How to Get Your Teen Organized
Being organized is not a skill that comes naturally to most. And if you know my motto, you know that I always say that everyone organizes differently, just like we all learn differently.
Teaching children organizational skills will set them up for success. There are many studies that have shown that a disorganized space will cause higher rates of distraction and stress. Not to mention that a disorganized student will probably have a bad experience in school and struggle academically. So it’s important to teach these skills when they are younger, so they can take these skills with them when they go off to college.
Here are some things you can do to help your teen get and stay organized.
1. Figure Out What Kind Of Learner They Are
Some of us do better with visual cues, some like to read, and others like to just listen. Once you figure this out, you will be able to decide which methods may work for your child. If you don’t know, try asking your child’s teacher. They may be able to tell you strategies that work from a classroom perspective.
2. Establish Routines
As your child gets older, they will probably be getting more freedom and alone time at the house if you are off running errands. Really stress the importance of routines to your child and have them stick to a schedule when they get home or are finished with school.
For example, when they get home from school they will get all of their homework done for the next day and then put in an hours time focusing on a certain project that is due soon (that way they aren’t leaving it until the last minute to finish).
Or, they get home from school, they spend an hour having a snack, playing outside or doing some sort of exercise, then they do their homework. Whichever works for them!
3. Eliminate Distractions
I find it difficult for myself to get work done if I have my phone on. Simply by seeing a notification it distracts me and then I have to try and refocus on what I am doing again. So really teaching your child how to do homework and telling them that it is okay to actually turn their phone off so they won’t be distracted.
A good selling point? Tell them to turn their phone off and they will get their work done even faster without the distraction, leaving them more time to do what they want and have fun!
On top of turning off their phones, having a designated space in the house that is clutter free is another way to stop distractions. A disorganized space, will cause a disorganized mind. A designated space will help with concentration!
4. Set Up A Schedule/Calendar
Teaching your teen to set up a schedule and a to-do list will be a great organizational skill for school and for life. Show them how to use a paper planner, or to set up a calendar on their smart phone. Whichever will work for them.
Choose a time on Sunday and sit down together and go over your schedules for the week. Have them write down any extra curricular activities they have every week, check for any important things coming up (functions or projects), and then figure out when they will be working on those projects during the week. Encourage them to set reminders (either electronically or visually) about assignments coming up, and give themselves bench marks to accomplish tasks that aren’t due right away - this will prevent procrastination and help complete projects as they go along.
After doing this for the week, you will want to have them check their schedules on a daily basis. You can either have them incorporate this into their evening routine or morning routine. In the evening, they get ready for bed, they review their schedule for the following day, then make a list of what they need/want to get done in that day. Or they can do this every morning for that same day.
If you would like more information about how to get your kids organized, view my collection of past blog posts on this topic HERE
Talk to you soon!