Managing focus between schoolwork and extracurriculars

Key Takeaways

Audience Spotlight: Supporting Neurodivergent High School Learners

For many parents of neurodivergent children, the high school years bring new challenges and opportunities. Managing focus between schoolwork and extracurriculars can be uniquely complex for students who experience differences in attention, sensory processing, or executive function. You may notice that your child feels easily overloaded, finds it hard to switch between tasks, or needs more recovery time than peers. These are all normal experiences for neurodivergent learners, and with thoughtful support, your child can thrive both in the classroom and beyond.

Understanding the Challenge: Why Is Managing Focus Between Schoolwork and Extracurriculars So Hard?

High school is a time of growth, social exploration, and increasing expectations. For neurodivergent learners—such as those with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or learning differences—juggling multiple commitments can feel especially daunting. Experts in child development note that the demands on executive function skills are greater than ever. Many teachers and parents report that teens may want to participate in sports, music, clubs, or volunteering, but then struggle to keep up with assignments, projects, and studying.

It is important to remember that managing focus between schoolwork and extracurriculars is not just about being busy. It involves shifting attention, planning ahead, and coping with stress. For neurodivergent students, these skills are still developing and may require extra practice and support. The goal is not perfection, but progress—helping your child learn what works best for them and how to speak up when they need help.

Balancing Academics and Activities: Proven Time Management Strategies

• Create a visual schedule: Many neurodivergent students benefit from seeing their week laid out clearly. Use a whiteboard, planner, or calendar app to map out classes, due dates, practices, and downtime. Color coding can make it easier to spot conflicts or overloaded days.
• Break tasks into smaller steps: Big projects or long assignments can feel overwhelming. Help your child break them down into bite-sized pieces, each with its own mini-deadline.
• Build in buffer time: Fatigue and transition time are real needs for neurodivergent learners. Try to avoid back-to-back commitments, and include short breaks for movement, snacks, or quiet time.
• Use reminders and cues: Alarms, sticky notes, or digital notifications can prompt your child to start homework, pack a bag, or get ready for practice. Encourage your child to experiment with what kinds of reminders work best for them.
• Plan for unpredictability: Sometimes, things do not go as planned—a test takes longer, a club meeting is rescheduled, or your child needs a mental health day. Teach your child to adjust their schedule without guilt, using flexible thinking to reprioritize as needed.

If you are looking for more targeted tips, our time management resources offer additional tools and printable templates.

High School and Balancing Academics & Activities: What Do Typical Struggles Look Like?

Many parents notice their neurodivergent high schoolers experience certain patterns when trying to balance school and activities:

• Forgetting assignments because of after-school commitments or fatigue.
• Difficulty shifting attention from a favorite activity (like art or robotics club) back to homework.
• Emotional overwhelm when faced with a full calendar or unexpected changes.
• Trouble estimating how long tasks will take, leading to last-minute stress.

It is common for students to feel discouraged or for families to experience tension over missed deadlines or canceled plans. Remember, these struggles are not signs of laziness or lack of motivation. They reflect differences in how your child’s brain processes information, manages energy, and adapts to new demands.

How Can I Help My Child Balance School and Activities Without Causing More Stress?

Parents often ask how to encourage participation in extracurriculars while still keeping academics on track, especially when their child is prone to burnout or anxiety. Start by having open conversations about what your child enjoys most—and what feels overwhelming. Some students may need to limit themselves to one or two meaningful activities at a time. Others thrive with more structure or shorter activity commitments.

• Co-create priorities: Sit down together at the start of each term to decide which activities are most important and which can be paused if school gets busy.
• Celebrate effort and progress, not just outcomes. Remind your child that learning to balance competing priorities is a lifelong skill.
• Normalize asking for help: Many high schoolers feel pressure to “do it all.” Model self-advocacy by reaching out to teachers, coaches, or school counselors if your child is struggling to keep up.
• Encourage self-reflection: After a busy week, ask your child how their energy levels felt. What worked? What would they change for next time?

Time Management Skills for Neurodivergent High Schoolers: Building Independence

Building time management and organizational skills is a gradual process. Your child may need more support at first, but over time they can become more independent. Strategies that support managing focus between schoolwork and extracurriculars include:

• Choosing the right tools: Some students prefer paper planners, while others like digital calendars or visual timers. The key is consistency and ease of use.
• Setting realistic goals: Instead of aiming for perfect grades and full participation, help your child identify what is most meaningful and sustainable.
• Practicing transitions: Many neurodivergent learners struggle with stopping one activity and starting another. Use verbal or visual cues to help with these shifts, and allow for short “reset” times between activities.

For more ideas on supporting executive function, visit our executive function resources.

Definitions

Executive function: The set of mental skills that help people plan, focus, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully.

Neurodivergent learners: Students who have brains that process information differently due to conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or other learning differences.

Related Resources

• Helping Kids Who Struggle With Executive Functions
• The Instant Guide to Time Management for Kids
• Clubs and Hobbies as Extracurricular Activities

Tutoring Support

K12 Tutoring understands the unique strengths and challenges of neurodivergent high schoolers. Our tutors work alongside families to develop personalized strategies for managing focus between schoolwork and extracurriculars. We value collaboration and will help your child build skills and confidence, step by step.

Trust & Transparency Statement

Last reviewed: October 2025
This article was prepared by the K12 Tutoring education team, dedicated to helping students succeed with personalized learning support and expert guidance. K12 Tutoring content is reviewed periodically by education specialists to reflect current best practices and family feedback. Have ideas or success stories to share? Email us at [email protected].