5 Tips to Study Better With ADHD
Focusing on any task is hard when you have ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) can feel like an uphill battle when you are trying to study, especially. ADHD presents itself differently in both men and women, and even adults can live with this challenging disorder.
While ADHD isn't always easy to contend with, you can definitely learn to manage your condition to improve your focus and achieve success in school. Whether you have a child at home, are a teen yourself, or even an adult in college, here are six tips to study better with ADHD.
5 Tips For Studying With ADHD
1. Create a Structured Study Environment
One of the first steps is ensuring your environment is conducive to studying. Begin by creating a designated area in your home or dorm only used for studying. In theory, it might be nice to sit and catch up on your favorite shows or movies while you try to study. However, this doesn't always work out that way, especially when trying to focus on a specific task.
Create an environment that will help you study. Do you know that you are easily distracted by TV? Listen to music instead. If you know that clutter distracts you, make your space as tidy as possible.
It's hard for many to focus for long periods. Set a time for as long as you can think you can manage. Afterward, take a short break.
2. Schedule
Managing time effectively when you have ADHD is a task all in itself. To overcome this hurdle, create a study schedule or planner for yourself. Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable chunks that will help you reach your goal. This can also help you when you know that you have deadlines, such as a test, a paper due, or a project to work on.
3. Actively Learn
Traditional methods, such as reading or highlighting, might not be effective for you. Instead, focus on strategies that you know can work for you, instead. Some effective techniques include:
Creating mental images or diagrams to help you understand the concepts better.
Try to explain the material to a friend or family member to help you understand it.
Creating acronyms or other auditory methods can help you remember and process the information.
Create quizzes or questions for yourself to help you remember the material better.
4. Learn Material One Concept At A Time
You need to learn the material, but you can't seem to focus on the whole picture. Instead, break this information up into smaller chunks of information. If you haven't fully grasped a certain concept, don't try to move on to the next section. If you jump around with the content too much, memorizing it all can be harder.
5. Seek Accommodation and Support
A lot of people with ADHD find it daunting to reach out for support from their school, parents, or workplace. But, one thing to remember, is that everyone learns differently. Absolutely everyone. Having ADHD comes with its challenges that can make it feel impossible to deal with. Instead, remember that the way we all learn is unique to each individual — there really is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Most institutions, teachers, or professors, are willing to work with someone when they express that they need help. While you may have to live with ADHD, not every person or professional is going to recognize that you are dealing with it.
Finally, don't hesitate to reach out for support through therapy. At our practice, we have helped many people with ADHD succeed in academics and their careers. ADHD treatment comes with many benefits.
