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I don't have my life all together in the slightest, but really does anyone now a days? I forget things, put things off, and sometimes just get so close to giving up. Everyone feels this way at some point in their life, but I try to do everything in my power to keep trucking along. Here are four tips I have for not keeping it all together because, as I said in the title, that is impossible, but rather to live your best life as well as you can.
1. Plan it Out
I am a planner. My calendar is filled with every little detail, my phone notes are filled with random lists, everything I do is planned as best it can be. My brain feels scattered and lost without a physical list in front of me of what I need to do. Because of this, I plan out my work days. Every day I take a bright yellow sticky note, stick it to the day on my planner, and make a list (in order) of what I need to do. Home work, sports, meals, plans, so on and so fourth. I even write in my time to watch TV or get my nails done. Its excessive, its honestly a little psycho, but it helps to keep me on track as best I can. While you may not take this planning thing to the level I do, I encourage you to take time to zoom out, breathe, and make a plan or do whatever it takes to get your head space in order.
2. Find Your Space
I know where I cannot do work: around noise, outside, in public places, or near comfy seating areas. I know why I cannot do work there: I will get distracted, I will fall asleep, I will eat instead of doing work. I know what I don't like and because of that I have found what I do. Find your place where you can get things done and separate it from the place where you relax. Studies have shown that students who do their work on their bed have more trouble sleeping. Whether this is true for you or not, it shows that it is essential to separate your work space from the rest of your spaces in order to maximize your best success. Find the place that works for you and stick to it.
3. Exercise
I'll be the first one to admit it: after a long day of school or work no one wants to hit the gym. You're tired, cold, and lazy and all you want to do is curl up in your cozy bed and watch Greys Anatomy. It's hard and I am not going to tell you I am the best at this tip, but going to the gym and just getting in a quick work out is honestly one of the best things you can do for your body in order to stay motivated and happy. Exercise works wonders for the brain: it releases chemicals in your body that help to improve and promote happiness, mood, and energy. So, while it may be hard to get yourself to go to the gym, the pay off for your mental and physical health in the long run (pun intended) is great. So, start with twice a week and then work your way up to three. You don't have to be running marathons or lifting thousands of pounds, I do not do that in the slightest, but even just a short run or elliptical work out will do the trick!
4. Make Time for Yourself
I often overbook my day with work. I wake up, go to school, play sports, do work, go to bed, repeat. I have learned that it is essential to carve out time in your day to watch TV, get your nails done, or something of the sort. Taking time for yourself is not something to feel guilty about, which I have to keep telling myself, rather, it is essential in order to take a break from the daily stresses of life and just relax. As humans, we do not have to be go go go all the time, which I think is something our society does not promote as much as it should. Taking time to step away from the fast paced and intense world we live in is important for you in order to be the best version of yourself, thus it is also important for the rest of the world.
Make time for the things that matter.
Xoxo,
Salut Sophie