Last school year, Natalia procrastinated big time and dug herself a hole that took her all semester, with much stress and anxiety, to dig out of. She came to see me for counseling about how to prevent a recurrence of that disastrous semester.
I encouraged Natalia to put time and effort into creating an optimal learning space. That included decluttering. Each visible item on her desk would compete for her attention, causing her brain to constantly process these objects in the background, depleting mental resources. We then addressed having good lighting and a comfortable seat before tackling the biggie, her phone.
Research has shown that just having a phone within eyesight cuts concentration, causing the brain to stay partially alert for notifications and splitting attention even when no messages come through. A University of Texas study found people with phones in another room significantly outperformed people with a phone on their desk or even in their pocket. Studies repeatedly have demonstrated that the mere presence of a smartphone reduces available cognitive capacity and impairs cognitive functioning. I strongly encouraged Natalia to do her homework on a computer with no internet access and to keep her phone in a different room.
We then discussed how to take breaks that would best re-energize her. Frequent short breaks are better than occasional ones; they help maintain focus and reactivate the commitment to her study goals. The optimal break contains three factors: move, outdoors and unplug. Simply standing up and walking around for five minutes every hour boosts energy levels, sharpens focus and improves mood. Time in nature is grounding for us all and reinvigorates us. And keeping these breaks tech-free also contributes to refreshing us.
Another thing that Natalia should keep out of her study space is multitasking. According to a University of California Irvine study, for every interruption while performing a task, it required about 23 minutes to regain the former level of concentration. Adults and teenagers alike check their smartphones on average every eight to 12 minutes during their waking hours. People working in interrupted conditions experienced a higher workload, more stress and made more mistakes. Furthermore, we’re not actually multitasking. Rather, we are switching rapidly between different activities, resulting in poorer performance on measures of academic functioning and working memory capacity, more self-reported impulsive behavior and lesser growth mindset.
Finally, I suggested two habits for Natalia to avoid procrastination. First, I encouraged her to break tasks into micro-tasks because some assignments can feel overwhelming. Accomplishing even small tasks would give Natalia little hits of success, improving her mood and drive. I then guided her to do two visualizations. I first had her visualize the consequences her future self would experience if she procrastinated. I then had Natalia visualize her future self filled with success and pride after having finished the task on time. Connecting with our future self tends to motivate us to make better decisions in the present.
Armed with a new work space and tools, Natalia is set up to have a more successful and less stressed school year. I hope the same for all of your children.
Tim Jordan, M.D., is a Behavioral Pediatrician who counsels girls aged grade school thru college. Listen to his weekly podcast, Raising Daughters, to gain information on raising strong, resilient girls. For more info on Dr. Jordan’s retreats, summer camps and books visit drtimjordan.com.
