It's all worth it in the end

Never neglect yourself for even a second. I hope you find this helpful. There should be something for everyone here.

Relaxation

a hot bath with salts and candles

gentle stretching

take a quick shower

closing your eyes and being quiet for a few minutes

chamomile or peppermint or jasmine tea

Social

call a close friend & chat about nothing in particular

write a letter or postcard (I’m talking snail mail)

write that email you’ve been putting off

unplug yourself from social media for a bit

go out for coffee or tea with a pal

Organization

make a to-do list for when you’re feeling better

set priorities so as not to overwhelm yourself

clear off your workspace for when you’re ready

clean out your closet and/or drawers

sort through your papers for school

Body

try some yoga poses (learn some from youtube)

go for a walk, long or short, just so long as your heart gets pumping

play outside with your dog if you’re lucky enough to have one

somersaults, jumping jacks, push ups, cartwheels, etc.

dance vigorously to your favorite music

Skincare & hair care

please try a face mask (heavenly)

use that bath bomb you’ve been saving

moisturize your body with a lovely smelling lotion

look up a recipe for a homemade hair mask

learn a new hairstyle from youtube or pinterest

Beauty

remind yourself that you are beautiful, always have been, always will be

give yourself a mani-pedi (try fun colors!)

do your makeup as if you’re going out, just to feel glamorous

treat yourself to something small, like a new mascara or lipstick

get a free makeover from a store like sephora

Mental health

if applicable, make sure you take your meds. always.

curb the negative self talk as much as possible

get it all out in morning pages or a journal

find a counselor through your university or healthcare network

just share what you’re going through with someone, anyone

Schoolwork

you will feel better if you get at least one thing done, just a small thing

make a list of all the assignments you have to do then put it out of sight for a while

call a friend or contact a classmate if you need help (or your teacher/professor)

get some new stationery, even just one pen to make you smile

refresh your organizational system, to start over

Food

bake something for yourself or someone you know’s favorite dessert

bite into a crisp apple

avoid mindless snacking so you don’t regret it later

but you can indulge a little in your favorites

eat fresh, home-cooked meals

Drink

herbal tea and fruit tea (nature’s tranquilizers)

water infused with lemon or cucumber

fresh juice

never underestimate a big cold glass of water

avoid alcohol because it is a depressant

Entertainment

put on a favorite (preferably funny) movie or show

put on your favorite music or soundtrack

reread a favorite book

find a new book at the library you just can’t put down

walk around or go about the house listening to an audiobook

De-clutter

delete apps you no longer use

organize your digital files

donate clothes that don’t fit or you haven’t worn in 6 months

go through your belongings and ask if something really brings you joy

purge your fridge of uneaten foods and condiments

Environment

if you have them, diffuse some essential oils (lavender and chamomile)

get into a fresh headspace by changing your locale (the library, a coffee shop, etc)

light some candles

use soft, warm lighting

spruce up your space with some low-maintenance plant friends (succulents)

Cleaning

make your bed

do a load of laundry

change your sheets (they will feel crisp and awesome when you go to bed)

sweep the floor

do a quickly wipe down of counters

Comfort

put on a fluffy rope or a roomy hoodie

slippers or big fuzzy socks

pants with an elastic waist  

perch yourself on the couch or snuggle in bed

deep breaths

Hygiene

wash your face

shower

wash your feet (if you can’t bring yourself to shower)

change your underwear

put on an outfit that makes you feel like a warrior

Day trips

the lake

the beach

a hiking trail

museum (don’t forget your student discount!)

