Does your child stay up all night doing homework? Is he or she often texting or online while doing homework or studying? Is it possible for students to study and do their homework effectively while being distracted by technology? Is focusing attention on homework really all that important? It’s just homework, right?
Welcome to the 21st century. A world filled with distractions every where you turn. How is it even possible to get homework done at all, let alone focus on doing homework without being distracted by a wide variety of electronic gadgets. Back in the not so distant past, you might have heard a kid saying "It doesn't matter if I have the TV on while I do my homework. It's not like I'm studying for a test." Today, it's a bit more complicated as students and their smart phones are inseparable. What might at first glance seem harmless, doing homework or studying while constantly texting or toggling between Spotify and TikTok can actually impair learning the material as well as lower test scores. Research has shown that studying while being on of the worst study habits a student can develop.
Is There an App For That?
With nearly everyone over the age of seven having a cell phone and access to the internet these days, it's quite common to find students dividing their attention between texting, checking social media websites and surfing the internet while doing homework and studying for exams. Given that text messaging is the way many students communicate with each other, it's not easy for parents to explain to them that when it's time to do homework or study for an exam it's necessary to turn their phone off.
In all likelihood, they will argue about this as students of all ages seem to have a misconception that they can pay attention to more than one thing at a time and that multitasking is an effective way to do homework or study for a test. How are you, their parent, going to respond? With research. In this blog post, we reviewed the most up to date research that we could find on the subject of multitasking to give parents a better understanding of what it takes to be a successful student.
The Myth of Multitasking While Studying
In a study conducted by Dr. Larry Rosen, Professor Emeritus and former Chair of the Psychology Department at California State University - Dominguez Hills, students were observed during a 15-minute homework session. The results? Students stayed on task for only 65% of the time. They were frequently distracted by digital temptations, even when they knew they were being watched.
Switching between tasks requires the brain to constantly refocus, which consumes more cognitive resources and leads to decreased performance. Students who frequently toggled between tasks had lower GPAs than those who focused on one thing at a time.
Dr. Rosen did another study where he surveyed high school students and asked them how often they switch from studying to doing something related to technology such as checking email, Facebook, texting or watching TV. Across all grade levels, 80% of students reported that they switch between studying and technology somewhat often to very often. Rosen calls this “Continuous Partial Attention,” meaning that most of the time, students are not focused on studying but rather are moving their attention back and forth between studying and various forms of technology. As you might expect, students who were the most distracted generally had the most windows open on their computers. Students who were less distracted had higher GPAs than students who switched back and forth fairly often and those who regularly check Reddit, Instagram, or text messages. Students who had strategies for studying also had higher GPAs according to Rosen’s findings.
Rosen explains, “Young people’s technology use is really about quelling anxiety...they don’t want to miss out or to be the last person to hear some news (or like or comment about a post online).” One of the major problems with texting and posting on Instagram and other social media sites while in class and/or studying, is that "they draw on the same mental resources—using language, parsing meaning—demanded by schoolwork." Ultimately, he concludes, if we want students to learn and perform at their best, smart phones and other online distractions must be managed.
Can Doing Homework While Being Distracted by Technology Affect Test Scores?
In another study of 8-18 year old students done by the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly one third of the students surveyed confessed that when they were doing homework, they were also watching TV, texting, or listening to music. Victoria Rideout, the lead author of the study, warns parents about the dangers of media multitasking. This concern is distinct from worrying about how much kids are online or how much kids are media multitasking overall. “It’s multitasking while learning that has the biggest potential downside.”
If a student is focused when doing their homework, they actually retain more of the information when it comes time to take a test on the same subject matter. It's like studying for the test little by little and absorbing the information in small chunks. The strategy of ‘chunking’ bits of information has been shown to be the most effective way to learn larger amounts of information and is a useful test prep strategy. If a student does her homework while multitasking, that will result in less information being retained and therefore more time will be required for test preparation in order to achieve the same result. Compounding matters, if homework is done while multitasking in an introductory class, it will be more difficult to build on that “shaky foundation of knowledge” in the more advanced class the next semester.
Dr. David Meyer, Professor Emeritus of Mathematical Psychology and Cognitive Science at the University of Michigan, observed that “under most conditions, the brain simply cannot do two complex tasks at the same time. Listening to a lecture while texting, or doing homework and being on Facebook (or IG or ChatGPT)—each of these tasks is very demanding, and each of them uses the same area of the brain, the prefrontal cortex." Most students incorrectly believe that they can perform two challenging tasks at the same time, according to Meyer. They may like to do it, they may even be addicted to it, but there’s no getting around the fact that it’s far better to focus on one task from start to finish.”
Quick Test for Students to Determine if Multitasking Impacts Performance
Here’s a fun, 3 minute test that you can do along with your kids to demonstrate if multitasking impacts performance (and the time it takes to complete homework). Taking this simple test will allow students to see for themselves if multitasking could potentially be affecting their studying.
http://davecrenshaw.com/multitasking-example/
Top 3 Negative Outcomes of Studying While Being Distracted by Technology
According to an article by Annie Murphy Paul, research has shown that there are various negative outcomes that result from students multitasking while doing homework. Paul describes the top 3 negative outcomes. "First, the assignment takes longer to complete, because of the time spent on distracting activities and because, upon returning to the assignment, the student has to re-familiarize himself with the material.” Second, the mental fatigue caused by repeatedly dropping and picking up a mental thread leads to more mistakes. “Third, students’ subsequent memory of what they’re working on will be impaired if their attention is divided.” Paul explains, “The moment of encoding information is what matters most for retention, and dozens of laboratory studies have demonstrated that when our attention is divided during encoding, we remember that piece of information less well—or not at all."
