Is your teen too busy?

I can work a lot of magic when it comes to teens that struggle with motivation and executive functioning. But one thing I can't do? I can't create more hours in the day.

And frankly, that's something that some of the teens I work with need. 

Because their schedule looks something like this:

🔺 School starts at 7:45
🔺 School ends at 2:45
🔺 Work/practice/rehearsal/clubs/music lessons/math tutoring after school until anywhere from 5 to 7pm.
🔺 Family stuff (siblings' sports events, helping grandma, etc.)
🔺 Dinner

And somehow, they're supposed to also find the time to 

✔️ Study
✔️ Do homework
✔️ Spend time with friends (which is developmentally so important!)
✔️ Rest???!!!

And a terrible irony of all of this is that...one of the causes of executive dysfunction is being too busy. 

Think about it: when you're extremely busy and stressed out...do you ever find yourself more forgetful than normal? Less patient? Less motivated?

Being overly busy is just  not  good  for  us. 

And over extended periods of time, it's utterly unsustainable and leads to exhaustion, breakdown and burnout. 

Our bodies and minds were not meant to be constantly busy. Here are some of the things that we NEED rest to be able to do (well):

Creativity thrives on rest. 

 Creativity thrives on rest. (Have you ever checked out a writer's writing schedule? Rest is half the work!)

 Patience requires rest. (An overextended mama operating on little sleep does NOT make a patient mama.)

Healing happens in rest. (All emotional/mental/physical healing happens in rest.)

Problem-solving flourishes in rest. (Think about when you think of new ideas or answers to questions/problems: in the shower, on a long drive, when you're knitting, through journaling...basically anytime you can bring your mind and body to rest.)

So...if your teenager's schedule looks like the one above...what can you say NO to that will allow for more rest and free time? What can you help them say no to?