12 Life Skills for Teens and Top Ways To Improve Them

Life moves fast as a teenager. With school, friends, family, and sometimes even a part-time job, prioritizing personal development — and maybe some basic life skills — can seem too time-consuming to fit in. 

However, your teen years are the best time to start learning to live wisely. When you invest time into developing essential life skills, you set yourself up for a happier, healthier life down the road.

So, what are the most important life skills to learn as a young person, and how can these skills help you in high school, college, and beyond? Let’s take a look.

What Is a Life Skill?

Whether you’re a parent teaching life skills to teens or an adolescent yourself, it’s worth knowing a working definition of what life skills are before moving forward.

Life skills are practical abilities that serve you at work, at school, and in your personal life. These skills include taking care of yourself, managing money, handling yourself well in social situations, and much more. 

Many life skills aren’t taught in school, so you might have to go elsewhere — family members, mentors, and other authority figures in your life can help you get the wisdom you’re looking for.

What Are the Most Important Life Skills for Teens?

We’ve put together a diverse list of real-life skills every teen needs. Read below to get a solid foundation for your own personal growth or for teaching the young adults in your family how to thrive.

1. Financial Literacy

Money management is one of the most important skills to learn early. If you know the basics of budgeting, using credit cards wisely, investing, and other personal finance principles, you can get a head start on achieving your money goals. One of the best ways to get started with this skill is to open your first savings account with the help of a parent or guardian. 

2. Time Management

Learning to manage time well will help you thrive at school, at work, and, eventually, if you decide to start a family. The more responsibilities you take on, the more valuable time management becomes — it’s just as important as money management (and maybe more). Stay open to any advice you can get from older and wiser folks about how they made the most of their time.

3. Mental Health Support

Your mental health matters, and learning how to care for your mind will help you maintain healthy self-worth and self-esteem. You can support your own mental health through habits like exercise, meditation or prayer, journaling, and more, as well as with help from a professional therapist.

 If you think you might be struggling with a mental health condition like anxiety or depression, make sure to let your loved ones know and get connected with someone who can help you get the care you need.

4. Effective Communication Skills

Knowing how to express your thoughts to others is one of the most valuable skills you can develop. This skill will serve you in more than just public speaking.

It’s the tool you use to connect with the people in your life and help them understand who you are and what you think and feel. Some of your classes in school will help you develop strong communication skills, but therapy, support groups, and more can also help.

5. Physical Health

Caring for your body can be hard work, but it’s worth it. Knowing how to eat well, stay fit, get enough sleep, and treat a cold will keep you in good shape as you get older. 

If you have a good relationship with a parent or guardian, they could be an ideal source of wisdom about taking care of your physical health. Fitness classes, your health teacher at school, or even an online course can help, too.

6. Basic First Aid

Accidents happen, and sometimes, emergencies happen, too. Knowing how to respond can help you keep yourself and others safe. Skills like treating cuts and burns, checking a pulse, and even giving CPR can boost your confidence as you get ready to become more independent after high school. You never know when these skills might save a life!

6. Social Skills

Knowing how to carry yourself in a social setting will take you far in life. This skill mostly comes down to learning how to listen well and let people know you care about what they are doing and saying. 

Ultimately, the way you listen and respond to others will have a much greater impact than what you say. Learning active listening skills, knowing how to maintain eye contact when talking to someone, speaking clearly and distinctly, and practicing not interrupting others will benefit you at school, at work, and at home all your life.

7. Basic Cooking Skills

Do you know how to make yourself spaghetti or a quesadilla? Having a few basic recipes in your back pocket will help you be independent when it’s time for the next chapter in your life after high school. 

The internet is an incredible resource when it comes to cooking; you can find tons of tutorials, recipes, and tips online from experienced chefs who devote their entire careers to equipping curious people with culinary wisdom. 

8. Goal-Setting

When you know how to set and stick to goals, you can accomplish more than you can imagine. Distraction, apathy, and lack of motivation tie many teens down and stop them from reaching their full potential, but you can break through these obstacles with a little bit of determination and practice. Consider starting a goal-tracking journal or finding a mentor to help you stay on top of your dreams and ambitions.

