Teaching Kids to Prioritize and Set Goals

Here’s how to teach your kids to manage their time using the Eisenhower Matrix and my NEW planner printable for kids!

 

With all the distractions bombarding them from every direction, it’s more important than ever to teach kids how to prioritize and organize their time. Now, I know you’re thinking, “That all sounds great, but it also sounds exhausting, and I can barely organize my own time!” Time management doesn’t have to be boring, or stressful. In fact, it can help reduce the stress on you and your kids, and help them learn to live their lives intentionally, and achieve what they want to achieve, instead of wasting time on activities that don’t lead anywhere. In my Etsy shop, I have a new printable Kids Goal Planner and Vision Board Kit that helps kids productively manage their time, using the Eisenhower Matrix. (It sounds more intimidating than it is…which is why we’re calling it the Priority Chart instead. Phew.)

*This post may contain affiliate links at no cost to my readers.

 

picture of kids vision board and goal planner

Be sure to check out our NEW Kids Vision Board and Goal Planner Sets in my Shop!  This is the Space-Themed Goal Planner Printable Kit for Kids.  There is also the Princess Themed Goal Planner Vision Board Kit for Kids.  It’s our favorite!  And there are many more printables to help you in my shop.

COMPLETE PRINTABLE VISION BOARD BUNDLE FOR KIDS. This printable vision board set is perfect for setting goals for the new year and keeping kids on track with their goals throughout the year. This printable vision board for kids works well for summer goals and keeping kids motivated in during summer vacation or back to school too.

Includes a main vision board and vision board image cut outs to make it personal and fit your own goals. It also includes a Vision Board Planner, Vision Board Goal Tracker, and a Daily Goal Sheet for kids.

The EDITABLE vision board images include 30 goal ideas in the categories of relationships, self-care, talents, health, education, and just for fun. You can always add your own using magazines or stickers from home. This vision board printable will get you started on the road to envisioning your goals and finding success in achieving them.

This vision board also works great for kids, youth groups, classrooms, homeschool, retirement homes, etc.

*INSTANT DIGITAL PDF DOWNLOAD:

This download includes 6 Printable Pages (8.5 x 11 size):

* Printable Vision Board Goal Planner (planning action steps, rewards, etc)

* Printable Vision Board Weekly Tracker (tracks weekly progress and things they are learning)

* Printable Daily Goal Sheet (daily goal motivation and to-do list)

*EDITABLE DIGITAL TEMPLATE (you’ll receive a link to an editable template in Canva.com where you can edit, save, download, and print. You will need to sign up for an easy FREE Canva account):

* Printable Main Vision Board

* Printable Vision Board Cut Outs (15 images for health, self-care, and talents)

* Printable Vision Board Cut Outs (15 images for education, relationships, and just for fun)

If you are looking for the BASIC KIDS VISION BOARD FREE PRINTABLE that includes ONLY the vision board FREE VISION BOARD PRINTABLE FOR KIDS

 

HOW VISION BOARDS HELP KIDS SET GOALS:


Vision boards help you focus on certain goals in your life. By posting a vision board with your goals and keeping it where you can see it all the time, you are more likely to accomplish those goals. It helps kids to VISUALIZE what they are trying to accomplish and is perfect for non-readers too! Goal setting helps like no other. Simply print this vision board printable kit then decide which images fit your goals in each category. Cut out the images you want to use and then glue or tape them to the main vision board bubbles. Post the board where you can see it. Use the planner, trackers, and daily goal sheets to help you put your vision into action! When you have accomplished your goals, or when you want to change them, print and do it again! 

 

 

What is the Eisenhower Matrix?

 

Named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower (apparently one of the most productive guys in history), and developed by Stephen Covey in his book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the Eisenhower Matrix is designed to help you see through your busyness to get the most meaningful and necessary tasks done. Some things in life are just more important than others, and the Eisenhower Matrix helps you prioritize what matters most. It helps you break down what tasks are most important, and what you should do first. This simplifies planning, especially for kids who are just learning to understand what priorities are. If you check out our kid-friendly Priority Chart version in my Etsy shop, you’ll see four boxes. The fun layout helps kids better visualize what they need to do. 

 

 

 

 



Box 1: Do Right Now



This box is intended for things that are important and urgent. These tasks are important to your goals and values, and are also time sensitive. Your kids may fill these boxes with things like; school assignments, sport games (if they have a competition that day), their daily chores, taking necessary medications, etc. For help teaching kids to visualize their goals, check my post on Goal Making Tips.



Box 2: Do Later Today



This box will be filled with things that are important, but not urgent or time sensitive. You can fill up this box with things that help your child accomplish their goals, relax, develop new skills, build relationships, or be more successful in school, but that can be completed after all the urgent tasks are finished. For example; spending time with their friends, practicing times tables or reading, volunteering, mindfulness/intentional relaxation, learning or practicing a certain skill for a sport or an artistic talent, getting a head start on school assignments due later, family time, learning to cook, clean, etc.

This box is my favorite section, and the tasks in this box are what children should spend most of their time doing. Not only because these tasks help them intentionally accomplish what they want to, but doing these tasks reduces the amount of important and urgent tasks that will need to be done later. This should help you and your child be more intentional about your time, and feel less stressed.



Box 3: If I have Time



Box 3 is for tasks that are urgent, but not important. The tasks in this box often need to be delegated, simplified, or given a much lower priority. These tasks can often be done later, after important things are taken care of, or delegated to someone else.

For example: answering texts from friends, doing EVERYTHING in a group project (maybe someone else in the group can do some of the tasks), spending time with friends that exhaust your child, making breakfast/lunches (this task can be simplified to take less time with our DIY Frozen Breakfast Burritos or Whole Wheat Freezer Pancakes), or doing a chore that a younger sibling may be able to be empowered to learn to do.

Having this box helps your child not get caught in the trap of only doing unimportant tasks first, or only doing what other people want them to do instead of developing themselves.



Box 4: Do Another Day


Ah, the last box. This box should be filled with tasks that aren’t urgent and aren’t important. These are usually the mindless leisure tasks, that don’t help you develop, such as; scrolling through social media, video games, watching television, online shopping, etc. These are the tasks that you want to spend the least amount of time doing.

Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely okay to spend a little time in this area! After a long busy day, everyone deserves a little break time to unwind. These tasks are usually mindless activities, that are good in small doses. However, large amounts of time in this area can actually just increase stress or loneliness in your child in the long run, though these activities may numb them to those feelings for a time. Better to spend some more time in Box 2.


Remember that more than anything, planning and organizing your time isn’t supposed to be a horrible, boring, stressful thing. It’s about teaching your kids to make their life into what they want it to be, and to enjoy the journey. Make it fun! Reward your kids for their effort towards their goals. As they learn to understand and organize their priorities with the Eisenhower Matrix, they can learn to do what matters most first, and let go of less important things. Good luck! 

 

 

 

The post Teaching Kids to Prioritize and Set Goals first appeared on Making Life Blissful.