Paul goes on to write, "Finally, researchers have found that media multitasking while learning is correlated with lower grades. In Rosen’s study (discussed above), students who used Facebook during the 15-minute observation period had lower grade-point averages than those who didn’t go on the site. In addition, two recent studies by Reynol Junco, a faculty associate at Harvard’s Berkan Center for Internet & Society, found that texting and using Facebook—in class and while doing homework—were negatively correlated with college students’ GPAs."
In conclusion, the evidence is overwhelming. Studying or doing homework while sitting in front of the TV, using social media or texting, makes it more difficult to learn and retain the information, increases the time it takes to complete homework, and may ultimately result in lower test scores. Focusing attention on homework, free from electronic distractions (with the exception of using AI to check your answers or perhaps to provide you with an idea for a topic to write a report about), will result in better grades, and better understanding and integration of the material.
Is your child attached to his or her smart phone or other electronic gadgets? If so, and grades are suffering, it might be time to take action. Are you ready to help your child break the multitasking habit, learn to focus attention on homework and get on the path to academic success?
How Parents Can Help Children Focus Attention on Homework
Teach your child to take technology breaks to separate doing homework from using technology. Here's the strategy: After your child has worked on his or her homework without interruption for 15 minutes, he is then allowed a technology break for 2-3 minutes to text and post to social media. When the break time is up, you instruct your child to turn off the electronic devices for another 15 minutes of doing homework or studying. Students can extend their working time to 20, 30 or 45 minutes and perhaps extend their technology break time to 5-7 minutes. If your child complains that the technology break time is too short, you can let him or her know that when he or she is finished with homework, he or she can use technology for as long as he or she wants (or whatever amount of time you say is ok).
Here are some additional tips for how to help children to stay focused when studying:
Build a Homework Ritual: Same Time, Same Place
To strengthen focus and reduce procrastination, consistency is key. Encourage students to start homework at the same time and in the same location each day. Over time, this creates a “mental trigger” that helps the brain associate that space and time with productivity. Choose a quiet, clutter-free zone—whether it’s the kitchen table, a study nook, or even the local library.
Avoid doing homework in bed. It confuses your brain and may sabotage both sleep and study.
Eliminate Interruptions Before They Happen
Even a quick glance at a phone screen can throw a student off track for several minutes. Before starting homework, gather all materials—textbooks, pens, paper, snacks, water—so there’s no excuse to get up mid-task. Mute devices, close unused browser tabs, and use apps like Forest or Freedom to block distractions.
Just a second on TikTok can turn into 30 minutes lost. Prepping ahead protects your time and your GPA.
Work in Bursts Using the Focus + Break Method
Trying to power through hours of homework without breaks is like running a marathon without water—inefficient and exhausting. Instead, use focus frameworks like the Pomodoro Technique: 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break. After four rounds, take a longer 15 to 30 minute rest. This keeps the mind sharp and reduces mental fatigue.
Bonus tip: Students can set mini-rewards after each focus round—snack, stretch, scroll (briefly).
Break Big Assignments Into Bite-Sized Chunks
Large assignments can feel overwhelming and trigger avoidance. Instead, teach students to break tasks into manageable, clearly defined steps. Then prioritize them by importance or due date. Checking off small wins builds momentum and confidence—like leveling up in a video game.
Replace “Write 5-page essay” with “Outline intro,” “Find 3 quotes,” or “Write one paragraph.” Progress happens one step at a time.
Reset Focus with Mindfulness and Movement
When attention starts to drift, don’t force it—reset it. A short mindfulness practice like deep breathing or a guided 2-minute meditation can work wonders. Quick bursts of physical movement like jumping jacks, toe touches, or a short walk can re-energize the brain and body for the next round of focus.
One minute of movement or mindful breathing can save 30 minutes of distracted studying.
Fuel Focus with Sleep, Snacks, and Space
Cognitive performance is tightly linked to basic wellness. Good sleep (8 to 10 hours for teens), hydrating, and brain-friendly snacks like fruit, nuts, or whole grains all support better concentration. Likewise, a clean and personalized study space helps reduce visual clutter and mental fatigue.
Want better grades? Start with better sleep, then tackle your space like it’s your mental headquarters.
Rebuild Attention with Digital Detox and Nature
Too much screen time rewires the brain, leading to what experts call “popcorn brain”—a fragmented attention span that struggles with deep focus. Counter this by scheduling regular tech-free breaks. Even better, spend a few minutes outdoors or looking out the window at nature. This helps the brain recover from “directed attention fatigue” and boosts clarity.
Focus isn’t just about turning devices off—it’s about reconnecting with the real world for a mental reset.
Here's another blog post with additional strategies about how to help your child stay focused on doing their homework.
Would you like to cut your child's homework time in half?
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Photo credit: Gitte Laasby
Attribution: A much more detailed discussion of some of these studies can be found in Slate Magazine (May 3, 2013) by Annie Murphy Paul, a fellow at the New America Foundation and author of the book Brilliant: The Science of How We Get Smarter.
Michael Howard is the former Director of Marketing for Beyond BookSmart. He is currently a Digital Marketing Consultant and Beyond BookSmart is one of his clients. Michael earned his BA in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Lamar University.