9. Decision-Making Skills

Knowing when to say “yes” and when to say “no” is the key to living a wise life. Every day, you’re faced with countless decisions, and the path you choose to take will shape your future. 

This is a skill you can learn from older, wiser people around you, like parents, grandparents, teachers, and others you admire and respect. Watch the way they live and see what you can learn from them.

10. Problem-Solving Skills

Problems pop up every day, whether they’re in your personal life, at school, or elsewhere. Knowing how to keep your cool and find a solution will boost your confidence, help you move forward, and make you a natural leader who others will look to for guidance. 

11. Cleanliness

The way you take care of your home, your workspace, and your body can have a deep impact on your mental and physical health. Make sure you know how to do laundry, clean and groom your body well (it’s not as obvious as you might think), and keep your stuff nice and tidy. 

These skills will make you a better spouse, roommate, and coworker as you move through the upcoming stages of your life. 

12. Empathy

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand how they feel. It’s a core skill in all relationships and will help you be kind, compassionate, and thoughtful when others are in hard situations. 

If you’re unsure whether you practice empathy now, consider asking the people who know you best. You can count on them to be honest — but make sure you’re prepared for them to possibly offer some constructive criticism. 

How To Improve Life Skills in Teens

Looking for specific ways to improve your own life skills or set your teen up with opportunities to grow? Consider one of the paths laid out below:

Hero Journey Club

Hero Journey Club is a unique, safe, supportive environment for teens where they can grow and connect through therapeutic gaming. Our groups meet weekly to help teens develop the skills they need to manage their mental health, build self-esteem, and make long-lasting friendships. All groups are facilitated by licensed therapists. 

Spend Time With Family

Family members have plenty of wisdom to share, especially when you’re looking for the kind of knowledge you can’t get in a typical classroom. When you spend time with your family, expect to hear stories that teach you valuable lessons about hard work, honesty, loyalty, and other key aspects of a life well lived.

Seek Supportive Friends

The friends you make at school, in your neighborhood, and through other connection points can shape who you are for better or for worse. Do whatever you can to surround yourself with supportive friends who help you be the best version of yourself. 

Look for people who are kind, honest, and genuine, and look for opportunities to learn from them as your friendships grow.

Discover Life Mentors

A mentor comes alongside you and shares their wisdom with you, helping you grow and become the person you want to be. Everyone can benefit from having a mentor in their life, whether it’s a family member, an older friend, or someone at work. 

Don’t be afraid to ask someone to be your mentor, either — many people wait years for the opportunity to pass on what they know to someone younger and willing to learn. Maybe that’s you.

Pursue an Internship

Not sure how to spend the summer after you graduate? Look for available internships near you. Local businesses and bigger companies alike are always looking for young people who are ready to work hard and learn. If you’re willing to put in the effort, you can get a head start in your career and learn some valuable skills, and you might even earn some money along the way.

Develop Daily Routines

Sticking to a consistent set of habits will help you become more disciplined and keep you on track to reach your goals. Try implementing as much structure into your life as you can — it’s something nearly every CEO does to help them manage the many responsibilities that they juggle. The more structure you have, the better you’ll be at handling what life throws at you.

Learn Skills That Will Last a Lifetime

If you’re ready to grow, learn, and become the best version of yourself, Hero Journey Club is the perfect place to start. Our teen groups give you a space to develop relationships, competencies, and insight that will help you thrive as you grow up and become more independent.

Sign up for your first session today with help from our simple onboarding process.

Sources:

5 steps to mental wellbeing | NHS

Want to feel more connected? Practice empathy | Harvard Health

The neurobiology of apathy in depression and neurocognitive impairment in older adults: a review of epidemiological, clinical, neuropsychological and biological research | PMC

Why Routines Matter: The Nature and Meaning of Routines in the Context of Adolescent Mental Illness | T and F

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