Unlocking Motivation: Strategies for Supporting Teens with ADHD
Written by Academic Coach Amanda Burke
Many of us can trust that we’ll take action on a pressing task (like turning in a project on time) when our internal sense of urgency becomes undeniable.
However, a reality of living with ADHD is that this motivation often kicks in at inopportune times – like when hyperfocus or panic-driven energy hits the night before a deadline. Instead of planning and following through on schedule, your ADHD teen may wait for a mood shift or external trigger to help them get started.
If that sense of volition isn’t kicking in, it’s likely because there’s no immediate urgency, there’s an unmet need, or there’s underlying shame around the task. These barriers are important to address in order to overcome ADHD procrastination rather than letting them fuel the procrastination-shame cycle.
Parents can help their teens build healthier relationships with difficult tasks through mindful planning, breaking down overwhelming tasks, and incorporating these ADHD strategies for students that tap into their inner strengths and motivators:
1. Making sure their needs are met
When your student is faced with an overwhelming assignment or lack of motivation, have them check in and ask themself:
What am I feeling right now?
Where am I feeling it in my body?
What does my brain/body need right now? (e.g. mental rest, creative rest, sensory stimulation, connection, accountability, structure, a shower, something to eat…)
If I’m not sure, what has helped me in the past?
What’s one thing I can do right now to meet that need before starting this homework?
These strategies can be expressly incorporated into their written or visual plan (in their planner, on a Mind Map, on a wall calendar, on a post-it note stuck inside their phone case…)
2. Incorporating novelty
ADHD brains tend to get used to stimuli quickly, meaning repetitive or familiar tasks lose their glimmer faster than people without ADHD experience that loss.
ADHDers often crave quick feedback and instant rewards, and novelty provides an immediate "reward" in the form of stimulation, excitement, or a fresh challenge.
Keep a list of rotating projects for your student to cycle through when they need something fresh, allowing them to return to unfinished tasks when they feel new again.
Balance the need for structure and novelty by giving your student options for each work period or type of task depending on their energy and focus level.
E.g. Your kid is struggling with focus and has high physical energy, but they still need to make progress on a research project. Have them watch a short fun YouTube video on their topic while pedaling an indoor bike, then use a speech-to-text tool to dictate brief notes as they explain what they just watched.
Encourage your student to imagine they’re playing a role on a movie set and "performing for the camera” as they complete the task.
Role play. How would their favorite videogame character write the next paragraph of their story? Have them put on a YouTube video of some ambient sounds (or videogame soundtracks: great for focus!) while they work
Switch up their location or environment while working. Try working sprawled out on the floor, while walking around or pedaling a stationary bike, in a different room of your home, at the park, at a new coffee shop, at the library, etc. Practice vocab in the shower or while waiting for food to cook. Listen to audiobooks while running on the treadmill or standing on a balance board. Get creative!
3. Incorporating personal interests
ADHDers operate with an "interest-based nervous system,” with attention and motivation being primarily driven by what is immediately interesting, stimulating, or emotionally engaging, rather than by conventional structures of importance, deadlines, or rewards. Strategies for ADHD need to make the task feel personally meaningful or relevant; otherwise, it can be extremely difficult to engage with or complete tasks. When your student isn’t immediately interested in something, they can dig a bit deeper to find or create meaning, importance, or worth in the task at hand.
Before tackling an essay or difficult piece of homework, explore fun, related rabbit holes: look up pop culture references or real-life examples related to the subject.
Prime their brain for hyperfocus by having them passively engage with interesting content related to their task. For example, if they want to practice Spanish but their real passion is cooking, they can follow Spanish-speaking chefs. If they love to play videogames and watch Netflix, they can change the subtitles on their favorite game or show to Spanish.
Make personal connections to the material. Our brains prioritize information relevant to us, so think about how those historical events or scientific concepts might relate to their life. When memorizing information, they can create stories involving familiar people or places.
When you can choose a topic for school, help your student spend the time to find one that really matters to them.
Find humor in the task, or opportunities to get creative with it. ADHDers are often really creative and funny, so hey…it makes sense to lean on those strengths and add a little pizzazz to things in order to create more personalized learning!
Understanding how ADHD affects motivation can empower both students and parents to break the procrastination-shame cycle. By addressing unmet needs, incorporating novelty, and connecting tasks to personal interests (on their own or through ADHD tutoring), teens can develop healthier relationships with challenging schoolwork and tasks. These effective tutoring techniques not only make learning more engaging but also harness the students’ unique strengths and help teens with ADHD unlock their potential and embrace their unique learning journey.
Sources:
Gendron, A. (2023, November 17). The Allure of Novelty for Those with ADHD. https://www.theminiadhdcoach.com/living-with-adhd/adhd-novelty
MedCircle, & MedCircle. (2024, February 21). Mastering ADHD: Productivity Hacks for your brain. MedCircle - The Most Trusted Source For Mental Health Education Videos. https://medcircle.com/articles/adhd-interest-based-nervous-system/
Neff, M. A. (2024, June 23). How the Interest-Based Nervous System Drives ADHD Motivation. Insights of a Neurodivergent Clinician. https://neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/adhd-motivation