I bet you can ask most teens how they feel about homework, and you’ll likely get the same answer: they hate it, and it’s a waste of time! Barring a few oddball students who love the thrill of studying hours after they just left school, many teens typically don’t like homework.
If you ask teens with ADHD that question, the percentage of teens who hate homework increases! Many teens with ADHD are fighting for their lives during the school day just to keep up, and the LAST thing they want to do is willingly submit themselves to homework when they come home. However, a homework routine for teens with ADHD is critical to success in school.
As parents, you may find yourself in a daily struggle trying to establish a homework routine for teens with ADHD. You know homework is a non-negotiable expectation of school, but sometimes the fight feels overwhelming. What can you do in this case?
Teens with ADHD tend to have more difficulty with routine, organization, and academic progress compared to their non-ADHD peers. Because of this, creating a routine that accounts for their strengths and vulnerabilities due to ADHD is important. To further complicate things, teens with ADHD may not adhere to strategies that are recommended for their neurotypical peers.
Teens with ADHD turn in 12% fewer assignments each quarter compared to their non-ADHD peers1. Over time, that means lower grades and difficulty mastering material, so it’s important to get dialed in as soon as possible.
A well-structured approach not only makes homework manageable but also helps teens develop focus, organization, and confidence over time. In this blog, we’ll break down practical step-by-step strategies to create a homework routine that actually works.
Why Teens with ADHD Struggle with Homework
The Role of Focus Challenges in Homework Struggles
It’s no secret that symptoms of ADHD make it harder for teens to concentrate on tasks that feel tedious or uninteresting. Your teen may start out strong but quickly lose focus. Mental stamina is required to start, follow through, and finish homework.
The struggle to complete homework is also compounded if your teen has difficulty in or disinterest in a particular subject. The extra effort required to remain engaged in an undesirable and difficult task can be discouraging for your teen.
Several things at home can make it difficult to focus. Video games, television, going to the fridge five times, or scrolling TikTok can get in the way of finishing homework. Other distractions, such as normal household activity, can easily distract your teen from their task. Your teen may decide to put off their assignment until later, which, without a plan, may not happen.
How Procrastination Impacts ADHD Teens
It can be easy to put things off until later, but it’s usually hard to pick them back up and get them done. Procrastination is like the Thanos finger snap that eliminates time your teen sets aside for homework each night (only Marvel fans will get the reference). Homework routines for teens with ADHD need to include strategies to combat procrastination.
Often, your teen procrastinates on homework for two reasons: difficulty breaking down large assignments into smaller chunks and not knowing where to start. Both of these skills can be taught, but finding a solution is challenging without knowing which reason is causing the delay.
The rough part about procrastination is it causes your teen stress. The more they avoid tasks, the further behind they fall, and the stress cycle continues. As stress builds, putting off tasks due to dread seems like the best option, and we know this makes matters worse. The more work the stacks up, the more your teen is in danger of missing deadlines. Managing tasks and staying on top of things when homework is due becomes another issue for your teen. Check out this article to learn more about the factors that cause procrastination (5 Ways ADHD Impacts Task Initiation).
Time Management Pitfalls and How They Affect Homework
Have you ever had a conversation with your teen, and they drastically underestimated how much time it takes them to do basically anything? Really? Me neither!
Some teens are really good at knowing how much time something takes. Teens with ADHD have a harder time with this.
Although no one truly manages “time,” we manage what we do with our time. Teens with ADHD may struggle with knowing how long it takes them to complete the summary for their ELA reading assignment. They may put it off until after practice and before dinner (procrastination, hey), but when the time comes, it takes way longer than anticipated, so it doesn’t get done.
Another key component of time management is knowing what to prioritize and, what to do, when. If your teen has a hard time figuring out which assignment needs to be done right now, they may delay starting a task that is important to tackle first. This task may have to be done to complete the next step on a larger assignment like an essay or project. Knowing how to prioritize and sequence assignments is important in order to allocate time wisely.
