10 Official Signs You Are A Grown-Up Who Knows How To Adult, According To Research
Age doesn't always indicate maturity.
SofikoS | Shutterstock They say that age is nothing but a number, but acting your age is an important part of growing up. While there's not necessarily one exact moment when you cross the threshold of adulthood, facing important tasks head-on and taking care of yourself are all signs that you are a grown-up who knows how to adult.
A poll commissioned by Southern Sheeting, a building materials supplier, asked 1,500 participants across England about the indications that a person is officially in their adult era. While the specific tasks of adulthood differed, being responsible for yourself and taking care of what needed to be done were common themes.
Here are 10 official signs you are a grown-up who knows how to adult, according to research
1. Paying bills on time
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The Southern Sheeting survey revealed that 48% of participants believe that paying bills on time is a sign that you're officially a successful adult. Whether you mark due dates in your calendar or enroll in auto-pay, not defaulting on payments shows that you take your financial future seriously.
Not everyone is lucky enough to be raised with a strong sense of financial literacy, which means that the knowledge on how to properly care for your finances isn't always a skillset you innately understand. The way we handle our finances isn't solely practical, it's also based on our emotional experience and how you were taught to interact with money.
Yet once you're able to take control of your financial situation and make sure that your bills are paid on schedule, it's an official sign that you've become an adult.
2. Staying calm in an emergency
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In the survey, 38% of participants stated that keeping calm in an emergency situation is a clear sign that you're a grown-up who knows how to adult. Keeping your wits about you in a high-pressure environment isn't easy, but if you're able to take deep breaths and stay grounded when something goes wrong, it highlights just how mature you really are.
While some people panic when faced with emergencies, others find that they're able to focus on the task at hand and guide whoever is in trouble to safety. Staying calm in stressful situations is especially important as a parent, as the likelihood of facing broken bones and scraped knees is high in the realm of caregiving.
If you're able to keep calm and literally carry on, it's an official sign that you know how to adult.
3. Ending a night out early
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As we age, getting a good night's rest becomes a more elusive event than in our younger years.
According to a study published in the journal "Missouri Medicine," 50% of older adults have sleep-related complaints and concerns. As people age, their sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented, which leads to reduced sleep efficiency and total time spent sleeping. Forty-three percent of older adults reported difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.
An official sign that you are a grown-up who's mastered adulting is if you have no problem calling it a night when you're out with friends. You prioritize rest over partying and, as a result, your physical and mental health stays stabilized.
As the survey noted, 32% of participants appreciate ending their nights early, which is certainly a sign that you're grown-up and adulting with success.
4. Going to the dentist for regular check-ups
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Of the people who responded to the survey, 27% said that seeing the dentist regularly and taking care of their teeth is a tried-and-true sign that they've fully entered adulthood. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, plaque build-up is the number one cause of tooth decay and gum disease.
Going to the dentist on a regular basis for cleanings and implementing proper dental care at home are signs that you know how to adult. Using fluoride toothpaste and flossing at least once a day can keep your mouth healthy.
Caring about your overall health and not ignoring the indications that your body needs attending to are both important aspects of being an actual adult.
5. Planting a garden
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Cultivating your green thumb and fostering a connection with nature, even if it's just in your own backyard, is a sign that you're a grown-up who knows how to adult properly.
Research from Preventive Medicine Reports shows that having daily contact with nature can lead to lower levels of depression and anxiety. Being in nature can also impact a person's heart health and overall length of life.
Planting a garden can boost someone's sense of life satisfaction and community, along with their psychological well-being and cognitive function. Gardening can even be seen as a part of practicing "horticultural therapy" that helps balance people's mental health.
If you've taken a sudden interest in staking tomatoes in your yard or documenting which plants are safe for your puppy to be around, it's a sign that you definitely know how to adult.
6. Doing the dishes before bed
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Twenty-three percent of the Southern Sheeting survey participants shared that making sure your kitchen is clean before going to bed is a sign of being a grown-up who knows how to adult.
Doing the dishes is one of those never-ending household chores, yet ignoring them just leads to even more dishes piling up in your sink. Part of being an actual adult is doing necessary things that you don't really want to do, like wiping down the counters, organizing your fridge, and doing the dishes.
Of course, it might seem easier to just crash and tell yourself that you'll take care of the dishes in the morning, but let's face it: you probably won't. Facing a hard task head-on is a sign that you know how to adult, which means you do your dishes before going to bed.
7. Cooking meals at home
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Making you own meals is great for multiple reasons, including the fact that cooking at home is a serious money-saver. While ordering takeout can be a convenient way to keep yourself fed, all the fees you pay add up fast.
A more grown-up technique to save yourself time and money is to meal-plan. By planning out a schedule for what you're making for dinner, you can cook up big batches of food for less money than ordering pizza every night. You might find that hunting for recipes is more fun than you thought.
Cooking meals at home is a way to unwind after a long day, which every true grown-up needs.
8. Doing household projects
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Fending for yourself in the world isn't easy, but a surefire sign that you've mastered adulthood is how you're able to manage household tasks. Of the survey participants, 23% reported that knowing how to change a lightbulb is a sign of being a grown-up, and 28% said that not melting down when talking to a plumber or electrician also shows how grown you are.
While living in less-than-stellar environments was tolerable when you were young, an official sign that you're a grown-up who knows how to adult is that you take care of your living space and show your home the care it deserves. This means knowing how to take care of the little things, which makes your space function smoothly and literally keeps the lights on.
9. Knowing when trash day is
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The survey found that 36% of participants believe that knowing the exact days to bring your trash cans and recycling bins to the curb for collection is a sign that you're a grown-up who knows how to adult.
Caring for the environment is part of caring for your community, which means you put in the effort to separate your trash and properly recycle. Instead of ignoring this particular household chore, you put in the effort to keep your home clean and organized.
10. Avoiding caffeine after 5 p.m.
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Another sign that you know how to adult is that you listen to what your body needs and you don't ignore its messages.
Because you know that proper sleep hygiene is so important, you've given up your habit of drinking coffee in the late afternoon or early evening. You don't want to dysregulate your circadian rhythms any longer, so you avoid any intake of caffeine after 5 o'clock at night.
Instead, you stick to herbal tea and make sure that you get enough water, because now that you're a grown-up who knows how to adult, you know that health is wealth, and good health is your golden ticket to a long, happy life.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.