How to Focus On School and Not the Boys

Co-authored by Jai Flicker

Last Updated: October 30, 2022 References Approved

School can seem so boring compared to boys, but it is an important part of your life. Crushes or boyfriends can make concentrating on your homework difficult, which might make you dread school. By making practical changes at home, focusing at school, and planning ahead, you can shine in class even when boys distract you.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Practical Changes at Home

1
Turn your phone off while you do your homework.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Jai Flicker
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.} Once you’re home safe, turn your phone off so interruptions don’t pull you away from your studies. If you’re expecting important calls from your parents, put your phone in “Do Not Disturb” mode, which allows you to receive phone calls from a few select phone numbers you choose ahead of time.
- Even if you aren’t getting contacted directly by boys, friends chatting about boys can be equally distracting. You can simply let them know it’s not a good time.
- You could say, “I’d love to talk another time, but I need to finish this project tonight.”
2
View your assignments in full-screen mode. Maximize the window you’re working on your homework in so you don’t get distracted by pop up messaging apps. It may be helpful to log out of messaging apps entirely, so the temptation to chat is removed if your crush or another boy messages you.^{[2]
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3
Log out of your social media accounts while studying. Close Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and any other social media accounts while you are doing your homework so you're not getting notifications.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Jai Flicker
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.} Removing this temptation will keep you from getting sucked into your crush’s feed or obsessing about the latest post a guy makes. A cursory social media browse can turn into a lost hour really quickly.^{[4]
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- Log out on your phone too, if that is a distraction for you.
4
Do your homework in a room other than your bedroom. Find a quiet place in your house to work that is not in your room. Your bedroom is full of clothes, makeup, and other distractions that may have you planning an outfit to impress a guy rather than focusing on your work. Studying in a different location keeps you from daydreaming about boys when you should be working.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Focusing at School

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Get some new school supplies that keep you engaged. Buy some brightly colored pens, binders, or other supplies that make you excited to go to class and focus on academics. If you look forward to attending class, you’re less likely to be distracted by guys in the hallway.^{[5]
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2
Make organization a part of your academic routine. Organization can be pleasing even if it doesn’t come naturally. Take pride in maintaining extremely organized notebooks for each subject, which in turn, will keep your mind on your studies. You’ll have less time to think about guys if you’re busy filing the latest handout in the right spot.^{[6]
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- Creating a color-coded system can help you keep your subject materials in order.
3
Take notes instead of passing notes. It can be hard not to get sucked in when a guy passes you a note or tries to catch your eye in class. Make a point of always taking notes, even if you don’t think it’s a noteworthy session. You’ll have a great record of the class you can refer to later, and you’ll appear busy when boys try to distract you from your studies.^{[7]
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- Taking notes will also keep your thoughts from wandering.
4
Treat your free periods as study halls to stay focused. Ask to be booked into a study hall by your registrar or find a quiet place in the library to do your work. Free periods during the school day can make it difficult to come back to class and focus, especially if you’ve been chatting about boys. Creating a personal study hall will keep your mind focused.^{[8]
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5
Connect with people who have the same goals. Use study groups and class projects to seek out new friends who are trying to focus on school rather than on guys. Having people in your life with the same goals means they will respect your boundaries when you say you’re working. They can also support you to keep your ambitions on track.^{[9]
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- You can feel out a new friend’s priorities by saying, “I find boys so distracting. I’m really trying to focus on my schoolwork right now so I can accomplish my goals.” Let the person chime in with their thoughts. You may find they are on the exact same page.
6
Join a club that can help you do well in school. Academic clubs can keep your extracurricular time fun while taking the focus off boys. They can also help you meet likeminded people who are trying to do well in school. Plus, a club may help you deepen your interest in a subject you already enjoy.^{[10]
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- If you love science, you might try a robotics club, or if you love English, you could try an open mic society.
7
Bring headphones when you work in public. Wearing headphones while you’re working at school lets others know that you don’t want to be bothered. You don’t need to actually listen to music while you work. Wearing the headphones alone will keep you from getting sucked into a conversation about boys or keep guys from approaching you.^{[11]
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- Keep a pair in your book bag, so they’re easily accessible whenever you need them.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Planning Ahead

1
Track how you spend your time for more balance. Use a time-tracking computer app, such as Rescue Time, to understand how you’re spending your time online. You might be losing a lot of hours you could be studying chatting with guys. Keep track of your time to make sure you’re spending enough time on your schoolwork.^{[12]
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- An hourly study target can help you sideline boy distractions.
2
Plan for the week ahead on the weekend instead of going to parties. Consult your planner and prioritize the assignments for the coming week. Use the distraction-free time when everyone else is consumed with a party to get a head start on the most difficult tasks. Doing this will make your school week easier, as you’ll have gotten the most difficult work out of the way.
3
Set a goal for school every day. In the evenings, take 5 minutes to set an academic goal for the next day. It may be reading 3 chapters of your history lesson, understanding a hard math problem, or talking with your teacher about your writing skills. Naming a concrete thing you’d like to achieve keeps your attention focused on the goal rather than on boys.^{[13]
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- It may help to write your goal down in your day planner to keep it at the top of your mind. You can refer back to it when you’re feeling distracted.
4
Set long-term goals to stay motivated. While setting small goals can keep you going from day to day, you need a bigger purpose to keep you motivated about school. Whether you’ll be the first in your family to attend college or you have a particular job in mind, think about some long-term achievements your studies are building towards.^{[14]
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- Staying connected to your dreams will make it easier to ignore the background drama of boys, dances, and crushes.
5
Set aside time to be social. Focusing on school is easier when you know you’ll get a break to indulge in your boy-craziness occasionally. You might reward yourself with social time when you hit an academic goal. Find a way of being social that works for you and helps you achieve balance with your studies.
- For example, you might make a deal with yourself that you can go to a dance if you finish your social studies paper early. You may even work harder on your paper because you really want to go to the dance.
- Remember that most high school relationships don’t last. While it may feel like focusing on your studies takes you out of some social loop, what you learn in school is way more enduring and useful than any boy could be to you.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I stop messaging boys when I'm supposed to be studying?

Jai Flicker
Academic Tutor
Jai Flicker is an Academic Tutor and the CEO and Founder of Lifeworks Learning Center, a San Francisco Bay Area-based business focused on providing tutoring, parental support, test preparation, college essay writing help, and psychoeducational evaluations to help students transform their attitude toward learning. Jai has over 20 years of experience in the education management industry. He holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of California, San Diego.

Jai Flicker

Academic Tutor

Expert Answer

Put your phone on silent or Do Not Disturb. You can also turn off notifications on your computer. Then it will be easier to focus on your schoolwork.