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Entering adulthood is a significant milestone, often filled with excitement and trepidation. As you transition from the comfort of your teenage years to the responsibilities of grown-up life, it’s essential to equip yourself with the right tools and knowledge to thrive. Adulting 101 is here to guide you towards becoming a more independent and self-sufficient individual. From managing your finances and scheduling essential doctor appointments to developing a personal brand and maintaining your physical health, this comprehensive list will help you navigate the complexities of adult life. Embrace these lessons and take proactive steps towards a fulfilling and balanced adulthood!
1. Schedule Notifications for your Doctor Appointments
Making doctor appointments for regular checkups is easily forgotten in the business of daily life. Since you now don’t have your parents to do it for you anymore, you need to get a grip on it yourself. To make it as easy as possible, create notifications on your phone to remind you every year of the appointments you need to make. Or make the next appointment immediately after your last one.
Here are a couple of doctors you should visit regularly:
- dentist
- gynecologist
- dermatologist
- optician
2. Raise your Financial Literacy
Just to give you a rough idea, here are a couple of topics you should have at least passable knowledge on:
- retirement (how much money will you need and how can you prepare for it right now)
- building wealth (how can you save/invest your extra money so that you’ll benefit from it in the future)
- keeping the money you earn (how can you decrease your taxes, on what things do you spend how much money, budgeting)
3. Get insurance that makes sense for you
Far too many people are underinsured. A lot of them might never get into a situation that makes them realize that. However, for a couple of people who experience that kind of bad luck, lacking insurance can turn a bad situation into an existential crisis.
Don’t be that person. Do your research and get the kind of insurance that makes sense for you. Don’t be stingy with your money! On the other hand, more expensive doesn’t mean it is the most sensible option for you!
Here are a couple of insurances you should think about:
- car insurance
- accident insurance
- legal protection insurance
- professional liability insurance
4. Start building your brand
I’m not saying you have to become an influencer. However, starting to publish free informational or practical content in your chosen field of work can go a long way in making you stand out. And as soon as you have established yourself as an expert in your field, you will have more and better job opportunities waiting for you. It really is that easy. For example, LinkedIn has a whopping 1 billion users, but only 16.2% of LinkedIn users are active daily, and far less than that post regularly. In other words, standing out and building a brand can be easy if you put your mind to it. And your young adult life is a great time to start doing that.
5. Live below your means
As you’re adulting, you will start to earn your first real income. Finally, you can buy yourself all the things that you want! And let’s be real, there is always something that we want.
However, adulting also means getting over this new money rush as quick as possible and settling for monthly expenses below what you can afford.
You don’t want to use up your monthly income on a regular basis. Instead, you should always be able to put aside some money for emergencies and wealth building.
Adulting means learning enough self-discipline to not blow through your income, or you’ll be struggling financially forever.
6. Start working out for your future body
For many of us, adulting means we need to find a new reason to do sports. There are no sports lessons in school any more that we need to participate in, and the demands of university or 9-to-5 work make you drop any sports clubs you were part of.
Some young adults start going to the gym to lose weight and get a ‘summer body’. However, if that is your only motivation to move your body, you will find yourself bouncing back and forth between being overweight and working out to being fit and sedentary.
In your young adult life, you need to find sports that you enjoy doing and that fit into your adult lifestyle. You also need tostop working out for immediate body results and instead focus on your long-term health. As you grow older, building muscles and maintaining stamina gets harder, and the risk of injuries and sickness increases. Depending on what kind of goals you have for your later years (being able to chase your grandkids through the yard, climb 10 flights of stairs in your building, carry your own groceries home, change a tire on your own), you need to build a suitable foundation for that decades earlier. If this topic interests you, I can recommend Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Bill Gifford and Peter Attia.
7. Learn basic life skills
Let’s be honest; some life skills are so vital that it is rather embarrassing to know nothing about them. Admittedly, we only start learning those skills once we are actually required to know them for one reason or another. So, for those of you who might have grown up very sheltered and pampered, you need to be proactive and seek out these experiences on your own:
- How to drive a car
- How to get fuel for your car
- Car maintenance
- How to clean different rooms/appliances
8. How to deal with your emotions in a constructive way
A well-functioning adult doesn’t cause his emotional or mental state to be a problem for other people. When he is angry, he doesn’t scream or snap at people. Sadness doesn’t result in endless whining and having to be consoled every couple of hours. Anxiety doesn’t leak all over the place so much that it infects the people around him.
Adulting means getting a hang on your emotional and mental state now that the hormone rush of puberty is behind us. Here are the main things a well-functioning adult has learned:
- Your triggers (some you can avoid, others are a byproduct of life)
- Healthy coping strategies in case you have gotten triggered (no suppressing emotions until you have a meltdown)
- Not making your emotional state everyone else’s issue! (leaning on your loved ones in times of need is okay; forcing them to be your makeshift therapist is very much not okay)
Embarking on the journey of adulthood can be both fascinating and daunting, but with the right mindset and a solid plan, you can set yourself up for success. By following the tips outlined in this “Adulting 101” guide, you’re taking crucial steps toward a more organized, informed, and empowered life. Remember, the path to becoming an accomplished adult is not just about ticking off tasks but also about continuous growth and self-discovery. So, embrace these changes, stay curious, and don’t hesitate to seek help when you need it. Here’s to your exciting adventure in adulting—may it be rich with experiences, learning, and opportunities!
