Tip of the Week

February 22, 2016

Easily distracted? Work in short bursts.

When your child is feeling distractible, bored, tired, or even just annoyed with an assignment, working in short bursts can be the secret to achieving productivity. Here’s how:

 

  1. Choose an interval of time that your child can manage while staying focused and motivated. Depending on age, 15-30 minutes is reasonable for “short burst” working.
  2. Set a timer for the chosen amount of time, and challenge your child to work uninterrupted until the timer “dings” to alert him he’s reached his benchmark.
  3. Take a short break! Set the timer again for a five or 10 minute break. This is the appropriate time for your child to read texts, check Facebook, or watch a video. Then, when the timer signals the end of break, it’s time to get back to work for the next short burst.
  4. Repeat the process as many times as it takes to get the job done.