Is your teen struggling to keep up with their busy high school schedule and stay on top of their homework?
Are they constantly forgetting to study, losing things, or wadding papers up in the bottom of their backpacks?
Don’t worry, you are not alone.
Related: 10 of the Best Homework Apps For Teens To Help Them Succeed In School (parentingteensandtweens.com)
Disorganized Teens Are a Super Common Problem
Teenagers, in general, have a hard time with organization skills, time management, and developing healthy routines. It’s just part of the growing and maturing process.
But for today’s teens, it’s taken on a whole new level.
Think about what it’s like for teens right now. They are trying to balance an increasingly demanding schedule of activities, academics, employment, and volunteer work, which have become a necessity for success. It is no wonder they (and you) are anxious, exhausted and overwhelmed.
Additionally, they live in an always-on environment, so distractions are everywhere. This does not make things easier for them.
As a parent, you probably feel like your only choices are to constantly fight with your children over their lack of organization or to pick up the slack and handle much of this for them. It’s tough to find the balance. (You may also want to read up on why many teens struggle with executive function skills.)
Organizational Apps for Teens Can Be A Great Solution
If you want your teen to be better organized and to develop better study, sleep, and personal habits, you can’t do it for them, but you can help point them in the right direction
Technology has created some challenges when it comes to parenting teens, but it can also be a lifesaver. Organizational apps can help guide your student in the right direction.
In fact, there are so many out there that it can be hard to know which ones to choose. But don’t worry—we’ve narrowed it down to some of the most popular and award-winning organizational apps for teens. These are the ones that are helping our kids and students the most.
No, they won’t do their homework or pick up their room, but these apps will help them remember and plan for what is due when and help keep them on track. They’ll help them manage distractions like social media, stick to a study routine, and even keep tabs on important papers.
And most importantly, giving your teen the tools they need to succeed will take a little more tension out of your relationship so you can continue to love and support them in the best way possible. Remember, when your teen is more confident in their own abilities, their self-confidence and potential has no limits.
The Five Best Organizational Apps for Teens
1. Evernote
One of the most popular organizational apps in existence, this app can almost serve as a second brain for your teens. It’s very visually oriented allowing teens to create to do lists, take notes, scan in handwritten notes or other important papers with the camera and they can even make sketches. (Hello – no more lost papers!!!)
Everything can be saved using folders and keywords, but even better teens can search using ANY word and the app can find what they’re looking for no matter the format (typed, written, image) fast and easily. There’s also a browser extension so they can use the app when on their computer (like for saving research they are doing or homework assignments), but it all syncs so that it’s accessible on any device.
Available for both the iPhone and Android.
2. iHomework
Staying on top of school work has never been easier when your teen has this organizational app. They can enter their class schedule, teacher contact info, attach their syllabus and then track all assignments, tests and other important information by course. They can even track their grades.
Students can plan out a schedule for completing work and studying, set reminders so they stay on top of everything and even look at their workload from a weekly or monthly view to make sure they are balancing everything accordingly.
Only available for iPhone,but there is an excellent alternative available for Android called iStudiez
3. Streaks
Have a teen who is struggling to develop good habits? Sometimes, this is where you need to start on the road to helping your teen become more organized. However, creating new and better habits isn’t always easy. This award-winning app is an addicting goal-tracking app that challenges your teen to achieve a “streak” by tracking the number of consecutive days they’ve stayed focused and completed specific tasks.
While it’s very popular among health enthusiasts, it works just as well for goals teens are working towards, such as keeping their rooms and desks clean, turning in homework on time, studying a certain amount each day, or even reading chapters in assigned books.
Available for iPhone and Android
4. 30/30
This brilliant little app can help your teen learn to stay on-task and balance work and play, which, if you’ve got teens, you know, is like a herculean task. Teens enter their tasks and to-do lists, color-coding them according by due date or class. Then, they select any task and focus on it for a given time. The app will count down the selected amount of working time, followed by a selected amount of break time. The default settings are 30/30 (hence the name), but both are adjustable.
In our world of nonstop distractions for teens, 30/30 helps them develop a healthy balance between homework and free time, making it more difficult for them to lose track of just how long they’ve been procrastinating.
Available on iPhone only, but there is a similar app called Do Now on Android.
5. Plan It Do It Check It Off
Some teens are super visual and can do better when their tasks are set out in pictures. So consider this app, which is sort of the Pinterest and Instagram of teen organization. It’s also a great option for teens with learning disabilities.
The app can be customized to the user with their own images and tasks. Your teen can even add audio. it’s a great alternative to traditional task lists.
Available for iPhone
Honorable mention:
A few other organizational apps we love:
MyHomework Student Planner
Many teenagers do not want a paper planner, so while there are many e-planner apps out there, this one is most recommended by students and teachers alike. In addition to giving you the ability to track assignments, exam dates, and other important information, it allows you to sync your assignments across classes and devices and receive due date reminders.
Remember the Milk
This app comes recommended by many who are managing ADD and executive function issues. This app is really about simple task management. You add your tasks and organize them into lists, and you’re done. There’s no colors or graphics. It merely shows you the tasks you need to do today, tomorrow, and what’s overdue. It also can track due dates and you can assign priority status to tasks. This is an app one of my daughters, who is easily distracted, is trying this year.
Parenting teens and tweens is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. Here are some posts that may help.
Teen Test Anxiety; Strategies for Helping Your Teen Cope
The Best Ted Talks for Teens and Teen To Help Them Learn To Adult
The Best Ways You Can Fight Teen Cell Phone Addiction
What Are Executive Function Skills and Why Do Teens Struggle With Them?
I mostly used evernote and iHomework and these are very useful especially when organizing my schedules. I also, usually put my to do list on evernote.