Of course, as a disclaimer, you can use this list if you are not 15 yet to maybe accomplish some of these things and if you have passed 15 years of age, then you can check to see if you can do these things. And it is your choice if you want to do these things, do it at your own risk and you can accomplish these at any age.

Have a bucket list or set of goals. This really gives that sense of motivation and push for who you really want to become when you are older. 

Have a side project. Don’t neglect the fact that nowadays, skills are also very important alongside grades to get into good colleges, universities and jobs. So, if that’s your aim, join an extracurricular activity or create something new, like a podcast.

Have at least one reliable support system. I have found that my best friends in life are my family. Don’t neglect your parents as a teenager as many people regret that later in life.

Understand that peer pressure is not the way to go forward. Peer pressure drives many teenagers at this age but it really isn’t worth it.

Develop certain habits. Mastering certain habits such as making a daily to-do list and cleaning your room often are quite helpful.

Know how to edit photos. I think this may be a life skill that everyone can learn and I think it’s p

Know how to cook/make at least 5 good recipes. Even if you are not a great cook, try to learn five simple recipes that you can make at any time for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Know how to have your own me-time. Learn to spend time with yourself and not be covered in guilt and negativity but in a positive light.

Know how to do grocery shopping by yourself. Only do this if your parents allow you but I think whenever I have done this, I have felt this sense of renowned independence. 

Know how to have fun without the screen. What a lot of people are guilty of is finding that the only way to relax is looking at a screen. That is wrong. Find other traditional ways of having breaks too such as going for a walk. 

Know how to clean your room regularly. Cleaning your room is something that you may not like to do but if you want to live alone, you will be compelled to do it. It really doesn’t take that long.

Know how to manage money. Ask your parents if you can have your own bank account and learn to manage the money and not just spend it all straightaway. 

Have your own signature. I have changed my signature a few times but know I am quite stuck to one, so have a consistent signature of your own.

Know that it is okay to have low days (but you need to get back up). All teenagers go through low days but remember it is okay and all you got to do is get back up.

Those were 15 things I think every teenager should try to know. It is okay if you don’t know all of them. 

If you want some more juicy tips and advice, check out my other links such as my podcast.

Also, surf around my website.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

If you are new here, my name is Surobi. I am a teenager and student who also is trying her best to create weekly podcasts on ‘The Chat Library’ (available in over 5 podcast platforms), create weekly blog posts on this website and stay updated with 2 Instagram pages (@surobiscribbles and @thechatlibrary). And if I can do it, you can probably do it too.

So here are my tips:

Habit 1: Find out what your true end goal and purpose is

A lot of people live very disorganised lives due to the fact that they don’t know why they are there. You need to find out what you are working towards. For example, instead of making school a place you go to just because ‘it’s required by law’, make it a place you are going to ‘seek knowledge and learn skills for life’. Find your purpose in life, and this doesn’t necessarily only mean your future career.

Habit 2: Write down your general routine

Now, after you have received that boss of motivation and purpose, it is time to look at yourself right now. Be honest to yourself but write down your general routine at the moment, meaning what you do generally on a daily basis.

Habit 3: Figure out your limits

If you realise that your routine is packed with unproductive tasks, it is most likely due to the little devil within you who tries to stop you from achieving things. Everyone has a different devil within and also different problems in life. Try to figure out what is limiting you to be productive.

Habit 4: Try to work on your problems

This may take time but you need to exercise this muscle every day bit by bit. You need to have a positive approach that if you have problems from stress to family problems to being undervalued, you need to solve them.

Habit 5: Get rid of your distractions

If there is anything physically that you can remove from your life quite easily, try to do so. An example of this is your phone so have limited screen time, put it somewhere else when you are working or even hand it to someone else.

Habit 6: Make small adaptable changes/habits into your life

When you are working on these problems, believe strongly that you will solve it and also do it slowly. You can’t expect yourself to completely eliminate your social media in one go if you have been using it for 5 hours daily. Take it slow but try to stay consistent.

Habit 7: Have a planning system

A lot of people do end up procrastinating because they have so many tasks and they don’t know where to start from. Start by writing a brain dump of all the tasks and then prioritise and go from there. You can stay consistent on doing this procedure by having a set planning system, whether it is a bullet journal, academic planner or a digital app.

Habit 8: Set aside time for relaxation and self-care

Relaxation and self-care are needed so when you are incorporating healthy habits into your life, ensure that you also have time in the week where you focus on yourself. This is not always a fixed time but just try to assign times where you can take care of yourself and not tire yourself out.

Habit 9: It’s okay to have a break

Remember that sometimes it is okay to have a break. But do not use your breaks as a reason to procrastinate. What I am saying here is that if you feel burnt out, want to reward yourself for actually achieving something good or if it is spontaneous, then you should have a break. 

