Month: September 2020

1. Get more sleep

Being a well rested version of you is always the best version to be. Sleep is so important in so many ways, your skin, your health, your growth, don’t slack on. Sometimes it is hard to to control the amount of sleep you get, but getting enough sleep whenever you can is so important.

2. Smile more, at anyone

Smiling can do wonders for your attitude at approach. Everything can just seem so much lighter and happier if you just smile. Having a good attitude really improves who you are overall. Smile when you first wake up, smile at strangers, just don’t let it get you down if they don’t smile back.

3. Drink more water

Water is amazing. Simply put, amazing. Read here about all the ways drinking more than enough water can improve your life.

4. Turn a negative into a positive

Just like there is always some bad in a situation, there is always some good. It is just the matter of which your eyes are drawn too, and which you seek out. You can definitely change your mindset and your life if you learn to seek out the positives in any situation, that way there is always hope that you can improve and be better.

5. Be grateful

Gratefulness is such as amazing way to improve yourself. It allows you to be way more in tune with the universe so you can manifest what you want, and it also has mental and physical benefits too. I highly suggest reading this post, to learn how to use gratitude most effectively, in a journal.

6. Unplug

Social media is trying its hardest these days to drag people down and make them hate themselves, and get so involved in a fake world. This means social media can be dangerous. Unplugging from technology for a certain period of time can help your mind reset, it can help your mental health and it can help you learn more about yourself.

7. Read and learn

How can you be the best version of yourself if you aren’t learning and sharpening your mind? Learning is so important for your future, and improving yourself. The only way to become the best version of you is to improve yourself, and since you can read to learn about almost anything, reading is one of the best ways to become a better you.

8. Talk to someone, let it out

Often times we bottle everything up inside of us, not giving ourselves a chance to deal with any of our pent up emotions and thoughts. Talking to someone close to you can really help you deal with everything in your mind that is holding you back. Sometimes it might feel like you have no one to talk to, then I suggest you do a brain dump. Write it out, or even speak into a recording.

9. Organize

Clean space means a clear mind. If you have a lot on your mind, odds are your home is cluttered and disorganized, reflecting your life. There are so many ways to stay organized, decluttering, physically, mentally and digitally, and one of my favorites, lists. Check out this post for the best ways to stay organized.

10. Learn how to be more productive and have better time management

Learning something like productivity and time management can come from experience, books, blog posts, and so much more. They are super important skills to have to be the best version of you. Click here to see my best time management tips, and click here for some very productive habits.

11. Exercise

Get strong, both mentally and physically through exercise. There are so many ways to exercise, some super calming and great for the mind like yoga, and some more taxing on the body like lifting weights. Exercise just means getting your body moving, and becoming a stronger, better version of you.

12. Set goals

If nobody has dreams, aspirations or goals, nobody would do anything. We wouldn’t progress as a society. But there is a difference between saying “I want to get rich” and saying “in five years my bank account will contain $5,000,000.” A big difference. The first is just a dream, nothing tangible. But the second is a goal, that you can work towards, you can break it down into parts, and make a plan. That is what I mean by setting goals. Workable dreams.

13. Say no and set boundaries

I am fortunate enough that I have not had a problem with saying no, but I am friends with some yes-sayers. It’s an awful habit to have and to break. You feel guilty when you don’t say yes to everything people ask you do to, but you feel miserable because your own sense of self is getting lost and you are being swamped by things you don’t want to do. The easiest way to stop this is to set some boundaries. How much time each day/week will you spend doing things for someone else? You can make boundaries like this that are clear practical, and you can also make boundaries simply saying I will politely decline anything I don’t want to do.

14. Stop comparing

Comparing is awful. It ruins the part of you that is truly unique and beautiful by plaguing it with thoughts and comparisons of someone else. You are beautiful inside and out, and you have or you can get what you want and need. Focus on yourself and who you are instead of others.

15. Calm your mind

My favorite ways to calm my mind are meditation and yoga. I am not very good and having a clear, calm mind, so meditation and yoga (wellness in the Sims ;)) are not very easy for me. But they are skills you can get better at, and I plan on doing just that. I really suggest this because the benefits can spread across your entire life, making you a much better version of yourself.

