Sporadically Productive

A student tested guide to planning your shit

Yes, I’m back after months of absence. I’ve been horribly busy this summer, I started my internship, had to do some certifications and even started working as a freelance marketer aside from that. So, you can just imagine how many things I’ve gotta do. And I have to say what truly saved me, is planning properly. So these are the best practices I’ve learned that have saved me from going crazy. This method consists of 3 stages: Overview, Planning, Reviewing. In the end, I will also list some good practices that can help you plan better. 

Overview Stage

For this first stage, I rec you to grab a piece of paper and just jot down these things. Don’t write them directly on your calendar, with the exception of deadlines.

1. List your deadlines first. Starting with the deadlines is the easiest given the fact these are likely not to change dates. Include here things like presentations, exams, meetings. Also, do yourself a favour and list the expiration date of legal documents like ID, passport, license and such because most of us don’t do that and realise too late when its already expired. 

2. List your required tasks and the time it takes to finish. These are mundane things like cleaning, cooking, and other chores you usually do on a daily or weekly basis. Also, write down how much time you spend doing these things and when you usually do them. 

3. List things you do in your free time. This one is pretty straightforward: going out with friends, watching a movie or series, reading and whatever else you like to do in your free time. 

Planning Stage

1. Analyse. This is the most crucial part of the entire process so you have to pay close attention here. Deadlines are our number 1 priorities, and likely the ones to give us more stress. So we want to start with those first. Ask yourself questions like how long it will take you to complete a certain project? How hard will it be to complete this before the deadline? Is it time-consuming? Is it a group or individual project? If it’s a group project, keep in mind you should leave some time open for meetings and such. Talk to your teammates if you are going to meet, if so when and where. 

2. Set weekly goals.

Shit might happen and you may not complete your daily tasks and such. Which is why I prefer setting weekly goals. As the week progress, I schedule my tasks. I don’t like planning specifically every detail for more than 2 days, as shit might happen today or tomorrow or maybe I’m in a whole different mood and therefore do schedule my daily tasks in more detail the night before. I’ve noticed it makes me feel less stress and I have better control over what I can do instead of what I want to do in the day.

3. Don’t go nuts on the daily tasks.

We all would like to be productive af, and hustle with all-nighters and all so we can brag about how hard we work but man that ain’t healthy. At least, I know that shit doesn’t work for me at all. I set a maximum of 5 daily tasks. I’ve noticed that if I do more, chances are very high I won’t even finish my daily tasks and will get stressed instead. Take it easy. Don’t rush. Plus it gives me time to do other stuff after if I feel like it or if someone invites me to go out. 

Good practices

1. Have everything in one accessible place. I used to have a bullet journal and couple it with a digital calendar. Worst idea ever. Somethings where here the other half was over there. It was truly a mess. Just pick one and stick to it. This way you won’t be losing information and everything, literally, everything can be seen at a glance. I personally prefer using a digital calendar because I always have my phone with me, and it helps me minimize the things I carry. 

2. Try to plan ahead and for the worst-case scenario. Yes, you never know when shit may hit the fan so you better be prepared.

have 3 achievable goals a day: having a laundry list of things to do everyday is super unrealistic, and you just end up feeling bad about yourself because you didn’t accomplish your goals for the day.

leave your sundays open: i love sundays because they’re my day to chill out and catch up on school work that i wasn’t able to finish during the week.

recognize when you’re at your emotional limits: forcing yourself to get work done when you are unable to comprehend your study material does not benefit anyone.

learn how to say no: people will ask you for your time and it will stretch you to the limit, whether it be at your job, in your extracurriculars, or in your personal life. know when to step back and say no.

take care of yourself physically: take breaks, go for walks, shower regularly, get enough sleep, eat healthy, see your friends

celebrate your accomplishments: go out to eat with friends after a big exam, indulge in a night off after a busy week with some netflix and wine

make a study plan beforehand: it can be daunting to see how much work you need to put in to a class or task beforehand, but this allows you to spread your work evenly so you don’t become overwhelmed.

learn how to ask for help: it is very rare that people make it through school, whether it be high school or university or any graduate program, without needing the advice of others or just a kind soul to vent to. find that person.

never forget your hobbies: you will need things that keep you sane. if you love to play music, write, play volleyball, or cook, make you sure you don’t lose these things. they will become your escape when times get tough.