Habit 10: Keep accountable with someone else

If you are finding it hard to do these tips, do not worry. Take it slow bt if you need some extra help, ask for help! You can ask for help from a trusted adult who is most likely to be your parents, older siblings or a counsellor. You can change your life for the better.

These were some of the tips that sort of helps me to manage my time well and I hope this helped. Use these tips to your own risk as it is your choice. And remember, that you should never give up because that is just not worth it. 

If you liked this article, you will probably like this one too:

Also, you can click on the clickables above for more about me, my podcast, Instagram pages and this website.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

A few days ago, I turned 14 years old. I am extremely grateful and privileged to be able to have lived on this Earth for fourteen years of my life. Within those 14 years, I have gained some amazing experiences and cherished moments with my loved ones. But I have also learnt a lot. This is why in today’s article, I will be sharing 14 things/advice I have learnt in 14 years of my life. These are some of the beliefs that I wholeheartedly believe in and this is obviously just my viewpoint – you don’t have to agree with it. So without any further ado, here are my beliefs: 

You have to work hard for everything you want

From a young age, I was taught the power of education and how you have to work hard every step of your life. People may support you but no one will be there to spoonfeed you.

Make connections with people rather than sticking with one person

I have seen people who stuck to one person like glue for many months and years, yet once that person had left them, they didn’t have any other friends and were left heartbroken. Therefore, my tip is to try to have small connections with lots of people rather than focus on one person fully because if that one person leaves you, you will have no one to go to.

Pray to God and believe in him

I am a Muslim and I truly believe in Allah. Therefore, whether it’s the happiest of times or the hardest of times, I always pray to Allah as He has the potential to change anything and He can keep all your secrets without anyone knowing.

Believe in yourself

If you don’t believe in yourself, how do you expect others to believe in you? If you don’t love yourself, how will others love you? Have that self-confidence and feel that self-worth for everyone to value you.

Your phone can be your worst enemy

Nowadays, social media and having the latest iPhone is seen as a norm and a trend that everyone has to follow. But you have to look out for the disadvantages as well and really ask yourself if it is worth your time and energy.

Being rude to others won’t get you anywhere

Revenge is something that you have to really consider before you act upon it. If you want to take revenge on someone, it’s just making you go as low as that person. I truly believe that Allah sees and acts upon everything, so sometimes no action is the loudest action. However, this does not mean that if you really are facing injustice, you should not speak out.

Karma really exists

Speaking of revenge, it’s not always the best option. What goes around comes around. A real-life experience of mine is when a friend left me and after a few months, she also got ditched by her friends, and she then wanted to be my friend again. And I didn’t even have to do anything. 

Giving will always come back to you

Giving something to the world will always have a way of coming back to you. If you give to charity, you may end up getting that 9 on that Science test you’ve been wanting. 

Your family won’t ever be judgemental

I saw this quote in a movie and I really think it’s true. Any hardship you are facing or any secret you are hiding is not big enough to hide from your family as they are there to support you. My family have always been there for me and I know they won’t ever judge me, they will just correct me. 

Successful people do things that failures wouldn’t want to do

If you want to get a 9 on your exam, you have to sacrifice partying with your friends to study for that test. This is because successful people are willing to study and seek knowledge for the long-term, unlike failures who want to party for the short-term.

There are three things you will face in life: pain, loss and sacrifice

There is no progress without pain. For every loss, there is a better replacement. Every pain can make you more tolerant and stronger as a person. Every sacrifice is always paid off.

Prioritise and balance life 

In order to live life to the fullest, you have to find a balance between all the different aspects. Life can be busy at times but you have to prioritise. Should you use your phone or talk to your family? Should you study or party? You have to make some important life decisions yourself.

Learn to say no

If you answered ‘study’ in the question above, you now have to face the reality of saying ‘no’ to the host of the party. This can be difficult at times and you may feel selfish or may feel that you have not gone to enough parties. However, you have to remember that at the right time, after you have finished your exams, you can party. So for now, say no and later it can turn into a yes.

Never compare

There is a fine line between comparing yourself to someone else and getting inspired by someone else. When you compare yourself to someone else can you complain in your head, that is what can put you down. But if you get inspired, you feel good and work harder to exceed your capabilities. You want people to be inspired by you.

Life will be hectic but the successful ones are those who can get over every hurdle

Life will be hectic but in order to be successful, you must embrace those hurdles, climb them and be prepared for the next one. 

Those were 14 things I have learnt in 14 years of my life. I still have a lot to learn In Sha Allah. Remember that you don’t have to sacrifice all the time, you can find the balance between fun and work, and that’s what makes a successful person. Comment down below your beliefs and make sure to share this article with your family and friends.

Please check out my other articles:

http://surobiscribbles.com/how-to-be-happy-as-a-teenager/

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!