Overwhelmed With Homework? How Students With ADHD Can Get Back On Track

Children with ADHD often face significant challenges when it comes to completing homework assignments. Difficulty with executive function skills like remembering information, planning, or focusing on tasks, and hyperactivity symptoms, like trouble sitting still, are just some of the common challenges students with ADHD face. These symptoms can make both class and homework time harder.

So, what can students with ADHD do if they're overwhelmed with homework? This article will discuss why students with ADHD might struggle with homework time, ways to cope with ADHD symptoms while completing homework, and strategies for staying motivated and avoiding burnout.

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Do Students With ADHD Struggle With Homework Time?

It is true that many students with ADHD find homework more challenging than other people do. If you or your child with ADHD is overwhelmed with homework, ADHD symptoms are a likely culprit. People with ADHD may dread doing homework, not because they "don't want to do it" but because of the way their brain works. Starting tasks, following through on instructions, or finding it tough to sit still during the homework process can all make things harder.

This doesn't mean that homework assignments are impossible for people with ADHD by any means. Instead, changing the way one approaches assignments and making the process more ADHD-friendly can help a student overcome challenges that present themselves during homework time. To make these changes, it's vital to develop an understanding of how ADHD can affect homework time first. That way, you'll know what to adjust.

The effects of ADHD on focus and productivity

ADHD can affect focus and productivity in more than one way. Effects of ADHD on focus and productivity include but aren't limited to the following:

• Challenges with sustained mental focus. A hallmark inattention symptom of ADHD is difficulty with, reluctance to engage in, or avoidance of activities that require sustained mental focus. Homework is a prime example of a task that requires continuous concentration.
• Difficulty getting started. Task execution (getting started on a task) can be harder with ADHD. Even if you want to do something, it can be hard to make your brain "lock in" and focus on an assignment.
• Differences in working memory. People with ADHD have deficits in working memory that can make it hard to hold small pieces of information necessary for a task such as a homework assignment.

The impact of ADHD on time management

ADHD is associated with differences in time perception, which can affect a person's ability to understand how much time a task actually takes. With that said, it likely comes as no surprise that time management can be challenging for those with ADHD. This can affect homework and many other parts of life.

How To Cope With ADHD While Completing Homework

Difficulty paying attention and other symptoms can make a person with ADHD feel frustrated during homework, but it's possible to overcome setbacks and get back on track with the right approach. Whether it's you or your child who has trouble with homework time due to ADHD, the overwhelm does not need to be such an intense battle forever. Here are some ways students can cope with ADHD and complete homework successfully.

Try Joon To Stay Motivated

Joon is a to-do app and game geared toward children with ADHD ages 6-12+ and their parents. Using Joon is an ideal way to help a child focus, manage time, and finish tasks like homework. Here's how it works:

Adults sign up first and make a customized to-do list with Joon Parent App for their children. A child's to-do list can include any kind of tasks, including but not limited to homework, getting their backpack ready for school, household chores, or personal hygiene activities. Kids connect with a separate app called Joon Pet Game. After finishing tasks, children get coins and experience points that allow them to progress in the game and take care of a virtual pet called a Doter. In turn, kids feel motivated to get things done and continue building their confidence and independence as they use the app.

90% of kids who use Joon complete all their tasks, and many users say the app has improved their parent-child relationship.

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Create a schedule and stick to it

Schedules of any kind can be helpful for habit-building with ADHD. Choose a set time of day for you or your child to complete homework. That way, starting homework at the same time each day will feel like a natural routine. Routines and schedules are research-backed coping skills for those with ADHD who are experiencing time and productivity-related challenges, so it is a worthwhile tip to implement, even if it takes extra effort to stick to it at first.

Break down tasks into smaller, manageable steps

It's easier to focus and follow through with tasks when they're small and fast to complete. To make a homework assignment more doable, take a look at it and break it into pieces. This can be an anecdote to ADHD symptoms like struggling with tasks that require sustained mental focus.

Use tools and resources to stay organized

Organizational tools come in many forms and can be invaluable for those with ADHD who find it difficult to organize tasks or manage time naturally. Potentially helpful resources include but aren't limited to the following:

• Apps with a reminder system.
• Calendars, planners, or charts.
• Timers.

In many cases, students and parents will be able to find phone apps or features on smart home devices that help with organization. For example, simple timer apps can help you manage how much time you spend on a task.

Prioritize tasks

Keep track of your workload with tools and resources such as those listed above and use them to your advantage by prioritizing tasks. When you see all of your homework in front of you, make a game plan and decide what needs to be done first.

