Distraction
Learn why people get distracted, and the connection to ADHD and learning disabilities. Find out how to improve focus, working memory, and executive function at work and in school.
Tips and strategies
- Quick tipRemove distractions.
Turn off the TV or go to a quiet area away from other people who are talking. Get rid of clutter in a work space. Or have kids sit away from the window when they work.
- Quick tipTry using a fidget.
Having something to fidget with, like a stress ball, can actually help some kids focus. For others, though, it’s a distraction. So keep an eye on whether it’s helpful or making it harder to focus.
Podcast
ADHD and distraction in the military and at home (Justen’s story)
Justen Scott has had trouble focusing since high school. When others in the military started to notice, he knew it was time to get evaluated for ADHD.
Downloads
Download: Sample fidget contractPDF
Cell phone contract for younger kidsPDF
Cell phone contract for older kidsPDF
Homework contract for grade-schoolersPDF
More resources
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All articles
- How to help kids with ADHD manage screen time
- 8 common ways people struggle at work — and why
- Understanding why kids struggle with organization
- When do kids learn to focus?
- How attention works
- ADHD in boys
- ADHD in girls
- Understanding ADHD in your child
- Do boys and girls show the same signs of ADHD?
- Now I get what it’s like to have ADHD
- Making friends as an adult with ADHD
- Is my preschooler overly distractible? How can I tell?
- ADHD: Ways to help your child at home
- A day in the life of a child with ADHD
- ADHD symptoms at different ages
- Why do some kids daydream so much during class?
- What’s the difference between inattention and distractibility?
- How memory works in kids
- Do “brain games” really help with ADHD?
- ADHD memes
- How I feel when I write a paper
- 5 tips for taking better notes in class
- 5 oddly specific ADHD strategies that help me work
- The difference between ADD and ADHD
- Why kids can’t seem to turn off their screens
- Is there an ADHD spectrum?
- Moving past the guilt of “giving” my son ADHD
- 7 reasons kids with ADHD often rush through homework
- How I beat my social media habit (and how you can too)
- 7 ways to help kids who struggle with focus battle spring fever
- Math class… the perfect time to write a novel
- Brown, white, and pink noise: What they are and how they can help with ADHD
- Find the common denominator in your life