Task Transitioning: Why Starting Homework Feels So Hard
Your teen comes home, and they faceplant on the couch with a bowl of chips and a drink. Maybe they watch the Regular Show, doomscroll on their phone or play video games for a while. In the back of their mind, they know they have to get started with homework, but this other thing is way more relaxing and far less stressful.
The skill and desire to shift from a highly desirable, low-effort task to a less desirable, high-effort task can be downright HARD for any of us, much less a teen with ADHD.
Not only that, transitions are inherently time-delayed as the cognitive effort to shift mentally does not happen easily. This means it’s easier to stay on the current activity or train of thought than it is to decide to change activities. This requires your teen to disengage from their current task, start something new, and stick with it long enough for your brain to catch up.
What we ask our teens to do can feel like a herculean task. You’ll likely be met with resistance when you tell your teen it’s time to get homework done, and that can be a chore in itself. Homework routines for teens with ADHD work best when parents are less involved. Autonomy is important at this developmental stage.
A personalized homework plan for your teen must include ADHD homework strategies to allow time to shift mentally from their current, more engaging task.
The Motivation Gap: Why Boring Tasks Are Tough for ADHD Teens
Teens with ADHD thrive on interest-driven tasks and have difficulty with tasks they see as boring.
Homework tends to fit in that category of a “boring” task, but teens know that they have to do homework to pass their classes.
Unfortunately, this knowledge doesn’t always cause them to change their behavior. Dopamine, the hormone involved in motivation, can be especially low in teens with ADHD. A person with normal dopamine levels can muster up the mental strength to start and complete a task they don’t find interesting. Teens with ADHD will have a much harder time pushing through and may need a manual boost in dopamine by using a personalized dopamine menu.
Struggling to help your teen overcome these challenges? Keep reading for actionable tips to build a routine that makes homework easier.
Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Homework Routine
Creating a homework routine for teens with ADHD isn’t just about getting work done- it’s about building habits that make studying less overwhelming and more productive. By breaking tasks into smaller steps, scheduling consistent study times, and incorporating regular breaks, you can help your teen approach their homework with confidence and focus. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through practical strategies to design a routine tailored to the unique needs of teens with ADHD. Keep reading to see which of these strategies you can put into practice right away.
Create a Workspace That Encourages Focus
Your teen needs to have a dedicated space that you both agree upon where they will do their homework. From my own experience, I would strongly recommend that this space is somewhere free of a bed or television. Here’s why: the bed will quickly become an out because it’s too easy for them to slip into a nap, and the television is a major distractor for a teen with ADHD.
I know that a lot of kids with ADHD are EXHAUSTED after school and really need a nap due to tons of mental activity during the school day so, if this is your teen, factor that into the routine. If they need rest after school, then include that in the homework plan. But make sure it’s something you both agree to. Have them pull out their phone and set an alarm when it’s time to get up, grab a snack, and dig into their work.
Most of our own behavior is routine and predictable, and this is the same for our teens. Keeping their workspace free from distractions that will keep them away from getting started (and finishing!) in their home is critical.
If you have a teen who needs music when they work, make sure they have their playlist created at the beginning of the week. This reduces the time wasted on finding songs (which can be another distraction). My favorite question when working with any kid (child or teen) is, “Are you going to be able to handle this _____ as you do _____?” This puts the ball in their court to show you they can honor their word instead of you coming in and dictating what they can or can’t handle. Only IF you see it’s a distraction should you have them remove their desired complement. Whatever you agree to space-wise, keep it consistent.
Build a Routine with a Consistent Schedule
Habit building is an intentional effort. Your teen may be practicing unhelpful habits, keeping them from success at school. But they can build new habits. And having a consistent routine is a habit. Teens with ADHD are no different from other teens as their habits are only as helpful as the habits they are modeled or held accountable to.
Once you have agreed upon their dedicated space, make the time consistent. I think it’s a good idea to have contingencies, especially if they play sports or for things that periodically pop up unexpectedly. A solid homework schedule takes the mental gymnastics out of figuring out a game plan each day. A calendar, both on their phones and in a visible place in the home, is good as you can use this as a reference should your teen come to ask you to do something that interferes with homework time. You can simply point to the calendar and say nothing else.
