Teenagers have a lot to do. They have to deal with academics, networking, and extracurricular activities, so many teenagers face anxiety and depression. Indeed, about 15 percent of teenagers experience clinical anxiety disorder.

Clearly, teenagers need to decompress, so it is vital they find work-life balance. Here are five ways for teenagers to achieve this:

1. Teens need to set priorities and goals

First, teenagers should stick to weekly goals and deadlines. Because it is hard to do everything at once, teenagers should use a planner to visualize their schedules and allot time to activities. Teenagers need to prioritize homework, test preparation, and projects. After these are done, teenagers can arrange time for self-care.

For instance, in high school, I had to maintain my GPA, do extracurriculars, and save time to relax. Thus, I devised weekly plans so that I had enough time to keep up with my studies and attend a range of extracurriculars. I also found time for exercise and spent some time with my family and friends because I organized my time well. Overall, I was mindful of my priorities and stuck to my plans, so I could save time and manage stress.

2. Teens need to take breaks and do hobbies

Teenagers are busy, but they can still enjoy free time. During their free time, teenagers should pursue hobbies, such as playing instruments, creating art, or doing sports.

In addition, exercising 30 to 60 minutes on most days of a week and sleeping eight to 10 hours every day also improves mental health. Although teenagers have a lot of work to do, they should make taking care of themselves a priority.

3. Teens need to accept there is no perfect work-life balance

According to Dan Thurmon, the founder of Motivation Works, work-life balance is not a perfect 50-50. Rather, it is adjusting plans regularly to live a better life. Teenagers choose to save more time for academics when assignment deadlines are coming up, while they choose to give more attention to extracurriculars and hobbies when they have more spare time.

Balancing life is a long term goal to strive for, but it is impossible for teens to achieve balance immediately. Thus, teenagers need to be open to reassessing their needs and changing plans.

4. Teens need to work smart, not hard

Teenagers should work efficiently to save time for both work and hobbies. The recommended homework time for high school students is 2 to 2.5 hours per day. If teenagers encounter a bigger task such as a semester project, they can break it into small steps to spread the workload. However, if teenagers overwork, they become prone to mental health issues.

When teenagers use their time wisely, they can save time for fun stuff.

5. If necessary, teens need to seek help

If teenagers feel down, they can talk about their problems with people they trust, including parents, teachers, and friends. According to psychologytoday.com, sharing negative feelings with others is a powerful way to deal with stress

If teenagers still feel overwhelmed, seeking help from therapy is another avenue. Therapists guide clients to be aware of their feelings, reduce their stress, and help them confront difficulties.

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Everyone wants work-life balance. However, perfect balance all the time is impossible, so people just need to try their best to balance work and play. The best ways of doing this are managing time and stress. If everyone, including teenagers, can try these strategies, they can be happier.