a new part of town you’ve never explored

Miscellaneous

learn a new skill

start studying a new language (like you’ve been meaning to)

take a twenty minute nap

practice gratitude

play a video game

Things not to underestimate

hugs

hearing “I love you”

saying “I love you”

cuddling with a pet

alone time

Things to remember

you are not alone

you are loved

you will get through the worst you could imagine

this is all temporary

♡ Weekly Planner by @diehardstudyblr

A simple planner to help you keep up with appointments and tasks! First you have a timetable to write down your schedule, then ‘things I need to do’, ‘people I have to call’, and notes. All of these with circles to check when done! On the very right there’s your health reminder! Check when you exercise and everytime you drink a glass of water! Hope you guys find this useful and fun as I have :)

Click to download!

yay for the new year! if you’re any thing like me you may be brainstorming some good resolutions for the new year to feel fulfilled and successful. If you’re tired of the typical resolutions here’s a list of some specific and cool resolutions you can do while you’re a student:

Find a mentor: it could be a teacher or a friend or a proffesional you look up to, but finding a mentor could be an enriching experience you embark on this new year; It doesn’t matter if you’re not college, if your interested in doing something find someone you think can help you with developing that interest.

Simplify your planning system: I know its easy to fall into the whole of having a billion planners and a million notebooks but is more effective if you find one planning system that really works and stick with that, e.g. a notepad, bullet journal planner etc. 

Join a weird club: we all know the popular clubs but its a cool idea is to join a club or organization you wouldn’t normally gravitate to, like chess, or a cheese club or anything out of the ordinary of what youll usually do, it could be a really fulfilling experience.

Improve your handwriting: it may seem simple but improving your handwriting can literally revolutionize you school life; The clearer and more legible you handwriting is, the easier it is for you to review you own notes and for teachers to understand you. 

Learn 365 new words: learn a new word a day for the new year and improve your vocabulary. Also make sure that when you learn a new word you say it in a conversation to cement the word into your vocabulary.

Take an online course in a subject not offered at your school: yay for independent learning! if you wanted to learn something and its not taught at your school, take charge and find that course on the internet, there’s tonns of free courses and paid ones if you wanna get accredited.

Watch more documentaries: you could set a goal to watch one documentary a month. Its great way to get an overview of a certain topic and you usually leave a documentary feeling more informed.

Create your ideal morning routine: we all know how important your morning routine is but, most of us still have a less than desirable morning routine. Make it a resolution for 2018 to find a morning routine that is optimal and realistic for you.

Re-organize something in your life: if you can’t reorganize your room, you can reorganize your desk, your locker, anything! it will help you to have a fresh perspective and a clearer mind.

Eat a veggetable everyday: focus less on what you want to eat less of and just focus on making sure the things you need are in your diet, so stack up on the greens! by creating a habit of eating one vegetable a day you’re actually rewiring your brain and getting your taste buds acclimatized to vegetables and before you know you’ll actually like to eat veggies. 

▪21.12.2017▪

a math session or a picnic on my math work? nobody knows!

56/100 days of productivity — 13.12.17

i’ve compiled a masterpost of tips that i have reblogged over the past few months and i thought it would be easier to have it all in one place. none of these posts are by me! huge thanks to everyone that has created these tips.

exams

finals: survival guide for the brave

pennyfynotes’ guide to exam season

study tips for exams

tips for doing well on exams

how to

how to accept and grow from failure

how to avoid education burnout

how to be an efficient test-taker

how to cope with exams

how to get straight a’s

how to get straight a’s 2

how to overcome failure

how to study effectively

how to study as a busy student

how to study when you don’t want to

how to utilise your studyblr

how to do well in a class taught by a crappy teacher

improve your handwriting

improve your life

productivity

5 easy productivity tips

7 productivity tips

productivity 101

the no bullshit guide to getting your shit together

school

4 tips for delivering a perfect presentation

a self care masterpost to help you get through school

school cheat sheet

back to school

back to school advice

habits of successful students

search google like a pro

useful things for those going back 2 school

study tips

6 things people don’t always tell you about studying

effective note taking

memory tips

my 3 steps in studying

memorisation tips for different types of learners

random study tips

study habits

study methods

study smarter

study tips

strategies for writing good conclusions

things not to do when studying

tips + tricks for learning a language

types of study breaks for every situation

unconventional study tips

when to use

work smarter, not harder

misc.

