Time is considered to be one of the most valuable resources, especially in today's world. It is widely believed that the secret to achieving success in life is being able to effectively manage this resource that everyone possesses equally.
“Time management is extremely important, especially when it comes to the higher level of academia because it can boost grades and enhance productivity “(Laurie & Hellsten, 2002). In a highly competitive educational landscape, it is essential for every child to know how to plan and manage time effectively starting as early as elementary school. Time management becomes even more crucial as your child transitions into adulthood.
Children struggle with planning and organizing on their own and they have to be taught how to do it. This article will delve into the effective steps that parents could take to teach their child to manage time effectively on their own.
Prerequisites to Teaching Time Management:
Poor time management often stems from ineffective planning. The number one reason for poor planning is not knowing how long it takes to do a particular task. This can often lead to serious problems such as overscheduling and delayed submissions.
To begin understanding how long it takes to complete a task, encourage your child to practice time logging. Start by asking them to note down the time they wake up. As the day progresses, have them note every activity they do along with the time spent doing each activity. For example, they can keep a log of the time spent on getting ready in the morning, doing homework, traveling to school, and using social media. Continue this practice for a week to understand the average time spent on each activity.
At the end of the week, review the schedule to help your child plan their days better. Identify some of the top time-wasting activities in which your child spends chunks of time being unproductive. You can establish rules to monitor time-wasting activities by setting an upper limit on the time spent watching television or using the phone.
5 Easy Steps to Teach Time Management to Your Teens
Planners and calendars are not just going to help your child manage time better. They are efficient tools to keep track of workload and stay organized. Time management has more to do with cultivating self-discipline and learning the art of organizing and prioritizing.
The following section takes a deep dive into understanding the basic building blocks of time management.
Laying foundation vis Organization & Task Prioritization
Time management skills are closely intertwined with organization and task prioritization. Therefore, learning time management requires mastering organization and prioritization as well.
Help your teen visually organize their tasks by creating a table of activities with columns for tasks, deadlines, and priorities. Include commitments outside of school work, such as soccer games, birthday invites, and family events, in the list of priorities. Teach your child to prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. Urgent tasks may include projects with immediate deadlines or upcoming tests. Important tasks are those that contribute to your teen's long-term goals or values. Emphasize the importance of focusing on high-priority tasks first, those that are both urgent and important. Go a step further and categorize tasks into 3 different priority lists such as must do, would like to do and want to do.
Another practical tip for organization is to break down big tasks into smaller parts. Large, time-consuming projects can be overwhelming for teens and often lead to procrastination. Teach them to tackle these projects by breaking them into smaller, manageable chunks. Begin with smaller, doable tasks and then move on to more time-consuming tasks. Allow them to assign individual deadlines for the smaller tasks to prevent them from feeling overwhelmed by the end goal or project.
Interested in more organization and prioritization tips? Watch the video and learn about a valuable framework for staying productive, as suggested by Will Kirsop, EdTech Leader and Strategy Consultant at Crimson Education.
Shaping the Mindsets: Goal Setting Techniques
Teaching your teen time management is more about teaching your child to be responsible with the time they have and make meaningful use of it.
The key to encouraging responsible time management in your teen lies in helping them understand "why" it is important. Research has shown that teenagers who use goal-oriented time management practices tend to have better overall academic achievements. Setting goals builds intrinsic motivation and helps them take responsibility and control over their time.
To create effective goals, encourage your child to follow the SMART method—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-sensitive goals. While you teach them to create goals, guide them to break down the goals to create smaller actionable steps. Track progress along with your child can instill a sense of responsibility and time management in your teen. Encourage them to set short-term weekly goals along with long-term goals.
Another important aspect of teaching self-discipline and time management to your teenager involves helping them realize the consequences of their actions. Their actions here refer to how they utilize their time, and the consequences could be delayed submissions, low grades, or even higher levels of stress. Taking responsibility for their actions is a vital part of time management.
Fixing Schedules & Routines
Teenagers often have fairly structured schedules, which can result in them not learning how to manage their time wisely during periods of downtime.
Allow your teenager to take charge of structuring and planning their after-school hours. By giving them the freedom to create their own schedule, they will learn to be responsible for managing their time and meeting their priorities. Encourage them to schedule free time towards the end of their schedule to allow for relaxation and de-stressing. However, make sure to check their schedule to ensure they are not overscheduling or burning themselves out by jumping from one activity to the next. It's important for them to consider unavoidable activities such as walking home from school, eating, and getting ready for bed when planning their daily schedule.
