Hello and welcome to my final mini post about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. I’ve already talked about the first 6 habits and why they are important, so now I’ll explain a bit about the final habit: Sharpen the Saw.

This habit is all about self-renewal—taking time to regularly recharge your energy, so you can stay balanced, effective, and resilient in all areas of life.

What Does It Mean to “Sharpen the Saw”?

Covey uses the image of a person cutting down a tree with a dull saw. They’re exhausted, frustrated, and making very little progress. Someone suggests they stop to sharpen the blade, but they respond, “I don’t have time—I’m too busy sawing.” It’s a powerful metaphor for life. We’re often so focused on pushing forward—studying, working, staying busy—that we forget to take care of the one thing doing all the work: ourselves. Habit 7 encourages you to regularly pause and invest in four key areas of personal health:

1. Body – Physical Renewal

This includes sleep, exercise, nutrition, and rest. When your body is healthy, your energy improves, your focus sharpens, and your mood stabilizes. Taking care of your body isn’t about looking a certain way—it’s about feeling your best so you can perform your best.

Ways to renew physically:

• Prioritize regular sleep
• Move your body each day—even a short walk counts
• Eat foods that fuel you, not just fill you

2. Mind – Mental Growth

Your brain, like a muscle, needs to be challenged and engaged. That means more than just going through the motions at school. Mental renewal comes from learning new things, reading, solving problems, and engaging in meaningful discussions.

Ways to renew mentally:

• Read for pleasure or curiosity, not just assignments
• Challenge yourself with creative thinking or problem-solving
• Learn a new skill or hobby

3. Heart – Emotional Connection

This area focuses on your relationships and emotional well-being. When your heart is strong, you’re better able to handle challenges, support others, and create healthy, positive connections.

Ways to renew emotionally:

• Spend quality time with people who support you
• Practice gratitude or journaling
• Talk openly when you’re struggling

 

4. Soul – Spiritual Renewal

This doesn’t have to be religious. Soul renewal means connecting with something deeper—your values, purpose, and peace of mind. It’s what grounds you when life feels overwhelming.

Ways to renew spiritually:

• Take quiet time for reflection or meditation
• Spend time in nature
• Do something that gives you a sense of meaning

Why Habit 7 Matters

It’s easy to see self-care as optional or even selfish, especially when life feels busy. But sharpening the saw isn’t about doing less—it’s about making sure you have the strength and clarity to do what matters most, well. When you regularly renew yourself, you avoid burnout, stay focused on your goals, and show up better for others. You become more resilient—not just productive, but fulfilled.

The Video:

This is the fun part! For the last video we were paired up randomly. My group was Sven, Samuel, and Maggie! Our idea was relatively simple, although it was super fun to film and we tried to make it easier to follow by adding some humor. On our filming day we went to Maggie’s house and did about 2 1/2 hours of filming. Our story goes like this: Svenette and Samina are very stressed, so they decide to read a book. (Guess which book that might be…) the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens! As they read through the book they find habit 7. They decide that working on themselves is a really good idea. So they go to the gym for their physical health. Their dads are super supportive of this because they also value physical health. But when it’s time for a social/emotional renewal, their dads thing that they are lazy and should be working out instead. At the end, the dads réalise that it’s all about balance.

(I couldn’t post the video to youtube for some reason, if I figure it out I’ll come back and post it here)

Final Thought

Habit 7 reminds us that success isn’t just about achieving more—it’s about sustaining it over time. Growth without balance eventually leads to burnout. But when you commit to taking care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, you build a strong foundation that supports everything else in your life.

Thanks for reading my post. I hope you enjoyed the little mini post series, and learned as much as I did from Sean Covey.