If your child struggles to concentrate on homework, the smartphone is often a major cause. Research finds that "the mere presence of a smartphone results in lower cognitive performance," and one incoming notification pulls the brain out of focus. So the most effective step is simple: put the phone out of reach during homework, preferably in another room.
That sounds strict, but it isn't a matter of willpower. The way a smartphone works is designed to capture attention. In this article you'll read why that is, and what really helps.
Why the smartphone undermines concentration
Our brain likes the easy path, and distraction takes less effort than concentration. A hard exercise costs effort; glancing at a message doesn't. The smartphone makes that easy path available all the time.
A 2023 study in Scientific Reports found that students with a phone on the desk, switched off and face-down, scored lower on a concentration test than those whose phones were in another room. In other words, the device doesn't even have to buzz: its mere presence consumes "limited cognitive resources." The Child Mind Institute adds that "some of this distraction is happening on an unconscious level."
Notifications make it worse. Apps "ping us with notifications," and even without an alert kids find themselves "restlessly reaching for the phone to scroll." Every ping is a small invitation to drop out of the task.
Multitasking is a myth
Many children think they can study and check their phone at the same time. But the brain can't really do two things at once with attention. It jumps back and forth between tasks, and that costs time and energy.
The Child Mind Institute is blunt: "nobody is actually good at multitasking." Switching tasks has a cost called "resumption lag," the gap between being interrupted and getting back into the work. A Stanford study found that heavy media multitaskers had more trouble ignoring distractions and did worse on a task-switching test. The result, the article says, is "shallower thinking and more time spent actually working."
Information also sticks less well. Working memory has little room, and when it's overloaded, the material has less chance to move into long-term memory. Studying with the phone nearby means remembering less.
What really helps: set up the environment
Concentration doesn't start with willpower, but with an environment that removes distraction. A few concrete measures that make the difference:
| Measure | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Phone in another room | Even out of sight, a device pulls attention less |
| Notifications off | No ping that drags the brain out of the task |
| One task at a time | No harmful back-and-forth between tasks |
| Fixed, quiet spot | Fewer stimuli, quicker to focus |
| Work in blocks with breaks | Attention holds better in short stretches |
The first measure is the most important. Just silencing the phone often isn't enough; its mere presence distracts. Another room works better than "next to the book, screen down."
Work in blocks with breaks
Nobody can stay focused for hours on end, children least of all. So work in blocks: a stretch of focused study, followed by a short break. Younger children need shorter blocks than teens.
Do agree that the break isn't phone time. The Child Mind Institute advises keeping phone breaks "away from their study space, too," and not letting them "bleed into homework time." Standing up, drinking or walking lets the brain rest; five minutes of scrolling pulls attention right back out, and building focus starts over.
Concentration can be trained
Good news: concentration isn't fixed. It can be learned and unlearned. Whoever gives in to every notification gets used to that constant drifting. Whoever practises focused work builds the attention muscle instead.
The more your child practises working undisturbed, the easier it gets. A phone-free homework routine isn't only handy for today; it trains a skill your child will need for the rest of their school career, because "learning to unplug from distractions is a life skill." More tips for building that routine in help your child with homework without giving the answer.
Not everything is the smartphone
The phone is a big disruptor, but not the only cause of concentration problems. Too little sleep, hunger, a task that's too hard or simply a long, tiring school day all play a part. So it's good not to blame everything on the screen.
If you notice your child structurally struggles to focus, look broadly. Are they sleeping enough? Is there time to unwind after school? Does the amount of homework fit the age? If the problems persist, discuss them with the teacher or the student guidance centre (CLB); sometimes there's more behind it than distraction alone.
How long can a child concentrate?
Don't expect an hour of unbroken focus from a child. Attention span grows with age, and planning homework in blocks that are too long mainly leads to frustration. Use the following as a rough guide, and adjust to your child:
- First years of primary school: short blocks, alternated with movement.
- Older primary-school children: slightly longer blocks, with clear breaks.
- Secondary school: longer blocks are possible, but breaks stay necessary.
The idea is always the same: several short, focused blocks beat one long session where attention fades anyway.
Set the example yourself
Children sense when the rules don't apply to everyone. If you're constantly on your own screen while asking your child to put theirs away, that creates confusion.
That doesn't mean you have to be perfect. But a family where screen-free moments apply to everyone makes it much easier for your child to concentrate. And using a screen together meaningfully is fine, as long as it's done on purpose.
Frequently asked questions
Can the smartphone stay nearby during homework?
Better not. Research finds that 'the mere presence of a smartphone results in lower cognitive performance,' even switched off. Put the device out of reach, in another room, during homework.
My child says they can multitask. Is that true?
No. As the Child Mind Institute puts it, 'nobody is actually good at multitasking.' The brain switches between tasks at a cost and retains less. One task at a time works better.
Does turning off notifications help?
Yes. Apps ping with notifications, and even without an alert kids find themselves 'restlessly reaching for the phone to scroll.' Turn notifications off or put the device away so the temptation disappears.
Can concentration be trained?
Partly. 'Learning to unplug from distractions is a life skill,' notes the Child Mind Institute. A phone-free homework routine builds focus over time; a calm environment helps a lot.
How Atlas helps
Even with the phone in another room, the computer your child studies on is still full of temptations. Atlas helps there: during study at home it can lock games and other timed apps, so the computer stays a study device. External AI apps and websites are then blocked too, so your child doesn't drift off halfway or fetch the answer elsewhere. School and allowed apps keep working. With the "learning first, then games" rule, play only comes after studying, and because the same rules apply on computer, phone and tablet, the distraction falls away on every device at once.
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