Remember, creating a well-optimized schedule requires knowledge of estimating the time required to complete each individual task. Practice time logging, as mentioned in the earlier section of the article, to create a well-optimized schedule.
Parents can also work with their teen to establish fixed bedtimes, mealtimes, and set limits on screen time. Always encourage them to create a balanced schedule that allocates time for academics, extracurricular activities, and downtime.
Time Management Tools
Effective time management strategies can vary from person to person. Listed below are a few techniques to consider introducing to your preteen or teen.
The 80/20 Rule
Also known as Pareto analysis, this technique is based on the idea that 20% of actions are responsible for 80% of the results you achieve. This principle can be a valuable tool for prioritizing tasks and focusing on the most impactful activities. Help yourteenager identify the tasks and activities that contribute the most to their academic success. Encourage them to invest more time and effort in subjects or activities where they excel and find joy.
The Pomodoro Technique
It is extremely useful for tasks that require deep focus and attention, such as studying or writing. It helps not only with effective time management but also enhances productivity by breaking long hours into a series of manageable, focused intervals. An interval typically lasts between 25 to 30 minutes and is followed by a short break of 5 minutes.
Time blocking:
It is a time management technique that involves dividing your day into blocks of time dedicated to specific tasks or activities. Start by asking your teen to identify key activities in their day, such as classes, homework, study sessions, extracurricular activities, and leisure time. Then assign specific time blocks to each activity. Urgent or challenging tasks may require longer and more focused time blocks, while less demanding activities can be scheduled during shorter blocks. Introducing a planner or digital calendar can improve consistency, as it allows them to visualize their schedule, deadlines, and commitments.
The "Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand"
The rocks, pebbles and sand analogy compares the time available to a pickle jar filled with sand, pebbles, and rocks. The sand is at the bottom, and the rocks sit on top. The rocks, pebbles and sand theory emphasizes using a similar principle for scheduling day-to-day tasks to maximize productivity.
Rocks represent the most significant and essential tasks in your teen's life. These are their priorities and long-term goals. Pebbles are tasks that are important but may not have immediate deadlines. Sand refers to other minor and unimportant activities. They may begin scheduling the day with tasks of the highest priority and then move on to other priority sets. Always remember to avoid overscheduling and leaving room for de-stressing at the end of the day.
Time Management Online Tools for Teens
Block Distraction (distraction blocking app)
- RescueTime
- StayFocusd
Online Planners for Teens
- Todoist
- School Planner
- Microsoft To Do
- Time Planner
- Calendly
- Sectograph
- iStudiez
- Power Planner
- Any.do
Apps for Self regulation
- Moment
- Forest
Block time for focused work
- Pomodoro App
- Calendar update
Build a Study Positive Home Environment
It can be quite tempting to give constant reminders to your teenagers when you spot them sitting idle or wasting their time away. Research has shown that such reminders can be often counterproductive. Repeat reminders can diminish their sense of responsibility and demotivate them to initiate getting the work started.
Instead, set expectations and rules and follow them through. Set rules regarding the usage of phone, television, or time spent on playing video games. Set any time limits if necessary to control the excessive time wasted on electronic devices.
Recognizing progress and rewarding even the small victories is a necessary step toward building successful time management habits as it builds motivation and self-esteem. This practice may also lead to fostering a positive attitude towards school, chores, and extracurricular activities.
How Parents Can Support Time Management Skill Development in Teens
Effective time management has numerous benefits, including boosting overall well-being, prioritizing tasks, and significantly increasing productivity. Recognizing the crucial role of time management is essential. It's not just a skill for academic success; it's a transferable skill that can benefit individuals throughout their lives, promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Essentially, the key to teaching your teen to manage time efficiently on their own begins with intrinsic motivation and realizing the consequences of their actions. At Rise, we have adopted a similar methodology when it comes to teaching our students. We incorporate fundamental skills development, such as time management, into each module your child chooses. Each module that your child pursues is based on their passion and strengths, ensuring they stay motivated throughout their academic journey. Book a free consultation today to learn how our integrated model can strengthen your child's soft skills.
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