You race from the bus stop to make your 4 p.m. piano lesson. Then it’s basketball practice, stacking1 the dinner dishes... finally, you’re ready to hit the homework. Too bad you’re too exhausted to keep your eyes open! And it’s only Tuesday...
Sound familiar? For years, you kept telling the adults around you not to treat you like a little kid—well, congratulations, it looks like they finally listened! Between chores, homework, sports, and activities, it’s clear that your parents, teachers, and coaches expect more from you today than ever before. And all those new responsibilities can leave you feeling stressed out2... maybe even wishing you could be a little kid again! So does growing up really have to be like this? No way! Keep reading, because help is here.
Item 1: Organization
Do you groan3 when you hear the words “get organized”? Many people tremble at the thought of organization, fearing it’ll just bog them down4 with pointless5 extra work. So instead they end up searching for clothes or papers. Or they waste precious homework time phoning classmates to get the assignments they’ve lost. In fact, being disorganized is the most pointless waste of time!
But how do you turn over a new leaf6 if organization just doesn’t come naturally? Keep it simple: First, have a place for everything. Decide where you’re going to put each item you own—a shelf for books, a drawer for winter sweaters, a folder for your English papers... Then stick to it!
Second, write down your to-do list items in a datebook. Keep that little book in your backpack or purse, and flip7 it open whenever you get a new assignment, an appointment, or any other task you’re not going to do immediately. Write them all down! That way, you’ll be less likely to let something fall by the wayside8. Remember, the point is not to get obsessed with9 order—it’s to save yourself time and effort, so you have more of it to spend on doing the things you love!
Item 2: Setting Priorities10
What’s more important: school, chores, sports, or activities? If you said they’re all important, you’re absolutely right. You need all of these things for a balanced life. But if they’re all important, how do you choose what to do first?
Three factors determine the order in which you should get things done. The first is urgency11. For example, practicing violin is always important, but if your recital12 is next week, the need to practice gains urgency, too. The second factor is personal significance—how closely something relates to your own personal goals, passions, and dreams. For example, working on your science fair project is important because it’s for school. But if science is your passion, then that project could have high significance for you... Commitment13 to other people is the third factor, and that means taking into account14 how others are affected by your task. If you promised your mom you’d clean your room tonight, you have a good reason to do it. (If you can’t, you need to talk to her about it, because it affects her, too.)
It’s always tough to prioritize from among important things, but keeping these three factors in mind will help you manage your time more wisely.
Item 3: Minding Those Minutes
How many four-year-olds do you know who worry they won’t have time to check off everything on their to-do list? Zero, right? Four-year-olds have no responsibilities yet. Their lives are nothing but free time. You, on the other hand, are a busy person juggling15 a stack of commitment, and that means you can’t afford not to keep track of time16.
This doesn’t mean you have to rope yourself to some strict schedule and never enjoy a free moment again. It just means you need to block out17 enough time to complete the items on your list. To do that, you’ll need to estimate how long each item takes, and know when it must be finished. For example, if you give yourself two hours tonight to do your homework, one hour to practice your lines for the school play, and 20 minutes to do the dishes, and that’s three hours and 20 minutes spoken for. The rest of the evening, though, is yours to use however you please.
Item 4: The Fun Factor
You may wonder, “When do I get to have fun?” The answer is, every single day! Not only will a good time keep you from burning out18, but you can use your natural craving19 for fun to motivate20 you. Whenever you’re faced with a challenging job, promise yourself a special reward when you’re done—watching your favorite DVD (again!) or an ice-cream cone. Also, find a hobby you absolutely love, something that’s so much fun, it’s a reward in itself, and add it to your schedule.
You can also find ways to put some fun into your less-than-thrilling21 tasks, such as studying for a test in your hardest subject. Start by finding a setting that helps you concentrate, such as a quiet room or one with soft music. Then fix yourself a cup of hot chocolate or your favorite tea and settle in. If you make your surroundings as pleasant as possible, you’re far more likely to focus and succeed...and you might even find yourself saying afterward, “Hey, that wasn’t so bad!”
Getting organized, setting priorities, keeping track of time, and always remembering to sprinkle22 in some fun... put these four items on your to-do list, and you’ll be able to cope with all the responsibilities of growing up that come your ways.