Let's say that you have a math assignment due tomorrow and an essay due in a week. In that case, you might spend the majority of your time on the math assignment today and start with a simple step toward finishing the essay, like making an outline and a strict plan to complete the rest of the steps on specific days throughout the week.

When you prioritize tasks in this way, they often feel less overwhelming. This kind of organization can help keep your mind clear in addition to aiding productivity.

Get accommodations

Sometimes, executive dysfunction and ADHD symptoms overall mean that assignments take far more time than they would otherwise. Students may have too much on their plates to manage even if they take the right approach. People with ADHD are usually eligible for accommodations, whether in elementary school, middle school, high school, or college. Some of those possible accommodations are less homework, more time on assignments, and modified assignments (including shorter homework assignments). If you're a student with ADHD or have kids with ADHD, accommodations are worth looking into.

Strategies For Staying Motivated And Avoiding Burnout

You can problem-solve and find strategies that work for you to stay motivated and avoid burnout. If you're helping a child who is feeling overwhelmed with homework, teaching them these strategies can make a big difference, too. Try the following changes to see how they make homework more doable throughout the school year.

Take regular breaks

Even a short break can help when you're overwhelmed, frustrated, lose focus, or can't seem to move on to the next step due to challenges with executive function. Because of this, it's important to make time for regular breaks during homework time. You might find that it's helpful to get up and move around during these breaks. Especially with ADHD, if you or your child sits for too long, it could lead to restlessness or a harder time concentrating.

Consider using the Pomodoro technique, a time management method built around frequent short breaks. That way, they'll be built-in, so you are less likely to fixate or go too long without a break.

Reward yourself for completing tasks

Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool for people with ADHD. While younger children with ADHD may benefit from rewards like sticker charts, older kids, teens, or adults with ADHD can try the following types of rewards to encourage themselves:

• An extra hour of screen time (e.g., time to watch TV or play video games).
• Fun experiences (e.g., going to the mall, going roller skating, seeing a friend, etc.).
• A token system, where you collect tokens over time to exchange for a big reward, such as a concert, new shoes, or something else you want.
• Small, affordable items.

Get support from family, friends, or a therapist

Sometimes, the key to avoiding burnout and finding success is to stop trying to do it all by yourself. While most of us have heard that it's necessary to ask for help when we need it, we may not know who to ask or what to ask for. Individuals who may be able to support you with homework and how they can help include:

• Mental health providers. Seeing a therapist can help you avoid burnout and the impacts of stress related to homework and school. Treatments such as behavior-focused parent training can help improve homework performance in children with ADHD. If your child is the one experiencing challenges with homework, especially if they're young, this may be useful.
• Family and friends. Body doubling or working on homework with a designated friend who is responsible and well-focused may be helpful. Many kids benefit from having a parent next to them or within eyesight during homework time, so if you're the parent of a younger child, consider this. Parents may also be able to help kids understand the subject they're working on.
• Tutors and teachers. If you or your child finds a specific subject in school difficult, it may be time to ask for extra help from a teacher or find a tutor for your ADHD child. Similarly, if you're having trouble with a project, such as writing a paper, talking through what you're going through with a teacher can be valuable.

Plan studying around medication

Many ADHD medications are short-lasting. You or your child with ADHD may notice that medication is most effective at a certain time of day (usually, the first 3-4 hours after a non-extended-release central nervous system stimulant, which may be taken a few times daily, kicks in). Even extended-release ADHD medications tend to wear off later in the evening. Plan study or homework time wisely, considering when you or your child will feel the effects most.

Build a homework station

Create a distraction-free homework station and use it during the set period of time when you work on assignments each day. This is advantageous for a couple of reasons. First, if you use the homework space consistently, it will become a routine, and your brain will start to associate it with "work time." Second, you can build the space to accommodate your needs, which is a big deal. Keep it clean and tidy, consider adding sensory or fidget toys to the space if you find them useful for focus or stress, and avoid loud noise or anything else that might steer you away from your work.

Conclusion

With ADHD, homework can be overwhelming at any grade level. However, the appropriate strategies can help steer students in the right direction. Creating a schedule, breaking a big task into smaller steps, and using external tools can all be helpful. Those who find themselves feeling overwhelmed should develop a plan to avoid burnout, which may include tips such as making time for regular breaks or planning schoolwork around medication. It is vital to reach out for help when needed, whether that means looking for mental health support or getting practical help with school from a tutor.