Our modern lives are full of more distractions than just 10 or 20 years ago. Social media brings a constant stream of news and information. We have busy schedules and high expectations. Many adults find it hard to concentrate on their work during the day, and the same is true for students. At this critical age, they’re forming habits that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
Finding out what factors are affecting your teen’s ability to concentrate can help you make sure they get the help they need. In this blog post, we’ll outline nine potential reasons why your teen may have difficulty concentrating and offer some solutions that may help.
Why can’t my teen concentrate?
There are many possible reasons why your teen may struggle to concentrate. In many cases, it’s a combination of different factors like poor physical health, life changes and schoolwork that isn’t a good fit for their abilities. Taking some time to focus on overall wellness can make a big difference. Some teens with neurodevelopmental conditions or poor mental health may need treatment from a licensed professional in order to improve their concentration.
9 reasons your teen may have difficulty concentrating
As teens become more independent, there will be parts of their life that they may not want to share with you. That’s a part of growing up. Your teen should have a strong support network with a variety of different relationships. It’s important for them to have mentors they respect, friends in their age group and adults they’re comfortable talking to about difficult situations. It’s not always easy to reach out for help. Learning positive relationship skills can help your teen self-advocate and get their needs met.
One of the following reasons or a combination of them might explain why your child has difficulty concentrating:
- Lack of sleep — Poor sleep is a common problem among teens, and one that can quickly affect Executive Function skills like concentration. Try to limit screen time and physical activities in the hour before bed except for some light yoga. It can be hard to convince a teen to follow a sleep schedule every night of the week. Help your teen develop a nightly routine and encourage them to go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends.
- Stress — Stress eats up energy that the brain needs to work at its best. Many things can cause stress for teens, including high expectations, social pressures, unhealthy relationships and increasing responsibilities. Your teen needs both exercise and deep relaxation in their weekly routine to keep stress to a minimum. They also need supportive relationships and healthy habits.
- Schoolwork that doesn’t match their ability level — Teens struggle to concentrate on schoolwork when it’s too challenging or not challenging enough. Grades aren’t always a good indicator of whether a student is engaged in classroom activities. Talk with your teen about school often and find out what they think about the material.
- Poor nutrition — Aside from sleep, nutrition is the most important source of energy for your teen. They need a balanced diet to support brain development and function, and school lunches are often not nutritious enough.
- ADHD — People with ADHD struggle with focus and concentration because their brains work a bit differently. It can be harder for them to shut out distractions and focus on things that aren’t fun or rewarding. If you’re also noticing hyperactivity, poor memory, trouble with emotion regulation or impulsivity, it may be a good idea to seek out an assessment.
- Excess energy — There are a few things that can cause teens to have too much energy. Some kids naturally have a lot of energy, and not getting enough exercise is often a factor. Teens with hyperactive-type ADHD also have a lot of energy and they’re more easily distracted. If your teen has a high amount of energy, help them find activities they enjoy as outlets. For some with ADHD, medication can help curb excess energy and improve focus.
- Distractions — Spending time in chaotic or disorganized environments can be very distracting. Consider whether your teen might be distracted by social activities, relationships, hobbies and interests, or things going on at home. Depending on their particular distractions, you may want to set some boundaries, set aside specific times to engage or make other changes to limit distractions.
- Life changes — Could your teen be dwelling on a tough loss or stressing about present and future changes? Teens themselves go through a lot of changes in a short amount of time, and changes in their social environments, roles and expectations make it more complicated. Your teen may need a trusted mentor to help them cope.
- Poor mental health — Anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions first start to emerge for many people in their teen years. Young people may put their other priorities on hold when they’re dealing with these symptoms for the first time. Substance use can also majorly affect your teen’s ability to focus. Finding appropriate treatment is important for your teen’s overall well-being now and into adulthood.
Could Executive Function coaching help your teen improve their concentration?
Concentration is an important Executive Function that supports more complex abilities like planning and organization. Mastering these skills before adulthood will help your teen achieve success in whatever they want to do in life. Fortunately, Executive Function skills can be taught, learned and applied.
Your teen already has a unique set of abilities and challenges. At Beyond BookSmart, we help students hone their Executive Function skills by personalizing our Executive Function coaching services to their individual needs, learning differences and personalities.
Let’s talk about some strategies to help your teen start concentrating better both at school and in their free time. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an inquiry call.
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