Simply Living Mindfully
Time Management for Young Adults
Are you using your time effectively or do you feel like there’s too much to accomplish in your day? Are your tasks leaving you feeling exhausted, burnt out, or ready to give up?
Although it may seem like “you have all the time in the world,” you must be prepared for the unexpected. Time is one thing we cannot take, make, save, have, turn back, or slow down.
As you transition into adulthood, your time will often be split among the many demands of academia and family responsibilities…..once you add-in extracurricular activities, a job, and social life, you can easily feel as if there is very little time for you to just….relax. To manage all of your responsibilities with your desire to enjoy your adulting years, developing practical time management skills will be essential to your success.
Poor time management practices have adverse effects that have the potential to trickle down to stress build up in every aspect of your life. Studies show that every school year, many teens develop unhealthy levels of stress that leads:
31% feeling overwhelmed
30% feeling depressed or sad
36% feeling fatigue or tired
23% skipping meals due to stress
By developing an effective time management routine, you increase your physical and mental health, reduce your risk of becoming a lifelong procrastinator or workaholic, and learn how to navigate around the increasing demands of life.
You deserve to live a good life, enjoying guilt-free time for
life’s simplicities!
We want to see you flourish mentally and emotionally. In order to reach this level of stability, you must effectively use each 24 hours of your day to work in your favor.
Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become - James Clear
Since time is a created construct that we cannot control, we must place our focus on what we can control... our thoughts, our actions, and our energy. Below are two key focal points that are essential for simply living life mindfully on your journey to adulthood.
Learn to Prioritize:
It sounds simple, but this does take real-time and effort. People who manage their time effectively have learned the value in placing their focus on what truly matters the most. You’re going to have to structure your time and energy around tasks and experiences that are important to you and keep you aligned with your purpose. This means minimizing time spent on activities that do not help you grow or improve your quality of life.
It is okay to do some things really well, versus a little bit of everything with mediocrity. Ask yourself, are you effectively multitasking or just “keeping busy”? Take the time to create a routine and lifestyle that helps you remain intentional about how you start, progress through, and your end day.
Develop a Mindfulness Practice:
As part of managing your time, an important first step is to develop a mindfulness mindset that helps you manage your energy through the changes, challenges, and choices you make along the way. If you’re not feeling good about yourself and your decisions, it’ll become difficult for you to confidently work towards your goals. Self doubt, second guessing, and other negative thoughts will not only delay your progress, but will affect your overall sense of wellness. Mindfulness will teach you how to listen to the voice within for guidance so that you may evolve and make decisions that bring you joy and fulfillment.
Reassuring yourself daily can be difficult, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed with tasks or disappointed by unmet expectations. Learn how to practice mindfulness, silence negative self-talk, ignore the outside noise, and take control of your day! Access our free Mindfulness Activity worksheet today.
Prioritizing and cultivating a mindfully sound lifestyle will help you work towards your goals with efficiency, while nurturing your spirit in ways that keep you refreshed to take on your daily task.
Activities you can start today to improve your time management skills:
Get clear on your purpose : When you thoroughly understand your mission and purpose, you will push through challenges and develop confidence to continue moving towards your success.
Clarify your values: Clarifying your values is part of strengthening your knowledge of self. Your values ultimately guide you in your daily activities and choices, influencing what you say and do. Get clear on who you are and what matters to you most so that you may be able to…. “walk it like you talk it”.
Organize your day: Use a planner, calendar, or to-do list to maintain a schedule of your availability and keep your day organized. You’ll quickly see what tasks you have time for and reduce the stress that follows forgetfulness, procrastination, work overload, and tardiness.
Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) goals or develop an action plan - Identify specific steps needed to achieve your goals. What do you want to achieve? How long will it take? By creating a detailed plan, you develop the ability to execute your goals in ways that lead to tangible results.
Learn to say no - Learn to set healthy boundaries for yourself and others by being honest about what can and are willing to do.
Effective time management is a powerful skill that enhances your quality of life; assisting in your ability to engage in a creative, happy, balanced, and intentional adulting experience.
Remember to keep it simple and be kind to yourself along the way.
You Got This!
Stay connected with the FYIG community! Access amazing resources to help you explore your inner world for your outer gain:
For Your Inner G
The Simply Living Life Blog was written by Stanette D.
Resources: The American Psychological Association
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