Time Management Skills for Teens

From school to extracurricular activities to chores and homework, it’s an understatement to say that teens have a lot on their plates. Although it can be difficult to find the time, teaching practical time management skills is essential if you want them to be able to succeed in our fast-paced, technology-driven society. Here are some ideas for teaching teens time management skills.

1. Break up big tasks. When faced with a major, time-consuming task like a final project for school, your teen might panic. Help alleviate some of the anxiety and teach positive time management skills by helping him break that large task up into smaller ones. This can limit procrastination and overwhelm as well.

2. Use a calendar or planner. Utilize a calendar or another planning tool to block out your time. If calendars aren’t your teen’s thing, you can always use a pocket notebook, a wall chart, a planner, index cards, or even an app. Whatever the case may be, use this tool to record information and make sure your teen is reviewing the planner daily. Keep a list of priorities and to-do’s in the planner (whatever form that planner might take) and maintain a backup system just in case.

3. Identify the most productive period. Not everybody is most productive first thing in the morning. Some people are most productive in the late afternoon or right before bedtime. Encourage your teen to identify his most productive period and to come up with ways that he can use hits to his advantage. This can be a great step in teaching your teen time management.

4. Get organized. One reason why so many teens struggle with time management is that their physical lives aren’t particularly well-managed at all. If things are kept in order, it will be much easier for your teen to stay on track. Help him come up with an organizational system that works well for his belongings, needs, and system.

5. Set a weekly regroup time. We all have the best intentions, yet it seems like there are always those weeks where everything appears to have fallen apart. Plan ahead for this and encourage your teen to set a time each week to regroup. Perhaps it’s Sunday afternoon or Monday evening, a great time to tackle anything that’s leftover from the week before and to plan ahead for the upcoming week. Whatever the case may be, take time to get organized and figure out what needs to be done for a fresh start.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services