Organize + Energize: How To Handle Your Disorganized Teen

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalWorcester Organizing Expert

Your teen may be enjoying their new-found independence, but with power comes responsibility.

Are you disorganized and find that your kids are following in your footsteps? I recently had the opportunity to work with a few teenagers. These teens’ parents want to give their kids an opportunity to experience the skill set that comes with being organized.

Every parent that is disorganized should give their children a chance to be able to develop working organized systems. Teenagers are old enough to know what it means to be organized and how it will affect them going forward.

An organized child will grow up to be an organized adult. High school, college years, and their careers will thrive because they are organized, efficient, and productive. Their employers will have more confidence in them which in turn will lead to more promotions, recognitions and a better quality of work life.

Information overload

Teenagers need structure, especially in today’s world where everything is fast paced and we all seem to have a lot on our plate. It will be much easier to handle everything that is thrown at them if they are organized. Structure, meaning having working organized systems in the home. Have a system to handle school papers, after school activities, utilizing a calendar and have a system and a home for everything that comes their way.

Teenagers that are disorganized will often have mental clutter. Mental clutter will cause stress and a will cause them to feel overwhelmed. Think about everything your teenage has on their plate right now. Aside from school, are they involved in after school activities, sports, dance, or household chores? To a disorganized teenager this can be information overload. If they are organized and have systems in place, this creates a smooth flow to their lives.

Take the time to sit down with your child and ask the following questions:

How are you functioning in your room?
What systems are working, if any?
Do you have a place for everything in your room?
How are you handling the paper you bring home from school? Is it just thrown in a corner or is there a system to handle it?
Are you keeping track of project due dates and events, etc.?
Do you feel overwhelmed in any area of your life?

Room to improve

Listen, take notes, and then help your child develop working organized systems to help them with their daily routines. Give your children the gift of organization. Give them a chance to see how their quality of life will improve once they become organized. Your children will thank you for it, trust me on this. You can start the process with your children before they are teenagers. Start creating systems for your young ones to follow. Remember, routines become habits.

On October 4, I will be speaking to teenagers in grades 6-12 about getting organized for back to school and beyond at Cumberland Public Library. For more information click here. http://www.organizinginri.com/events.html

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. Kristin has appeared on air on www.talkstreamradio.com and Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio. Her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Her CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start and is available at these locations. She is also available for organizing workshops.