Habits of Effective Teens Adapted from S. Covey’s book and

Have you ever felt like this?

#choices Being a teenager is not always easy. Good Habits are a CHOICE. What choices are available? What will YOU choose? Are your choices Realistic?

7 Habits you need to start now

Habit 1: Be Proactive Being proactive is the key to unlocking the other habits. Take control and choose what your life is and will be about. Proactive people understand that they are responsible for their own happiness or unhappiness. They don't blame others for their own actions or feelings.

Proactive Language Sounds like… Reactive: Something should be done about it. Pro-active: I’m going to solve this issue. Reactive: I’ll try to do better. Pro-active: I’ll do better.try Reactive: If only I had enough money, I would re-do my bathroom. Proactive: I want to re-do the bathroom, now how can I get the money for it?

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind Figure out where you want to end up. What do you value? What do you stand for? What are your short term and long term goals? Do not let the opinions of others lead you astray. Know yourself.

Habit 2 Looks like… For most people this means visualizing. Sounds like… For others it is auditory; what music do you hear, what conversations are going on etc. Feels like… what’s the temperature, what movements are associated with it.

Habit 3: Put First things First Prioritize and manage your time. Focus on and complete the most important things in your lives. Also means learning to overcome fears and being strong during difficult times. Living life according to what matters most.

Prioritizing Q1: the stress quadrant: Important and urgent. This is where you find the crises, projects close to their deadlines, urgent problems and so on. The strategy: Do Now! It needs to be done, and it needs to be done fast! Q2: the value quadrant: Important, not urgent. This is where you find education, working on your vision, investing in people and so on. The strategy: Schedule time. It needs to be done, plan time to do it before it gets urgent. Q3: the deception quadrant: Urgent, not important. This is where you find most interruptions, some meetings, other peoples chores. The strategy: Delegate. It needs to be done fast, but are you the one that needs to do it? Q4: the regret quadrant: Not important or urgent This is where you find pass-times, some phone calls (you know them), the “too much” activities (too much television, too much internet). The strategy: Eliminate And why were you doing this again?

Habit 4: Think Win Win In any given discussion or situation both parties can arrive at a mutually beneficial solution. Celebrate the accomplishments of others instead of being threatened by them.

Habit 5: Seek 1 st to Understand; Then to be Understood Because most people don't listen very well, you may often feel understood. Learn the most important communication skill there is: active listening. P.S….this one is hard. “Are you listening or just waiting to talk?”

Active Listening IS a FULL body activity. gestures, frowns, smiles etc. Good Active Listening: mimics content just repeat what was just said rephrases content repeat, but in your own words reflects feeling express what you think the other feels rephrases content and reflects feeling combine the latter two

Habit 6: Synergize Synergy is achieved when two or more people work together to create something better than either could alone. It doesn't have to be "your way" or "my way" but rather a better way, a higher way. Value differences, better appreciate others.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw “Sharpening the saw" means is keeping yourself sharp. Regularly renewing and strengthening your body, brain, heart, and soul. Helps you be better prepared to deal with life.