What should you do when your teenager isn’t motivated to complete their work at home? That’s exactly what Eric Earle wants to answer! Below, he shares 6 tips to motivate teen studying during quarantine. These actionable steps help parents and teachers during a school closure.
Plus grab a freebie to help your teen stay productive while learning from home.
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Motivating Teens During Quarantine
How do you motivate teens to study and overcome the restlessness of quarantine?
When weβre stuck inside, itβs easy to gravitate towards television and lounging than a full-time school schedule. But thatβs not going to work.
Laying the groundwork for at-home success is important for the whole family.
Whether youβre a parent trying to promote good study habits or youβre trying to get work done yourself, here’s how to meet your goals.
Help Teens Find Meaning in Each Task
One tip to motivate teen studying during quarantine is to help him/ her find meaning in task.
By linking the application of schoolwork to something theyβre interested in, you can give your teen a more immediate and personal reason to study.
Why do I have to do this?
Every heard that question before!?
Help your teen connect learning goals to other personal interests. This will help keep the motivation going while learning from home.
Another aspect to finding personal meaning in studying is identifying how the outcome specifically helps your teen with future goals.
Let them know that doing well in school now will provide them with opportunities to meet bigger goals later in life.
Practical Ways to Motivate Your Teen At Home
Hereβs how to get started motivating your teens during their school closure: take inventory of their strengths, weaknesses, and interests.
For example, quarantine has shifted classes to an online setting, giving teens a new set of challenges to connect with their peers.
Take stock of what subjects your teen is succeeding or struggling in. This can give them an opportunity to digitally reach out to others for help.
Asking for and offering to help others with classwork is a good way to break up the monotony of studying in isolation and can inspire your teen to engage in the subject matter.
On the flip side, if they excel at a certain topic, you could encourage them to finish their work early so they can help their friends.
These are just a few practice ways to help your teen stay productive while learning from home.
Create a Reward System for Completing Work
Another tip to motivate teen studying during quarantine is to create a reward system for completing work.
Presenting your teens with rewards will help them develop consistent studying habits that will make them excited to get work done.
When someone is presented with a reward for doing work, the craving for the reward causes anticipation for something we know weβll later enjoy.
You can use that to create some positivity and excitement for your teen!
Providing small incentives with instant payoffs can help motivate teens to work hard for the long haul.
Prizes can vary in range and size to let your teen know that some rewards have an extra bonus for their efforts.
The goal isn’t to bride your teen, but to provide opportunities for your teen to work up to a goal on a weekly basis and then reset to try again the next week.
Isolate a Space for Studying
The fourth tip for motivating your teen to study at home during a quarantine is to isolate a space dedicated to completing school work.
Where you work has an effect on how you work. Itβs important for your teen to distinguish between βwork zonesβ versus βrelaxation zones.β
These actionable steps create positive results for most teens:
- working on a hard surface away from distractions
- sitting in a chair that has a straight back with minimal cushioning
- removing loose papers, table accessories, and other clutter
- studying away from the TV
- setting reasonable time goals to complete certain assignments
Perfection isn’t the goal when establishing a school-work zone! It’s ok for your kid to be comfortable while they work.
Just aim for consistency and minimal distractions as you find an isolated work space in your home.
Set Up A Learning From Home Routine
In addition to setting up a “school work zone,” you can also help motivate teen studying during a quarantine by establishing a school work routine.
The appeal of waking up late or working in pajamas is another way that your teen can confuse a “working mindset” from leisure activities.
Here’s how to set up a routine:
- Set up a routine wake-up time
- Change into βdaytimeβ clothing
- Schedule breaks throughout the day
- Eat at normal intervals, including snacks
- Aim to finish work at a specific time to help mimic a school schedule
Itβs important to break up the day and set limits so that your teen can maximize their focus and the amount of productivity for their study time.
You can also help your teen stay focused by establishing a clear list of what they will and will not do during study time.
For example, under the list of things that they wonβt do, it can say, βI will not check social media or text my friends.β
Having a routine for your teen will also help parents who are also working from home. Then you can plan your work routine and your child’s school routine in a way that helps the entire family stay productive.
Incorporate Relaxation Into Your Teen’s Learning Routine
If you want to keep your teen consistently motivated to work hard during quarantine, donβt discount relaxation!
Think of your willpower like a progress bar from a video game, or the battery charge in your cellphone. You use this willpower on tasks that you know you need to do and recharge it with others.
For instance, you can help your teen recharge with deep breathing exercises and meditation.
As you train your heart rate, it can settle your nervous system and set you up for prolonged success.
Getting a full nightβs rest is also important to help your brain rest.
So don’t underestimate how powerful mindfulness can be in motivating teen study during quarantine!
More Tips to Motivate Your Teen
The motivational exhaustion that this quarantine presents can be daunting.
You can give your teen the tools for academic success by working together and prioritizing their wellbeing.
Rather than exclusively measuring your teenβs behavior progress encourage study habits that respect and support their thoughts and emotional status.
Remember, weβre all in this together!
We should do our best to check in on and support each other during this time.
Helping you thrive during this unprecedented time:
- Practical Ways to Survive Working at Home with Kids
- Tips for Homeschooling Middle Schoolers
- The Explicit Guide to High-Motivation Studying
6th Grade Literacy Activities For Home & School
In addition to the practical tips shared above, these middle school literacy activities keep 6th graders engaged with ELA at home and at school.
Author Bio
Eric M. Earle is the founder of Tutor Portland. He used to struggle with mathematics himself, but studied math intensely in his early 20βs and became the premier math tutor in Portland, Oregon. He focuses on improving studentsβ math grades to better their college acceptance rates.
One Response
One of the reasons I believe teens may have difficulty studying during this pandemic is the lack of attention they may be given. When they don’t have their teachers to instruct them, it can be difficult to keep up. This is why it’s important for instructors to reach out. I believe this goes a long way in helping educate teens.