Zoom learning is less than ideal
Wait, maybe I have ADHD… or maybe it’s zoom learning.
Students have been forced to self teach and parents have been forced to become teachers, many while doing their own work. Motivation is down across the board, but why is this so? Well one thing contributing is that no one is being held accountable in real time. There is no redirection if attention is waning in class or if assignments aren’t being handed in. There also isn’t positive feedback from teachers when there is a good grade or solid performance. Also, many students are mourning what this year could have looked like. Whether this is related to being with friends, entering high school, finishing high school, or starting/finishing at college or graduate school. None of us imagined this year going as it did and most of us feel robbed of certain experiences. This feeling is natural, but it may be helpful to shift that mindset. Everyone on the planet has had a different year than expected, focusing on what could have been will not serve us well. Instead let’s think of the silver linings, let’s think of things we are thankful or grateful for (there is always something, even if it’s the leftover pumpkin pie cheesecake in the fridge). (Not my actual cheesecake pictured below).
We need to understand how we learn or work and give ourselves a break if we need a... well, break. Many of us are focused on staying safe and surviving the things happening this year. If we think about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (insert google picture here), being focused on safety and physiological needs, we really don’t feel the same pressures to complete that homework assignment or send that email. Whether its multiplication tables, email niceties, or an essay on the powerhouse of the cell, they just don’t seem as important as they once did. One of the top questions I have been getting recently is, “Do I have ADHD??”
Measuring attention deficits right now is much more difficult. The environments we are working in, going to class in, trying to be productive in, are almost setting us up to be distracted. For someone who has ADHD, they have brain structures that are different sizes and an ADHD brain works in different ways than a neurotypical brain. If you want clarity, you can seek out full neuropsychological testing or consultation with a professional, but for now, perhaps you can use some coping skills to make things easier for you.
Things that could help (in the form of a bullet list to help with attention and motivation to read through it):
Organize.
WRITE THINGS DOWN.
Make to-do lists.
Schedule breaks.
Ensure you are nourishing your body with movement, food, and water.
BREATHE.
Look up funny videos of baby animals.
Set small goals and break things down into smaller pieces. Like really small pieces.
Prioritize.
Focus on small wins.
Use timers and analog clocks.
Have a separate location for work/school and sleeping/relaxing.
WALK (preferably outside).
Ask for help.
Try a hobby or activity instead of electronic use.
Use a physical calendar (I recommend a white board calendar in a common area).
Set app limits on your phone.
Get an accountabilibuddy (accountability-buddy…get it… no?…. okay skip that one)
Talk with someone who can help you figure out what’s not working.
SCREAM INTO A PILLOW.
and just keeping swimming.
Doc Hotz