Know your deadlines!

Online school can make deadlines super confusing to keep track of. To solve this issue get an academic planner to keep track of all your deadlines, and always keep it updated. My planner has a monthly calendar, along with daily to-do’s. Make sure to frequently check for updates from your teachers to keep your planner updated. I have found that the times when assignments are due can be a lot more fluid during online classes, so remember to also write down the due times.

Don’t separate online classes from real classes in your head

Just because you are at home during your class does not mean that this class is any different from a real class. A class is not easier just because it is online. It also does not have less impact on your overall school experience. I definitely feel more involved in my classes when they are at school and I am in the right environment, but the classes still matter for your overall school experience.

Have a good at home study space

This does not mean your bed. There is no instance where your bed is a good at home study space, unless there is no other option. The characteristics of a good at home study space are that it is decluttered, it has almost nothing that is not academic related, all of your necessary stationary are on it, it is away from distractions like your family, you have everything you will need for class, and you are able to sit or stand in a position where you are alert and comfortable. Make sure all of your papers are organized, and keep your planner close.

Remove as many distractions as possible

When I think of distractions during class, I think of mainly my family, and other technology. The first can’t be helped, we are at home after all. But the second can be dealt with. Unless you truly need it or can’t be without it, put your phone in a different room. If it needs to be by you, then put it on do not disturb. Not only is a phone buzzing super distracting, it is so easy to get lost in the social media vortex and miss important parts of your lesson. Phone time can be a reward for studying and paying attention, but try to keep it away from you during your classes.

Participate!

Engaging, asking questions, these are all a part of participation. Participation might not just help out your grade, it will also make your environment feel a lot more like school. Online classes make “drifting away,” way too easy. Engagement will help you feel apart of the class and not so far away. It may not seem important, but participation can impact your grade, so I highly suggest your stay focused and engaged throughout your lessons.

Learn how to deal with the basic tech issues that might come up

Being tech-savvy is now more important than ever. Out of everything on this list, this is probably the hardest for me to do. I happen to have a really tech-savvy dad, but if there is no one around you that can help, find someone in your class or one of your teachers that can help you to learn how to deal with tech issues. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help, being this is your education on the line! It is just like asking a question when school was in person.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or get clarification

If you have a question or are confused by something, ask the teacher! It is way too easy to fall behind or never completely learn something in an online class. You may believe that what you don’t know will eventually sort itself out, but this might not even happen before you see it on a test! Due dates and times can also change on a teachers whim, so to make sure you always have the most up to date information, don’t be afraid to ask questions or get clarification.

Find ways to keep your motivation

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know for me online class is super-duper boring. They are missing all the fun parts of school! So one of the biggest issues is how to keep your motivation. Don’t do everything all at once, take breaks. Also reward yourself! I have made a habit to go jump on my trampoline for as long as I want after I finish a day of online school. Find a motivator that works for you, and also helps you get some exercise after a very long day.

Online classes are very tough, and so different from in person, but if you follow these tips and stay focused, you can still get good grades and make the most out of your classes!

IF you have read any of my time management posts you know that I value the effectiveness of time blocking. But what you might not know is that I am also very bad at it. I do not like having a set schedule for everything in my day. I call it being a “free spirit,” but in reality for me it’s closer to laziness. Time blocking is a very important piece of having an organized productive day, so I suggest you try to make it a habit like I am.

Make a to-do list

Time blocking starts with figuring out what you actually need to block time out for. The best way to do this is with a to-do list. Think of everything you need to get done, for the time period you had chosen. If you are planning out your day, make a daily to-do list. If you are time blocking for a week, make a weekly to-do list. I do not suggest you plan for any time period longer than that, because it is harder to come up with all the to-do’s. Make sure your to-do’s are as specific as you can make them.

Figure out how long each task will take

Look back over your very specific to-do’s. Figure out how long each task will take. I suggest adding an extra 5-10 minutes to your estimate, just in case. I speak from experience that it is super stressful when you go over the time limit you set for yourself, you start feeling like a failure. There is also not a better feeling when you finish your task in less time than you allotted. Do this for every task.

