Many parents just want their child to master motivation and become driven to learn and improve. What’s interesting is that when they talk about it, they refer to motivation as if it depends on whether their child feels like doing something or not.
“She just doesn’t feel like studying at home….”
“I just want him to love to read and learn, be more curious.”
But what if we told you that improving your teenager’s motivation isn’t the big mystery most parents think it is? What are the ways for your child to harness and master motivation in a sustainable way that they can rely on throughout the term or year, even in draining or high-pressure scenarios?
Having sustainable motivation is a proactive process. It’s part of a bigger, essential strategy that involves developing effective study habits and planning for your child’s academic journey. But because some parents miss out on this critical step, they only get to look at motivation reactively in the past and by that point, your child’s ability to pivot is going to be much more limited.
In this article, we’ve outlined five actionable tips to support your child to master motivation so it comes to them naturally.
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Hack Habits with Dopamine
Dopamine is a “feel-good” chemical that plays a key role in developing motivation. When the brain releases this hormone, dopamine allows us to pursue activities and behaviours that give us satisfaction and reward.
If you understand and know the activities that give your teen a sense of reward, you’ll be able to hack new habits and develop motivation-boosting behaviours.
For example, you can set up study rituals that bring instant, satisfying rewards. Establish short breaks with a favourite activity after 30 minutes of focused study. This can stimulate your child’s dopamine release and help them associate studying with positivity. Over time, they’ll be able to create a self-sustaining loop where they enjoy effective study habits.
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Set Up a Guiding Coalition
Setting up an environment suitable to your child’s studies goes beyond decluttering their desk or keeping distractions locked in another room. It includes the people they interact with and support them on a regular basis.
At Kalibrate-Ed, we call this network a Guiding Coalition. It’s like having a dedicated team around your child that encourages them to push forward and supports them when their motivation levels hit a low spot. This coalition can include your child’s teachers, family members and coaches who can provide them with direction.
A Guiding Coalition can help your child navigate studying and make challenging tasks more manageable. If you’re curious about building a strong support network for your child, we offer a free resource on creating and maintaining a motivating, supportive environment. You can check it out here.
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Map Your Child’s Motivation and Productivity
Consistency is key when it comes to motivation. When students experience jagged spikes and dips in their motivation, it can lead to uneven productivity. Inconsistent motivation levels make studying more draining and less effective for your child.
Find ways to help your child identify and map out their productivity highs and lows. Once you have a clear view of their motivation levels, work with them to create routines that can level out the peaks and troughs.
For example, you can keep track of when they feel most productive and create structured study time around those peaks. You can also ‘smoothen’ the flow between focus times with short breaks to build resilience and keep their motivation levels steady.
Helping Your Child Master Motivation – Fast
Introducing new behaviours to boost your child’s motivation and develop effective study habits is easier said than done. Most teenagers will be tempted to push back on anything parents ask them to do that feels like work, especially when they don’t associate these behaviours with something that’s beneficial to their immediate priorities.
With that, we’ve created different resources to help you get your child at their optimum motivation levels and make sure they’ll be able to harness motivation anytime they need it:
- Motivation First-Aid Kit: A three-step rapid response to support teenagers who are struggling with motivation and focus.
- Motivation-to-Marks Cheat Sheet: 30+ ways to improve and protect your child’s motivation.
- Effective Study Game Plan: A Study Playbook with specific strategies to help your child improve their motivation and other study skill domains for higher marks.
You can email us at community@kalibrate-ed.com to learn more details about your preferred motivation resource.
But if you’re a parent of a Year 7-12 struggling student and want them to master motivation and implement stronger study skills without the nagging, then you should check out the FREE live session we’re hosting on Wednesday 27th November online at Zoom.
The practical session focuses on Effective Study Habits without Nagging. We’ll help you take things off your plate and make it easier for you and your child to improve their grades.
To get your free ticket, click here to register: https://studyresources.com.au/effective-study-habits-without-nagging/