你从汽车站匆匆赶去上下午4点的钢琴课，接着要练习篮球，摞好晚餐用过的盘子……最后，你才有时间去突击家庭作业。不过你实在是筋疲力尽，连眼睛都睁不开了！这还仅仅是周二……
以上有点儿耳熟？多年来，你不停地告诉周围大人不要像对小孩子似的对你——好吧，恭喜你，看起来他们最终听进去了！你周旋于各种家务活、家庭作业、体育运动和各种活动中，很明显你的家长、老师和教练现在比以往任何时候对你的期待都多。所有的这些新责任简直让你抓狂……甚至你会想变回小时候！难道长大真的就得像这样？决不是！往下读，说不定能帮你哦。
第一条：有条不紊
当你听到“变得有条理”这样的话，会不会开始叹气？很多人一想到条理就发抖，害怕因此卷入无意义而又多余的工作中。于是，他们老是忙着寻找衣服和试卷；或是浪费宝贵的作业时间打电话给同学，询问遗忘的作业内容。事实上，毫无条理是对时间最无意义的浪费！
可是如果有条理的习惯不会自动送上门，你该怎样改过自新呢？很简单：第一，让每件东西各得其所。决定在什么地方放置什么东西——找个书架放书，找个抽屉放冬天的毛衣，找个书夹装英语试卷……坚持下去！
第二，把你打算做的事情列表记在一个记事本上。把这个小本子放在背包或钱包里。只要你有了新作业、约会、或其它不准备马上去做的任务，就翻开它，把这些事情都记下来！用这种方式，你就不太可能会丢三拉四。记住，重点不是过分追求有条不紊——而是节省时间和精力，让你有更多时间去做自己爱做的事！
第二条：主次分明
什么事比较重要？学业、家务、体育运动还是课外活动？如果你说它们都很重要，完全正确。你得做所有这些来维持平衡的生活。但是，如果它们都很重要，你怎样选择先做哪样呢？
三个因素决定了你做事的先后顺序。第一是紧迫性。比如，练习小提琴一直重要，但是如果下周你就要独奏了，加紧练习就更为迫切了。第二是对个人的意义——某件事与你个人的目标、激情和梦想是否息息相关。例如，完成科学展览会项目很重要，因为这是学业要求。但是如果你对科学很有激情，那么这个项目对你个人来说就意义重大……第三个是对他人的承诺，这就意味着要重视你的承诺对别人的影响。如果你答应了妈妈今晚打扫自己的房间，你就要完成。（如果你不做的话，也要告诉她，因为这也影响到她了。）
将重要事情分轻重缓急一向不容易，但是牢记以上三点会帮你有效地分配时间哦。
第三条：分秒必争
有多少个4岁的孩子会担心他们没时间做完清单上要做的每件事？没一个，对吧？4岁的孩子没什么责任。他们有的就是自由时间。然而你是个大忙人，要同时应付一大堆事情，记不住时间可不行。
这并不意味着你必须恪守严格的时间表，再不能享受片刻闲暇时光。你只是需要预留充足的时间来完成清单上的每件事。所以，你要估计做完每件事需要多久，知道它们必须什么时候完成。比如，今天晚上你给自己两小时做家庭作业，一小时练习校剧台词，20分钟洗盘子，那么一共就用去3小时20分钟。夜里剩下的时间就归你自由支配了。
第四条：劳逸结合
你可能会纳闷：“我什么时候才能玩啊？”答案是：每天都可以！高高兴兴地玩一玩不仅能让你重新精力充沛，你还能用天生爱玩的劲头来激励自己。无论何时你面对一项富于挑战的工作，先答应自己：要是能顺利完成，就特别奖励一下自己——比如看看你最喜欢的DVD（重看！）或是吃个甜筒。你也可以发掘一项酷爱的业余爱好，充满乐趣的那种，实践本身就是奖励了，把它添加到你的时间表里吧。
你还可以找到些方法，给那些枯燥乏味的任务添点儿乐子。比如复习最难的课程准备考试。先找个能帮你集中精力的地方，比如一间安静的房间或一个播着轻音乐的房间；然后给自己冲杯热巧克力或最喜欢喝的茶，安坐下来。如果能让环境尽可能的舒适，你就更能集中精力做成功……甚至，后来你会这样说：“嘿，这样还真不赖啊！”
做到有条不紊、主次分明、分秒必争，还要记得劳逸结合……把这4条放在你的计划单上，你就能应对随着成长而至的各种责任了。
1. stack v. 摞起来
2. stress out 压力过大
3. groan v. 呻吟，叹息
4. bog down 陷入困境
5. pointless adj. 无意义的
6. turn over a new leaf 改过自新
7. flip [flip] v. 翻动（书页）
8. fall by the wayside 半途而废
9. get obsessed with 对…过分迷恋
10. priority n. 优先权
prioritize v. 区分优先次序
11. urgency n. 紧急
12. recital n. 独奏会
13. commitment n. 承诺；义务
14. take sth. into account 考虑到…
15. juggle v. 尽量应付
16. keep track of time 记住时间
17. block out 订出计划
18. burn out 累垮，耗尽体力
19. craving n. 强烈的愿望
20. motivate v. 激励
21. less-than-thrilling 枯燥的
22. sprinkle v. 用…点缀