Balancing Academics and Fitness: Tips for Busy Teens
In the 21st century, teenagers are busier than office professionals on certain days. This is due to their immense workload and school pressure with little leisure. Back in the good ol’ days, kids had time to unwind, play outside, and eat homemade, nourishing foods to recharge for school. Now, there is little time to talk to friends on the phone and forget to play together. But while parents can advise and guide them, teenagers strive for a little independence, even when it comes to fitness, co-curricular, and academics.
Therefore, it is ideal for parents to explain and guide their parents on the fine art of balance and dedication when it comes to schoolwork and sports. But why pursue both, why not opt for either? Because fitness and academics are two sides of the same coin. Fitness involves exercise and sport, inculcating certain healthy values like teamwork and concentration, and offering health benefits to those who remain loyal to it.
As for academics, they increase your teen’s analytical and logical parts of the brain, while instilling problem-solving abilities. If your teens are to reap the maximum benefits of both, here are some easy tips to balance the two.
Guide your teens into setting realistic goals. Teach them to differentiate between lifelong goals and short-term ones to ensure they do not suffer from self-esteem or anxiety issues. Balancing fitness and education are no mean feat, but it is not impossible. With a little clear communication and realistic goal setting, your kid can be good at sports and in academics, living up to their own as well as your expectations.
Your teens should have a healthy support system comprising kind teachers, coaches, friends, and parents. This is important because, in the tumultuous teenage phase, kids often need some courage to make the right decision or endure their day. But this motivation matters when it comes from a trusted support system, not from strangers.
Time management is essential for teenagers. They need to maintain proper daily schedules and allot time to rest, sleep, eat, and unwind, in addition to studying and practicing. If they have sports sessions or go to the gym, they should plan their day accordingly to ensure there are no clashes with academic classes. Realistic time management always leaves room for errors, so keep that in mind while admonishing your teens for any mistakes.
Do not let your teens procrastinate, as their futures will pay the price later. While leisure is important, if your teen is biding their time instead of completing homework or preparing for a test simply because they have come home from a practice session, get them up and about immediately. They know what they have signed up for and should be reminded in a kind and patient manner if they fight or decide to quit.
Anger and procrastination are less in kids who get enough rest daily. Usually, when teens are under some pressure, academic or sports, they grow irritable and lash out. Tired and busy teens are also frustrated ones. So, if your kid is dropping off while doing homework, let them go to bed now, but ensure they wake up early to finish the work and go to school. Just like their rest, reminding them to complete their work is your responsibility unless you begin early, and now your teens are habituated to studying and engaging in fitness regularly.
It is ideal to maintain a weekly schedule to not let the week control your kids, but the other way around. Often, teenagers have most weekdays filled to the brim, with an occasional day or hour of respite. Try to make a balanced week together, juggling coaching classes, practices, and study sessions with adequate rest in between. This way, your teen will neither be irritable nor ready to drop asleep by the end of the week.
Teach your teenagers to make good use of holidays, free periods, and study breaks. Enjoying one or two evenings out is normal. However, that time should not be wasted as your teen can use it to include more exercises and practice sessions while getting adequate time to study and rest. Either spend their mornings studying and evenings at practice or vice versa, according to weather and convenience.
Unlike Hollywood and Bollywood movies, teenagers need to have a balanced social life. They do not need to be social outcasts or the most popular kids in school. A balanced mix of the two is ideal. It is your duty to ensure your kid is not just an attractive, sporty kid but also a serious, studious one, as both life and personality require a balance of creativity, fitness, and academics.
While these tips will be highly employable in helping your teens balance academics and fitness, it is up to you to make your kid more responsible and invested in the act of balancing. Since they are growing up and wish to be independent, explain the benefits and tips to balance the two and get them habituated. Then you will only have to monitor your teens while they bloom and thrive independently in both academics and fitness.