Cyber Safety

Five fabulous apps to get your teen organised

Get ready to resign your job as drill sergeant, social secretary and human alarm clock - these productivity apps are just the ticket to get your teen organised.

Organised teens do, apparently, exist. There have even been sightings. But for the vast majority of young people, keeping track of the stuff of life - be it exams, gym socks or charger cords - can be a challenge. 

Between school, sport and extra-curricular activities, today’s teens have dauntingly full calendars - and floordrobes. Who can keep up? 

Answer: mum and dad! Which is why teens so often rely on the trusty family whiteboard or mum’s steel-trap memory for chores, events and obligations - just as they did in primary school.

Yet learning how to manage their own schedules responsibly is key to successful “adulting.” Sooner or later, they’ll need to develop their own time-management and life admin skills.

Luckily for them - and for us - there are heaps of great apps that can help teens take charge. Here are a few of the best. 

Remember the Milk

This may sound like it’s all about the grocery list - but really it does so much more to help kids juggle complicated schedules and deadlines, while assisting with goal-setting. This app gets the to-do list out of your head and into your phone - with notifications (not mum’s nagging!) to be sure it all gets done.

Corkulous

Imagine if your child had a corkboard inside their phone, where they could brainstorm, plan and make lists. Well, that’s exactly the idea behind Corkulous. It lets kids create visual “mind maps” from the comfort of their own phone - and to share them via Dropbox.

Plan It, Do It, Check It Off

To-do lists are boring. Photo to-do lists are … well, less boring. And that’s exactly what this app is all about. The developers describe it as a “great app for individuals that need visual supports” - and isn’t that every child?

Habitica

If you’re over being your teen’s “task manager,” why not hand the job to Habitica? This is a gamified task manager - which means it turns habit-building, habit-breaking and productivity into a gaming experience. Players earn or lose points depending on their performance, and there are tons of other built-in motivators.

Streaks

The subtitle, “The app that helps you form good habits,” says it all. If you remember when Instagram “streaks” were all the rage, you’ll understand exactly how this app works. The basic psychology is exactly the same: creating new habits based on consecutive days of engagement.

Winner of a 2016 Apple design award, Streaks helps kids develop healthy habits (like walking and drinking water) by charting their progress with cool infographics.

Reference: https://www.familyzone.com/anz/families/blog/get-your-teen-organised