four rules for a disciplined life

self discipline tips

self soothing techniques

small gestures of self-love

how many days of productivity 2017 / / / day 10

plantae notes

55/100 days of productivity + MON 12.11.17 // 1:11pm

A friend once asked me how I manage to do my tasks so efficiently. I wrote a 500-word essay in 20 minutes. I finished my math homework and studied for a quiz in the half hour before morning assembly. I sleep at 9 pm on most nights. But how can I possibly achieve that?

I’ve seen people, even good students, check their phone every minute or two as they’re studying. I’ve seen students “study” for six hours straight, meaning taking down some notes then watching a YouTube video then reading their textbook then opening Instagram… you know what I mean.

My advice is to commit to whatever you’re doing. Not too long ago, another friend asked me, “Jo, do you ever get distracted at home?” to which I replied, “Distracted by what?” They told me about how they always have the urge to check their phones, talk to their friends, or get some food.  I can’t say I never get distracted, but it very rarely happens to me because I focus on what I’m doing–and only what I’m doing. Here’s how:

1. During the time I allocate for working, I turn my phone to airplane mode (with WiFi switched off, of course). No messages or notifications will distract me from what I’m currently doing. Recently, though, I’ve left my phone on in case there’s anything important. There might an RMUN photoshoot tomorrow, or a Physics quiz, or a music showcase. I know myself well enough to know that I have the discipline to do nothing more than glance at the notification. However, if this isn’t true for you, then I suggest you keep your phone on airplane mode.

2. When I allocate time for relaxing, that’s all I do. No homework. No textbooks. No opening emails as they come. Just me and a good book or Photoshop or the piano or something. That way, I can satiate my thirst to relax within the half hour or so and not crave more when I start working

As for music, it’s been proven that music makes you less productive when trying to recall and absorb information (studying, in other words). Music only makes you happier when you’re doing things but not more productive.

By this, I don’t only mean which ones are most urgent, but which ones you can’t accomplish anywhere other than at home. For example, let’s say you have these three tasks: a) research about structural unemployment; b) write a poem with the theme of death; c) answer some questions about quantum physics; d) do a problem set about implicit functions; and e) memorize a set of chemical reactions. This is how I would do them:

Write the poem on the way to school. Maybe this is just because I like poetry. And because I can’t write when other people are around. I’d probably get a first draft done by the time I get home.

Do the research about structural unemployment. My school’s WiFi is terrible.

Answer the quantum physics questions. The new information is still fresh in my brain and doing the homework will help me revise, easing the process of spaced repetition.

Memorize the chemical reactions before I go to bed. Studying before you sleep is supposed to improve your memory, and since my memory is terrible, that’s exactly what I’ll do.

Do the implicit functions problem set as soon as I get to school the next morning. Math is undoubtedly my best subject, and it’s very refreshing to do math at 6:45 AM in the morning.

If you saw the pattern, I assigned each task a time slot when I would be most productive. I also did them from easiest to most difficult to the easiest again. Because everyone works differently, I suggest you find out which types of tasks are the most difficult (memorizing, in my case) and which types of tasks require a certain environment (e.g. requiring WiFi for doing research).

I guess that’s pretty much self-explanatory. I like to nap right after I get home from school if I’m feeling especially tired. As for breaks, I prefer to take them between tasks instead of every 25 minutes because of my high study inertia.

Commit to what you’re doing

Delegate and prioritize

Give yourself shorter deadlines

Take breaks!

100 Days of Productivity // Day Eighteen 

I didn’t post yesterday because it wasn’t really that productive to be honest haha….but today I’m starting to review for my biology final so hopefully I’ll get more done than yesterday! (P.S. the photo I took on campus was from two days ago and all the snow has melted already 😔)