Author: Diana Prince
I don’t think there’s a single person who’s a teen or older that hasn’t experienced stress. Stress doesn’t have to come from school, it can come from friends, family, clubs, work and so much more. So often it seems that we just don’t have enough time to handle everything in our lives, and we just get super overwhelmed. However, I see that often we end up wasting a lot of time that contributes to getting stressed later on.
Be it spending hours on Facebook, or binge-watching Netflix when we should be working on that paper… many of us struggle to make the right decisions. Here are some tips on how to work a bit more self-control into your life.
1. Set Sub-Goals for yourself
Sometimes a big project or a long shift at work seems so impossible that we don’t even know where to start. The obvious response? Run away and leave it to the last minute, but it’s often a lot easier to get yourself started on these things when you break tasks up into smaller sections. If it’s a project, break it up into smaller components. If it’s a long shift, focus on getting through maybe the first half, or each hour. Whatever the task, it can always be broken up into smaller sections, which can de-stress the situation.
2. Be Realistic!
It’s a really common mistake to decide “I’m going to finish this whole project tonight!” And then end up falling short because the demand was just too high. Unfortunately, what you might end up doing is not meeting your goal. Instead, make sure you know your limits, and know what’s necessary to stay healthy and productive. After a while, you’ll have a really good idea of how much you can do in a day, and you’ll be able to plan and manage your time accordingly.
3. Don’t Make Yourself Remember
Some people have great memories. Often they can remember a ten-item to-do list for a whole day of school or work or both. However, even if you can remember, it’s often a lot easier to write it down. Having to keep everything on your mind all the time can get really exhausting and stressful. A lot of people find that they feel a lot less stressed when they just write the things they need to remember down, so they don’t have to keep all that stuff in their head.
4. Treat Yourself
It sounds silly, but it really does work, so treat yourself and take a break. We often push ourselves to work so hard that at one point, we just can’t resist and need to take a break. What happens when we do this impulsively, however, is that we end up not working productively. We might end up stretching our break out for hours, or just constantly getting distracted while we work. The best way to avoid this is to know how long you can sit and focus (often it can be as short as 25 minutes) before you need a short break. If you plan your breaks in advance, you have a lot more control over how you spend your time.
These are just a few simple tips to help manage your time and gain some self-control. However, if these tips don’t work for you that’s okay! If you ever need support, don’t hesitate to contact ConnecTeen.