Put time in your calendar for things you know you will do or have to do

This includes meetings, lunch with friends, traffic, and anything else that is not a to-do, but has to happen at a certain point. These events are the building blocks of your schedule. Don’t miss a single event.

Find a space in your calendar for your top to-do’s

Depending on how much time you have remaining, the amount of top to-do’s you have will be different. I usually chose to put the three-five most important and urgent tasks on my to-do list into my calendar. Some factors you should take into consideration is that you would want to put your hardest task first, and put your easier tasks in between tough meetings. Think carefully when you are planning out your day, keep in mind your own limits.

From the remaining time put some self-care activities in

Never forget to take care of yourself. Sometimes self-care can seem like a drag, but I have a great post you can find here on how to self-care with no effort. In between your tasks, make sure to put some self-care activities in to make sure your days remain fun and healthy.

Set a timer

Raise a hand if you get forgetful and then have to rush to get into whatever meeting or class you are late to. *Raises hand.* Yah. Timers have saved me. I suggest if you are the least bit forgetful you set a timer for a minute or so before your next time block begins. This will give you time to prepare, and to get into the right mindset.

Thank you for reading my post! Leave comment what your biggest obstacle is for having good time management! I also suggest you check out other posts on my site and my Pinterest!

Way to much we tell ourselves that we aren’t worthy to live our best life, we aren’t worthy to improve, and grow, and learn. But what we need to learn is that our greatest critic is ourself. Our feelings of low self-worth our caused by us, and they can be overcome by us.

Decide to be in a good mood right when you get up

That first moment you open your eyes will impact your entire day. Saying right when you get up, “today will be an amazing productive day” can benefit you so much. Also smile. A lot. Smiling lights people up from the inside. It is what we instinctively do if something is funny or makes us happy. Bring those emotions to the top by smiling and feeling joy. Start your day with positive thoughts and positive vibes. Don’t let your day be ruined with your first though being, “ugh, I have to live another boring day today,” take the lead and create an amazing day.

Let all the positives fill your mind

Let yourself obsess over the positives. Let your gratitude, hope, love, joy, freedom and everything you love about yourself fill you up. Stop looking for flaws within yourself, and see all the beauty. Everyone has flaws. Embrace them as a part of yourself. Compliment yourself and remind yourself of your amazingness every single day.

Journal positively

What does journaling positively mean? It means using bright colors and bright highlighters, but it also means journaling about positive topics, such as what you are grateful for and the best parts of your day. Remember to highlight the good, because like attracts like. The more you focus on good in your life, the more good will come. I do realize that venting about the bad can help ease your pain, but if you follow it with focusing on the good, that will also ease your pain.

Do not force yourself to be alone

No matter who you are or what you have done, no one should be alone. I understand that letting people in is harder for some than others, but find that clan. Those people you can truly trust with everything. Those are the people that will build up your self esteem. Let them shower you with praise, and accept that praise. Finding friends that will laugh with you and let you be yourself is a huge step in finding self-worth.

Nourish and support your body

Your body thrives off of healthy fruits, vegetables, outside time, self-care, exercise, learning. These tasks are just some of the tasks that will help you grow and become a stronger version of yourself. Your body will better support you if you better support it. Remember while these tasks may seem like a drag in the beginning, if you do them enough they can become beautiful parts of your day.

Live only in the moment

Don’t spend your valuable time hanging on to the past or worrying about the future. Spend your time focusing on the present and the beauty of everything around you. What can you do in this moment to make yourself happier? The past is over now. You can’t change it, you can’t alter it. The future hasn’t happened yet. The only way to change what’s going to happen in your future is to change your present. What is the best path to take, right now?

Have times when you unplug

Stepping away from the negative and toxic environment of technology can start to stimulate your mind to think more positive thoughts. The whole environment of social media can destroy someones self-worth. This does not mean all parts of social media are bad, there are parts that are beautiful and great for your self-worth, but you need a break from those parts too. Take some time to be in the present and in your real world.