Its that time of year once again: Back-to-school season a time of fresh beginnings for students of all ages, and a time when adults are dishing out all kinds of lessons and advice to help children prepare for their next (or first) year of organized education.
And if you think about it, adults would do well to follow some of the advice they dole out themselves, because there are plenty of common back-to-school lessons that also apply to their everyday lives.
Here are a few things kids are often told around this time of year that can translate into many grown-up lifestyles.
1. Knowledge is power.
Whether youre in pre-school, a pre-med major or someone whos been out of school for half a century, its important to remember that theres always more to learn, and absorbing more knowledge will always be a powerful, positive thing.
2. Take care of work before play.
This is basically how we teach children the value of work-life balance. We tell them to do their homework before they go outside to play, and this same principle can be valuable to adults.
If you can finish up your work for the day and then unplug, youll find it easier to enjoy time with your friends and family than if you know you have more looming work. Of course, this isnt always possible, but the more often you can separate work and play, the better youre likely to feel.
3. Study and be prepared.
Just as youre not going to want to head into your first Algebra test of the year without having studied that chapter and completed the homework and some practice problems, youre also not going to want to show up to a client meeting or take a certification test going completely off the cuff.
Preparation is key to success.
4. If you dont have something nice to say, dont say anything at all.
Being mean or vulgar to people isnt likely to get you anywhere great and if it does, it wont be very satisfying.
This isnt to say you shouldnt be critical or point out things that might seem negative to you, but you can generally find a decently nice and kind way to do so.
5. Be on time.
In school, you might be marked tardy and punished in some small way.
But if youre an adult, being late to an important meeting can have some seriously negative implications for your career. Showing up on time is one of the best ways to make sure youre being efficient, and it shows the people with whom youre working meeting that you respect them and their valuable time.
With the above lessons in mind, have a great school (or work) year.
