is all that’s needed.

Start by asking the right questions

If you have a child with similar concerns, I’ll explain what goes through my mind when I read this letter so you can ask the right questions:
  • Is it possible that this child has ADHD and should see a professional? If I think they might have ADHD, I’ll often recommend that they get tested by a reputable Neuropsychologist.
  • Now, I need to ask questions that get to the bottom of which factors affect this child’s concentration:
    • Food: Do they eat enough healthy fat? The brain loves to use fat as fuel (avocados, nuts, seeds, meats, real butter, eggs, etc..) Do they start the day with carbohydrates (cereal, sugar, bread, jelly, juice)? Carbohydrates tend to make it more difficult to concentrate, spike blood sugar and cause blood sugar crashes later in the morning. They tend to make kids more foggy. Is this child eating foods that nourish the body or do they tend to eat foods that just make them feel full?
    • Sleep: Is the child waking up rested? What can be done to improve the sleep environment (electronics out of the room, alarms to signal when it’s time to wind down, etc.)? Can the sleep routine be improved?
    • Exercise: Is this child getting plenty of physical activity or are they learning sedentary habits?
    • SSS: Does the child have a Sacred Study Space at home that is optimized for focus? Is it free of distractions? Do they have a standing desk or fit-ball chair, both of which help with concentration? Do they slouch, thus telling the body to get in rest mode rather than focus mode?
    • Classroom environment: Is the student’s seat in a good place? Are they constantly distracted by something? Are they in the back, far from the teacher?
    • Study routine: Is there an actual routine in place? What would be ideal?
    • Study habits: Does the student “pre-study“? In other words, do they know how to study proactively, how to be prepared for class by getting familiar with the content that is about to be covered? Do they know how to take notes effectively? Do they have study partners? etc..
  • I also want to find out what else could be going on. Are there social pressures that are interfering with concentration? Is the content uninteresting to the child? Is the teacher burnt out and legitimately boring? I might even look into things you may not expect, for example, is there a vitamin D deficiency?
So, in this situation I had a conversation with this student to get to the bottom of it. Often, parents and teachers do not dig deep enough. Instead, they think the student needs to just “try harder“. But real solutions come when you can help the student take a proactive role in changing the factors that might be affecting concentration. This has the added benefit of helping the student develop an “internal locus of control”, which means that they learn that they have the power to change and improve their own life. We definitely want to teach this so our children don’t grow up feeling like powerless victims who blame the outside world for their woes. So take time to really dig deep with your child, and help them learn to uncover their own solutions as much as possible.

But what do doctors do to help ADHD?

Now, in the letter above, the high schooler asks what doctors do to help adhd. Well, there is a lot to say, but the short answer is:
  1. They will often give a questionnaires to diagnose the problem. Often they give one for teachers to fill out, one for parents to fill out and one self-assessment.
  2. They will sometimes prescribe a commonly used stimulant, like Adderall or Ritalin (there are many). Sometimes they prescribe other types of drugs.
  3. Some doctors will “titrate”, which means that they are communicating with you thoroughly about the effects of the drug and making adjustments carefully. They may adjust the type or amount of a drug. In my experience, doctors don’t do this enough, they sometimes just prescribe and send you on your way. Therefore, you may have to advocate by asking your doctor specifically how they titrate.
  4. They may refer you to a specialist.
  5. They may help you determine if other factors may be causing the problems.
One problem with medications is that, while they may help a child focus, pills do not teach the skills a child needs to be a successful student. A lot of people miss this point and this is where a good teacher, coach or mentor can help. Hope this shed some insight for you. Best of luck, Seth

Why every student needs a “Blocker app”

Here's the cool icon for SelfControl
Here’s the cool icon for SelfControl
We live in a time when there are more distractions than ever before. So much is vying for out attention and this makes it really challenging for kids to focus on schoolwork (or anything else for that matter). We need tools that work. Computers present a unique challenge because much of the schoolwork students do is done on them. While using this technology for schoolwork is great, there is a strong temptation to think you can multitask with other tabs or apps in the background. Unfortunately, this ends up being a huge detriment to learning, though students rarely acknowledge this. I’m constantly working with students to combat this urge. It’s a huge challenge on many levels. First of all, most kids tend to have a very unrealistic perception of how focused they need to be and think that they can multitask “just fine.” They have all sorts of excuses and rationalizations to explain why it’s ok. In the end, the quality of learning is compromised, which has far reaching effects.

Here are some common interruptions I see:

  • Minecraft
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Magic the gathering
  • Youtube
  • Music creation apps
  • Music that is disruptive
  • etc.
Now, I want to mention that not all of this is bad. For example, for some people, white noise or certain types of music (baroque for example) can help the brain when the task is mundane. But when it comes to more complex tasks, like writing papers, the research shows that most music interferes. And again, to further complicate matters, many students are simply not realistic about where the line is for them.

