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.
Jump to section:
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.
More resources
Listen
All articles
- 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
- How to help kids with ADHD manage screen time
- 5 oddly specific ADHD strategies that help me work
- The difference between ADD and ADHD
- Understanding ADHD in your child
- Why kids can’t seem to turn off their screens
- Why do some kids daydream so much during class?
- Now I get what it’s like to have ADHD
- ADHD: Ways to help your child at home
- Is there an ADHD spectrum?
- Moving past the guilt of “giving” my son ADHD
- A day in the life of a child with ADHD
- 7 reasons kids with ADHD often rush through homework
- How I beat my social media habit (and how you can too)
- ADHD in girls
- ADHD in boys
- Do boys and girls show the same signs of ADHD?
- My bilingual son has an IEP, and I still don’t know how it will work remotely
- ADHD symptoms at different ages
- How memory works in kids
- 7 ways to help kids who struggle with focus battle spring fever
- 8 common ways people struggle at work — and why
- What’s the difference between inattention and distractibility?
- When do kids learn to focus?
- Making friends as an adult with ADHD
- Math class… the perfect time to write a novel
- How attention works
- Is my preschooler overly distractible? How can I tell?
- Brown, white, and pink noise: What they are and how they can help with ADHD
- Understanding why kids struggle with organization
- Find the common denominator in your life