Life as a young adult can be stressful. Whether you are about to go to college, in college, just graduated or about to start your first "real" job, there needs to be organization for you in learning how to pay your bills, learning to do the things that your parents have most likely always done for you and learning how to use your resources when you need assistance. Organizing your resources, important dates and telephone numbers can help to reduce this stress. Are you a paper organizer or an electronic organizer? Both are fine....but they are different. Learn what feels more calming to you. Do you like everything to be organized on your phone or in a Daytimer book? Learn the risks and benefits of both methods and decide what you like. If after 6 months or so you are still not feeling organized, know that you have options. Ask friends and family how they get organized. Try a new method. Keep trying new methods until you feel comfortable.
Life as a teenager is stressful as well. Learning how to organize school work and possibly a part-time job and friends can be a lot to handle. Parents can be helpful in beginning to teach organizational skills to their teens. Begin to ask your teen how they might solve the problem, instead of giving them the answers. Allow them to develop their problem-solving skills now, so that when they get to college it becomes more natural. Reviewing school planners with your kids and developing effective ways of using them efficiently can reduce stress for kids. They don't have to wonder about homework, as it will be written in their planners, if they develop those habits now. Share with your teenagers the skills you use to organize your day. Tell them about how you plan for daily meals, or when to go to the doctor or when and how you pay the bills and get chores done. Ask them how they think that everything gets done in your home. Sharing your strategies with them and even involving them in some of the organization in the home can have a big payoff for them when they get a little older.
Youngsters need organization and schedules too. The younger you can get your children on a schedule, the less stress it may be for you parents. If your child knows that the bedtime routine involves dinner, playing outside, bath time, reading a book and then bed and you are consistent, your child should know what comes next and follow through on the plan on a consistent basis. If the routine is always different, your child will not know what comes next and will always push to do different things, causing extra stress for everyone. Organize your youngster's day as well with quiet time and some separate time away from you. Let a child begin to organize his or her books on their book shelf or put their toys away in the bins that have been provided. Kids begin to build confidence in their own abilities when they accomplish tasks. Give them the chance. A schedule also provides consistency for Mom and Dad as well. Consistency creates organization. Organization reduces stress. Keep in mind that there will always be an exception here and there. Make the exception truly the exception, though.
Now that we have looked at organization and reducing stress at all ages, I can't wait to hear how life is better for you. If you need any assistance organizing that life, I would be happy to assist. Connect with me through my website. Or if you are interested in feedback from those you love, don't be afraid to ask them if you look or seem stressed, or they may see you as less stressed recently for some reason. Can be a good discussion to have with those around you.
