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Diagnoses of attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) have skyrocketed over the past decade. According to the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health, 2.9 million adolescents aged 12-17 (11.9 percent of this age range) are currently diagnosed with ADHD. Undiagnosed, millions of people go untreated.

Distraction and disorganization, while ADHD challenges can vary greatly, are both common. Tests and homework are made more difficult and time-consuming. The assignments are frequently late or not completed, lowering grades and self-esteem. Such challenges can ultimately hurt a student's ability to gain admission into top colleges.

Fortunately, several techniques can help students in high school to focus better, reduce stress, and produce quality homework. These techniques result in higher grades and better skills for college and beyond. These practices also lead to increased success in extracurricular activities.

Read on to learn more about the techniques and suggestions that you can use during your high school years.

Create a distraction-free workspace.

Distractions should be kept to a minimum. Shut off the television, hide and silence your phone, and stop using your email. While music can reduce anxiety and drown out sounds, it may also make concentrating difficult. Try a piece without lyrics if you are convinced it will help your concentration. Even without music, noise-canceling headsets can be helpful for those who are sensitive to sound.

If you must move a lot while working, consider standing up or pacing. Use a fidget cube. Repeated actions can soothe fidgety people.

Calendar all due dates and assignments

Keep all your assignments and due dates in one place. Check your calendar before every homework session to determine and prioritize the tasks that must be completed tonight.

• Prioritize the assignments due tomorrow.
• What else do I have to do this week?
• Is it necessary to start future assignments early or in phases?
• Do you need to coordinate any of your assignments with other students?
• Are you going to need any unique materials (books or supplies)? Can you meet the deadlines for your upcoming assignments without unique materials (books, supplies, etc.)?
• Consider if you can complete your tasks on time.

After-school activities such as music lessons, tutoring or driver's education, sporting events, rehearsals for plays, jobs, and athletic events are expected. After such actions, estimate how much time will be left to do homework. Consider what lesson you need to complete in the next few days. You should begin more significant assignments up to a few days in advance.

Estimate the time each task will require

People who are easily distracted need help with estimating the amount of time required to complete a task. For accurate estimates:

• List all the jobs that need to be completed.
• Break tasks up into segments.
• How often will you need to take breaks? Consider taking a 5-minute break every time you stop.
• Estimate how long it will take to complete each task.
• Add up all the leaves, including estimates.

Track how long it takes to complete each task. This will help you to make more accurate estimates and identify areas where you tend to underestimate or forget lessons.

Regularly time your breaks.

Breaks are a great way to release pent-up energy, but they can also derail your attention. Set a five-minute timer before each break. During each break, get up and leave the office. No excuses or sleeps when the alarm sounds. Get back to work.

It is essential to move to relieve stress and release energy. Play with your pet during breaks, dance to videos, or do karaoke to release tension.

When children take excessively long breaks or forget to set an alarm, parents should remind them gently, without scolding. Asking calmly, "Did your alarm go off?" and "When is your break over?" will help your child get back to work faster without embarrassment.

Send online assignments as early as possible.

Be prepared for any eventuality. Websites can crash, connections slow down, and power outages happen. Set early deadlines for submissions online to avoid missing deadlines. Before each deadline:

• Estimate the time it will take.
• Are there any other online deadlines on that evening?
• It would help if you also considered any obligations that could prevent you from finishing the project on time.

Add up the time estimates plus breaks plus 20% to allow for distractions and connectivity problems. This is the amount of time that you should allocate before the deadline.

Do your homework with a parent present.

What are your concerns? Will parents distract the students? Parents can't help but nag or interfere. Isn't it boring to sit quietly and study with teens? Parents in the room can improve focus for teens with ADHD. Parents can tell if teens are texting, watching videos, or playing games. It works best if parents do not interact excessively with their children, nag or chatter, or make too much sound while teens work.

Resentment is common among teens with ADHD who feel that everyone else is having fun while they are working. Parents who do household chores, such as cooking, washing dishes, paying bills, sitting and reading, or working quietly while their teens do homework, set an example for productivity and responsibility. They demonstrate that they are willing to sacrifice more exciting distractions to help their children focus.

It's frustrating to do homework after a long day at school, and parents have extra work if they want to sit near their children to encourage them. Parents who respect and encourage teens tend to have a significant positive impact on their children. They also have better test scores and grades.

Many parents of teenagers with ADHD also have the disorder. Parents with ADHD who find it challenging to sit still near teenagers may experience distraction and anxiety. Parents with ADHD should leave the room but drop in to encourage teens every 20-30 minutes.

Asking neutral questions such as "How are you?" will help parents find their children if they discover them distracted. As with training pets, encouraging positive behavior in humans is similar to how you would train them. Avoid unnecessary punishments and encourage positive behaviors.

Positive parental involvement increases self-confidence.

When students feel accountable for their success, they learn the most. They are motivated by their achievements and not external rewards. Consistent parental support is also beneficial.

Children with better study habits are those whose parents know about their teenagers' struggles, keep track of grades, and show sympathy when they feel frustrated. It is essential to show interest in your child's schoolwork. However, you can still do their homework. Discussing what teenagers are working on and asking your child about their thoughts on the work they've done is an excellent way to show interest. Often, we learn better when we share our knowledge with others. Please encourage your child's ability to develop and demonstrate solutions on their own.

Mentoring and tutoring one-on-one builds skills for life.

Individualized attention from someone close to you can help people with poor study skills. Mentors can help teens improve their focus, sharpen skills, and boost self-confidence. They help students organize and prioritize their work, set goals, select valuable and engaging extracurriculars, and prepare for college challenges.

How parents can help teens get out of a rut

People with ADHD often feel guilty, ashamed, or anxious because they are criticized for being easily distracted. This can cause emotional flooding. They can become overwhelmed and find it difficult to focus on their homework.

Empathy from parents can help reduce anxiety and increase trust. Arguments or rationalizations will not help during flooding episodes. When the brain is flooded, it can't be rational. Parents can suggest helpful distractions such as:

• Concentrated breathing is often done in yoga or meditation
• Get up and stretch, pace, or have fun with your pet
• Playing an Instrument or walking a dog
• Enjoying music or videos

A teen who is overwhelmed may also need a more extended break. Watching a comedy reading for pleasure, or even exercising for half an hour, can help calm anxiety attacks and quiet outbursts. Encourage anxious teens to have a rest and try again. Remember to praise them for coming up with solutions.

CollegeVine has created Zen, a blog with articles that support students' mental health during the college admissions process.

Play Every Day

It is not easy to be a full-time student. To function at our highest level, we all need encouragement and breaks. Here are some essential things to keep in mind

• Teenagers need to take breaks both before and after their homework. Unstructured time is required every day for teens to balance stress hormones.
• Sleep patterns are affected when you work right up to bedtime. Relaxing before bedtime can help reduce insomnia, which is a common side effect of ADHD.

Teens with ADD/ADHD who are well prepared, have consistent habits, and receive family support can become high-achieving students. See how successful and enjoyable studying can be with these tips and techniques.

CollegeVine has a blog with useful tips to improve study habits, handle stress, and improve focus and retention. These posts are beneficial for students who have ADHD:

Stress Management Techniques for High School Students

Ten real-world study tips to improve processing and retention

What is a Learning Disability? Many resources are available to help you succeed in high school

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