Internet Blocker Apps

Internet blocker apps are one of the best solutions to the problem of disruptive tabs. Here are the two that I use regularly with students: StayFocused SelfControl These are both free apps that allow the user to block their own access to all the sites or mail servers that are distracting. The user chooses how long to block for, adds sites to the list and starts the app! Even if you restart the computer or delete the app, it still blocks for the amount of time you set it for.

Tips on how to use blockers

1. There must be buy-in. In other words, the students must believe that it would be helpful. When adults try too hard to force kids to use these, they feel suffocated and resist, and this is obviously counterproductive. Therefore, ask yourself how you can get buy-in, how you can help the student see that it is to their benefit. 2. Ownership is key. This is closely related to buy in. Students must feel ownership of using the app. They need to feel like it is their idea, like they are in control of it. They need to feel empowered rather than pushed. 3. Be realistic about how long you want to focus for. 20-30 minute study sprints with very short movement breaks is a great way to start.

Check out the apps here

StayFocused App

SelfControl App

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Unitasking vs. Multitasking: What's Best for Students?

Although multitasking has it’s place, it’s often nothing more than doing several things in succession with diminished quality. When it comes to struggling students trying to learn in our fast paced society, multitasking usually gets in the way.
Thích Nhất Hạnh is a Buddhist monk, poet and peace activist.
When I unitask, when I am fully present for what I am doing, I find that less is more. More fun, more productive, more interesting, more valuable and even more efficient. Many years ago, I got ahold of a book called The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen master, activist and Nobel Prize nominee. I was tremendously influenced by a section about washing dishes. Hahn writes,  
While washing the dishes one should only be washing the dishes, which means that while washing the dishes one should be completely aware of the fact that one is washing the dishes… There are two ways to wash the dishes. The first way is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes and the second way is to wash the dishes in order to wash the dishes.
I began to apply this attitude and I became more present in my life, happier, calmer and more focused. This is when I began to turn the radio off while driving. I would feel the steering wheel, breathe, look around in a different way. I began to notice things that I hadn’t previously noticed, like the design of buildings I drove by, the feel of the wind, the peace at a stoplight, the sound of the car. I began to realize that I actually wasn’t in a hurry all the time. I smiled when driving and enjoyed the experience. Colors became brighter. I began to slow down in other areas of my life. It sounds silly but I could even taste my food more. I learned to savor experiences more. It was as if I had been napping through many of my experiences and I was now waking up to them.

Try this:

Choose one task or activity. Think about how long it might take and decide to be fully present to that task for that period of time. Now take several slow deep breaths. Be aware of the breath, notice what it feels like. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine what it might be like if you were fully immersed in this activity. Begin the activity, and notice everything going on in the moment. How the activity feels, smells, sounds, the colors, shapes, etc.. Enjoy what you are doing. Be grateful that you are alive and able to do whatever you are doing. When (not if) you start drifting to other thoughts, gently remind yourself what you are doing, breathe, smile and refocus.

Side notes:

I’m often easily distracted, so I use other supports. I use a timer so I can focus myself on a task at a time. I use a small white board and write what I’m working on in huge letters. I put it where I can see it, usually in the middle of the floor. I have another small white board that says, “if I get nothing else done today, here are the 3 things that will be done…” I spend time preparing for the activity. This includes cleaning up before I start and making sure I have everything I need when I begin so I don’t have to go get something in the middle. I often turn off my cell phone completely and close distracting windows on the computer. Finally, I chunk or batch tasks. For example, I chunk responding to emails and phone calls into 2-3 hour windows a couple times a week.

Suggested unitasking activities:

Homework. Get everything ready. Get water and a snack. Set the timer. Breathe. Begin with a realistic amount to do in a realistic amount of time. One thing at a time. Conversation. Look and listen. Notice the human being you are speaking with. Note that they are a person with a full life just like you. Breathe. Now hear them. Really hear. Writing. Feel the pen. Take your time. Breathe. Smile. Write. Value the thinking and daydreaming time as a necessary part of the process. This is when you hear a teacher’s voice in the back of your head nagging, “get to work!” Well, taking time to think is part of it, so ignore that voice. Driving. Radio off. Phone off. Feel the wheel, the pedals, the wind. See the route, the sights, the people. Hear the sounds. Just drive. Reading. Get your area ready for reading first. Eliminate distractions. Get comfortable. Read slowly. Soak the words. Connect to the author’s words. Breathe and enjoy the power of your imagination. Most important: Unitask by being fully present while spending time with people you care about. It’s the most valuable thing there is. What do you think? Share your experience below.