How to Support Your Busy Teen
Ivy Griffin
Have you noticed that your teen has been struggling with their busy schedule? Have you observed your teen feeling overwhelmed and frustrated because they have a lot on their plate? Have you recognized that your teen is neglecting their daily needs in order to keep up with their busy lives? Teaching our teens how to balance a busy schedule while prioritizing their needs can help lead our teens to become successful and healthy individuals.
Below are four tips on how you can support your teen in managing their busy schedules while making sure they are prioritizing their daily needs.
Organizing Tasks
Encouraging your teen to make a list of their daily tasks can help your teen feel more organized and less overwhelmed. It could be easy for teens to get lost in tasks that do not necessarily need their attention until the next day, week, or even month. Encouraging your teen to ask themselves “What really needs to be done today and what can wait until later?” can help teens with better focus and organization day to day.
Taking Breaks
Finding time to take even small 5 minute breaks throughout the day can be helpful in making sure that your teen is checking-in with their needs. Are they thirsty? Hungry? Do they need to use the restroom? Getting caught up in their busy day can lead teens to neglect their everyday needs and hurt their physical and mental wellbeing. This is why taking breaks throughout their busy day can be very crucial when it comes to prioritizing their daily needs.
Practicing Self-Compassion
It can be really easy for teens to be hard on themselves. Encouraging your teen to be kinder and more patient with themselves can really make a difference. Pointing out when your teen is being their own biggest critic can help increase their level of awareness and help them to step back and realize that being hard on themselves isn’t making anything easier.
Making Time for Self-Care
Supporting your teen with making time in their week to engage in self-care can go a long way. Encouraging teens to schedule some time to do things that they really enjoy like spending quality time with family/friends, watching their favorite movie or show, making their favorite meal, etc. can help teens with finding a healthy balance in their lives.
Balancing a busy schedule can be difficult for people in general. So please remember that your teen is doing their best. Being a supportive and empathetic parent can be very helpful in assisting teens with learning how to balance their busy schedule while making their daily needs a priority.
Warmly,
Allison Barragan, MS, LMFT #124561
Thrive Therapy & Counseling
916-287-3430
https://thrivetherapyandcounseling.com/allison-barragan
Pronouns: she/her