Clean Up Your Calendar
In Northern Virginia, having a packed calendar and being perpetually busy are frequently viewed as teen status symbols. However, adolescents who experience depression and/or anxiety often find that their symptoms increase when they are overscheduled. A significant source of stress, overscheduling actually can make youth hesitant and uncertain of what to do when they finally have free time.
Being tired or irritable, having headaches and sleeping poorly all can be signs that an adolescent’s days are too full of activities and responsibilities. Similarly, if nothing seems to appeal to a teen anymore, parents and guardians should take notice.
To clean up your calendar, inventory your schedule by recording everything you spend time on for one week. Apps, such as Toggl, can help you track your time online, which may be a surprising amount once it is totaled. At the end of the week, look at the results and consider if you can spend your time in more efficient and satisfying ways. For example, useful questions to ask yourself are “What is a particular activity’s real purpose and do I still enjoy it?”
Blocking time on your calendar to uninterruptedly focus on single tasks can be helpful and establishing periods where you are technology free also has benefits, including allowing you to see problems in new ways and to reconnect with the people in your life. Consider setting aside 10 minutes each day for your favorite activity.
Establish “scheduled spontaneity,” one or more hours during the week to have coffee or lunch with a friend, go for a hike, watch a sunset or do something unexpected that is not planned in advance. On the weekend, engage in “active rest,” which can range from taking your dog for a walk to knitting or reading a book. (The latter not only improves cognitive function and working memory, it also will help you to detect and better understand other people’s emotions.)
A teen’s schedule should have space for schoolwork, eating, sleeping, family, socializing and relaxation. Learning how to manage your time, including occasional periods of boredom, is an essential life skill. One of the keys to better mental health is finding balance in an often overscheduled world.