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Written by Maleek Mitchell, M.A., M.S. Education
Do you find that your teen puts off studying until the night before the big exam? Maybe you find your child on the phone with friends instead of researching the project that is due within a week. Let’s face it, we all struggle with procrastination at times, so why would our kids be any different? The good news is that there are a few steps your child can take to overcome procrastination and be successful in their daily tasks:
- Use a phone to set an alarm when it is time to start working-and don’t ignore it. Your teen probably treats their phone like an American Express Card – they never leave home without it. In fact, it is likely ‘glued’ to their hip everywhere they go. Why not use that to their benefit? Help them choose a time when they are most productive and save a daily reminder to begin their work 5 minutes prior to that time.
- Encourage your child to coordinate ‘Radio Silence’ times with their friends. Have you ever felt that moment of panic when you’ve forgotten your phone at home only to realize a few hours later how peaceful it has been when you haven’t had to deal with constant buzzing and chirping? Help your teen experience that same tranquility during their study time. Have them coordinate dedicated study times with their friends. During these periods, they would stop texting/chatting to get work done. This is great practice for teaching your child how to maximize productivity during study times.
- Designate and set up a consistent space in your home for schoolwork. The area does not have to be spacious or look like the home office of Bill Gates; just make it as distraction-free as possible. Stock the space with any supplies that might be needed for school tasks (i.e., paper, pencils, pens, ruler, stapler, etc.). Tailor it to your child’s academic needs.
- Choose a TGIF (Till You Get It Finished) friend that reminds your child of when it is time to start work. Most of us have someone in our lives that holds us to some degree of accountability. Identifying someone like that for your teen can be a great way to support them in getting started on tasks they want to avoid. Qualities to look for in a good TGIF friend include persistence, consistency, honesty, gentleness, and a healthy dose of patience.
- Reward them for a job well… Begun! Research has long pointed to the fact that positive reinforcements are much more effective at increasing desired behaviors than negative ones or punishments. Allow your child a small reward a few minutes after they’ve begun working. A pat on the back, affirming words, a small treat, whatever you think will spur them to keep working towards their goal.
- Be Positive! It can be easy to approach a procrastinating child with an exasperated tone or disapproving look. Procrastinators themselves are probably stuck in a negative space as they bemoan starting their work- this leads to the delay in task initiation. Help your child see the bright side that once they complete the assignment, they will be better prepared for the test or closer to that A – and best of all – they will get us parents off their back!
Developing these habits will help your child get started on their assigned work. Once a task is begun, it is that much closer to ending. Encourage these strategies in your child, model them in your own life, and expect to have a productive child and household.
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