Time & Task Management for Teens

Earlier today, my daughter came to me and said, “Dad, can I talk to you? I’m really stressed out.” When I asked her what was bothering her, she started listing all the things she felt she needed to do. I took her through a process similar to the one below, which immediately relieved her stress and sent her on her way, ready to tackle the rest of the day.

Your Mind Is For Having Ideas, Not Holding Them

1. Capture Everything

The first step is to capture everything you need to do. This means getting all your tasks and ideas out of your head and into a system. Apple Reminders is a simple tool for creating lists in different categories to keep you organized.

• Open the Reminders app.
• Tap “Add List” to create separate lists for school, performing, personal tasks, etc.
• Whenever you think of something you need to do, quickly add it to the appropriate list.

Example: You need to learn the harmonies for “Thank You Very Much.” Open your “WEK” list and add “Learn Thank You Very Much Harmonies.”

2. Clarify Your Tasks

Next, clarify what each task really means. It’s important to turn vague ideas into specific actions.

• Look at each reminder you’ve captured. Ask yourself, “What’s the next step I need to take to move this forward?”
• Break down large tasks into small steps. For example, if your task is “Study for history test,” break it into smaller steps like “Review chapter 3 notes” or “Create a study guide.”
• Use the “Notes” or “Subtasks” features in Apple Reminders to add details to each task if necessary.

3. Organize

Now that you have a list of tasks, it’s time to organize them. You can categorize tasks based on where or when you can do them, and Apple Reminders offers handy tools to help you sort them.

• Create lists for different areas of your life (e.g., “School,” “Chores,” “WEK,” “Personal Goals”).
• Set deadlines for time-sensitive tasks by adding due dates.
• Use the “Scheduled” view to see what’s coming up so you know when to prioritize certain tasks.

4. Reflect

Reflection is key to staying on track. Set aside time each day or week to review your lists and see what’s coming up.

• Open the Reminders app and look over your tasks. Ask yourself if there’s anything you forgot to add or if anything can be marked as complete.
• Adjust deadlines or priorities if needed.

5. Engage (Do the Work!)

Once everything is organized, it’s time to take action. Your list should always show you the next task you need to tackle.

• Use your Reminders app to stay on top of what you need to do each day.
• Complete tasks one by one. As you finish, mark them as done to clear your list.

Extra Tips for Using Apple Reminders:

• Add Reminders with Siri: Quickly capture tasks by saying, “Siri, remind me to finish my English essay.”
• Set Priorities: Mark important tasks as high priority to keep them at the top of your lists.
• Use Time-Based Alerts: Set specific times for tasks with deadlines so that Reminders notifies you.

By using Apple Reminders, you’ll always know what needs to be done, reduce your stress, and stay on top of everything—whether it’s schoolwork, WEK, chores, or personal goals. Start practicing these steps, and you’ll find it much easier to manage your tasks.

Remember, your mind is for having ideas, not for holding them.