In the early elementary grades, our kids are provided with plenty of structure and support to maintain attention and motivation. We put guideposts in place to ensure they are not only completing tasks, but also have gained solid mastery of various subjects. We give schedules, limits, boundaries and create protected time with minimal distractions when they have work to be completed or a new skill to master.
Increasing Expectations
As they get older and move into the upper elementary grades, we expect them to take on more of the responsibility of getting their work completed independently. Yet, with the amount of distractions, expectations and crazy pressure teens are managing today, it is easy for them to lose focus and feel unmotivated – especially for activities they may not find enjoyable.
As a psychologist and mom, I have witnessed firsthand how challenging it can be to help teenagers improve their attention and motivation.
We are looking for our kids to demonstrate a great degree of independence in these areas from a brain that is still developing. The frontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for attention and motivation, will not fully develop until the age of twenty-five.
The Prefrontal Cortex
The prefrontal cortex is a crucial part of the brain that is responsible for executive functions such as attention, motivation, decision-making, and problem-solving. Beginning in adolescence, the frontal cortex undergoes significant changes that are essential for the development of these executive functions. But it’s just the beginning and teens are still working with an immature prefrontal cortex.
The immature prefrontal cortex can have a significant impact on learning. For example, adolescents may have difficulty with tasks that require sustained attention, such as studying for an exam or completing a long assignment. An immature prefrontal cortex may also lead to difficulties with decision making abilities. So your teen may decide to hang out with their friends instead of preparing for a big audition without considering the long-term consequences of this choice.
Adding to this, an immature prefrontal cortex also impacts problem-solving abilities. Teens may struggle to break down complex new skills into small parts or find coming up with a plan to solve a problem challenging. As a result, they may become overwhelmed, dejected or give up before attempting or following through solving the problem.
This can look like failure to pay attention to the task at hand or that they lacked motivation to follow through. Yet, at the core, the issue may be a lack of ability to stay focused and find motivation for the task without additional structure and support
Additional Reasons Teens Struggle with Attention and Concentration
In addition to the prefrontal cortex development that is still in progress, there are several other reasons you may have noticed your tween or teens attention and motivation waning as they age include:
- Lack of Interest: With all of the responsibilities on their plate, our teens are already managing a constant demand for their attention. If they perceive something as irrelevant to their lives, or it doesn’t hold their interest, they may struggle to focus on it. When there is a lack of interest there may be little motivation to complete the task at hand.
- Distractions: We are living in an era where mental distraction is a constant reality or option. Smartphones, social media, streaming content – it’s all at our fingertips. Many adults report having a difficult time managing distraction ambushes. The teen brain has a less developed filter, making pulling their focus away from distractions that much more difficult.
- Anxiety and stress: The stressors teens face today from both academic to social interactions is intense. The anxiety this may directly impact their ability to concentrate and stay focused – even when they may want to do so.
- Sleep deprivation: With the increased academic expectations, increased extracurricular load, early start times for school and constant access to distracting entertainment on their phones, today’s teens are struggling to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep makes it that much harder for their brains to focus and stay motivated.
How Can Parents Help Improve Attention and Motivation in Teens?
Because attention and concentration are essential for long term success, it is important to help our teens find strategies that help them with their attention and motivation while their prefrontal cortex is still developing.. Fortunately, there are things we parents can do to help our teens. Among these are:
- Set manageable goals: Oftentimes teens underestimate how long it will take to complete a task or learn a new skill. When faced with a new task or project, ask them if they can break it down into smaller tasks, thus only needing to sustain attention and motivation for a shorter period of time for each step. If you notice they are struggling to break the tasks into small enough steps, offer suggestions on how they may break them down further.
- Model good time-management skills: It’s not just enough to discuss them with our teens, talk to them about choices you are making during the day and why. For tasks you aren’t particularly motivated to do, how do you make sure they are done? I let my teens know there are things I do in the morning simply so I know they are out of the way for the day and I won’t have to try to drum up motivation later when I may be more tired, distracted, or a much more enjoyable opportunity is presenting itself.
- Teach your teen to take breaks: We live in a binge-watching world. With all of the demands in front of them, it can be easy to wait until the last minute and then force themselves to plow through a task – which rarely leads to the best output. Encourage your teen to make a plan that includes breaks and time for a mental reset.
- Encourage positive self-talk: You may get an eye-roll when you suggest this one, but even so, just planting the seed may lead to more positive self-talk. Just reminding them of their strengths and accomplishments may plant the seed to create a positive internal dialogue and decrease motivation busting negative thoughts.
- Establish a routine: For some teens, having a routine time where certain tasks are completed each day can help them when attention and motivation may not be as high as they would hope. The habitual nature of the completion of the task can make it easier to tune out distractions and complete the goal each day.
Maintaining attention and motivation are essential for our teens’ academic and personal goals. It can be hard to be patient and persistent in offering positive support while they are developing these skills. Especially when you as their parent see important tasks being left to the last minute or forgotten – at times even when it is something your teen enjoys. Yet by offering structure and support to maintain attention and motivation, you are offering them guidance and practical strategies to manage the challenges they face while their frontal cortex is learning, growing and building new skills.