It is also helpful to work with your teen to break up their study/homework time. To expect a teen with ADHD to sit down for 1-2 hours straight out the gate is setting them up for failure. Most educational studies recommend 150 minutes per set of homework, four to five days per week. That may be overwhelming if they are currently doing little to no homework, so gradually increase the expectations and stick with them.
Break Tasks Into Manageable Chunks
To factor in attention challenges and possible reduced interest, help your teen break their assignments up into smaller chunks. Your teen may want to rush through the whole assignment, which can result in poor grades. This is where you help them see the benefit of working smarter, not harder. Also, if the volume of work is too much, you may ask for support from the school, such a 504 plan or learning plan (private schools) to switch the focus on quantity to quality.
For example, your teen may have an essay they need to write. Instead of working on all parts of the writing process at once, you can have them put up a visible checklist up and each day they work on one port of the process at a time.
What this does is helps them learn to break up expected tasks into manageable chunks, but they also get positive reinforcement by finishing what they start. It is a good strategy for helping them boost morale and feel accomplished.
Once they check off one portion of the task, it’s a great time to transition, relieve cognitive activity, and recharge for the next homework task.
Boost Focus with Movement Breaks
I don’t know about you, but I need movement after sitting and focusing for a while. You are probably the same, and your teen is no different.
I give myself 55 minutes of dedicated work, and then I get my butt up and move! This is commonly known as the Pomodoro Technique. There are apps that can help you and your teen find their sweet spot of productivity. I would encourage you to start on the lower end (20-30 minutes of work at a time) and work up. Check out this website for several Pomodoro apps you can try out: Pomodoro Apps.
During this break time (5-10 minutes), encourage your teen to get up and move. Movement is very helpful for all brains, but especially for teens with ADHD. Studies have shown that children with ADHD perform better on school tasks following physical activity.
Further, movement gives your teen the opportunity to mentally shift from one activity to another by engaging in something preferred, which is less taxing on their cognitive stamina. Shadow boxing, shooting basketball, a brief yoga routine, or walking their dog can be helpful movement breaks.
Use Rewards to Motivate and Celebrate Progress
If you have a teen like mine, they say they don’t want rewards for committing to doing their school or homework. My son tells me, “I just need to get it done. I don’t want to work for anything.” But teens with ADHD like to have mini goals they’re working towards.
The reward can be tied to something they have limited access to, such as video games, using the car, or spending time with friends. It can be helpful to allow more responsibilities, such as using the car more often or reducing limits on game time, as they demonstrate commitment to their homework plan.
Maybe your kid is like mine and loves positive verbal praise. Edifying our teens is still a very powerful reinforcer especially if you’ve found yourself having frequent, frustrating conversations that leave you both upset and distant.
As you’re helping your teen increase autonomy and the habit of doing what needs to be done by sticking with a plan, start with reinforcing the chunks of the tasks they complete rather than waiting until they have everything done. Remember, teens with ADHD are fighting against their biology each day, and small progress in our eyes can be major in theirs.
Take the time to highlight the positives you see and make sure you tell them! Keep feedback conversations and praise conversations separate, if possible.
Helping teens with ADHD develop a homework routine is doable, and they can be successful! Teens with ADHD are very typical in a lot of ways. They may need us more than expected , as they need environmental structure where other teens may have the internal focus to do this on their own. It’s important to realize they still need us for guidance. We may be ready to step back and turn them loose, but they may need our brains and skills to make it through teenage hood and get through school in one piece.
At the Center for Student Potential and Growth, we work with families like yours, helping you find solutions and improve functioning for teens and college students with ADHD. Want to find out more about our counseling and coaching services? Send us a message, and we’d love to discuss our process and learn more about how we can support your family.
- Langberg et al. (2016). Longitudinal evaluation of the importance of homework assignment completion for the academic performance of middle school students with ADHD. Journal of School Psychology, 55 (27-38).https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022440515001028 ↩︎