7.22.19

kinda in love with these doodles✨

UPDATED ON JULY 2017

Here you can find videos with advice on different categories related to college and studying! Just click on whatever topic you’d like to learn about :)

10 Bullet Journal Hacks and Ideas

Tips on How to Start a Bullet Journal

New Bullet Journal // Leuchtturm1917 [Mid 2017]

Minimalistic Planning Routine

My Planner Setup for 2016

Bullet Journal Setup for 2016

Bullet Journal 101

How to Plan for Final Exams

Bullet Journal Doodles and Decor

Plan with Me: Monthly Spreads

My Planning Routine

Bullet Journal [Early 2017]

How to Color Code your Notes

New Note Taking Method // Cause and Effect

How to Chose between Typed and Handwritten Notes

How to Type Notes for College

How to Take Notes from Textbooks

The Best, Fastest, Note Taking Method

Binder Tour 2015

Binder Tour 2016

Study Guide 101

Note Taking Tips and Advice for Typed Notes

How to Improve Typing Speed

How to Take Comparison Notes

Minimalist Binder Organization

Taking Notes with Microsoft OneNote

My 4 Types of Handwriting

The Cornell Method with Typed Notes

How to Be More Productive

The Ultimate Study Guide - 40 Tips

2 Different Ways to Use Sticky Notes

How to get Inspired to Study

Lecture Organisation and Preparation

How to have Efficient Study Breaks

How to Balance College and Life

My Study Routine

How to Have a Productive Summer

The Pomodoro Technique

How to Review and Study for Exams

How to Improve Handwriting

Time Management Tips

5 Tips for Exam Revision

College Organization Setup

How I Study for Tests

Presentation/Public Speaking Tips

Things I Wish I Had Known Before College

A Day with Me at Starbucks

My Evening Study Routine

My Morning Study Routine

Study With me For Exams // Timelapse

Huge Stationery Haul [2017]

Top 5 Best Websites for Students

ANDROID Apps for Studying and Time Management

School Supplies for 2016

The BEST Highlighters for Studying

My Favorite Pens for Handwriting

Desk and Study Space Tour

• clean ya room (just do it). also, check those pinterest boards you save for “one day” and actually go through them and draw some inspiration, even if you just end up rearranging the books on your bookshelf or putting some flowers from your garden in a mason jar on your desk. this is your home, make it feel like it is.

• do your laundry (also, don’t forget your bed sheets). if you’re in the mood, look at next week’s weather forecast and think about what you’re going to wear. go through your drawers, check the back of your closet. that hat you bought some time ago and forgot about because you didn’t dare to wear it? well… new week, new you, right? 

• call a friend/family member you haven’t talked to in a while, tell them you miss them. tell them you love them. remember and appreciate that they are a part of your life even if it doesn’t feel like it all the time.

• draw, paint, journal, write or make some music. something you know you love doing but “never find the time”. sunday is “finding-the-time day”. if you’re not feeling creative, read a book or watch your favorite show. or watch a new show. a scary show. a funny show. laugh as loud as you want. listen to music. listen to your favorite songs, or listen to new songs. even a new genre if you dare. turn the volume all the way up. take a second to consciously feel the music. you can always get up and dance. or sing. or both.

• the great, but still really effective classic: take a bath or a really long shower. if you have this special face or hair mask you’re saving up for a special occasion: congrats, you’re the special occasion today. use it. also, body lotion. we all know you’re going to be running late during the week and skip it one too many times. make yourself feel like the goddess you are. 

• sit in silence for a few moments. listen to your breath. listen to your heartbeat. for the love of god PLEASE listen to your thoughts for once in your life. don’t make them feel like they are wrong. or bothersome. they too just want to be heard once in a while. what are they trying to tell you? what could be soothing for them? be compassionate to yourself. it’s okay. you are okay. you are okay.

• think about things you can be grateful for next week. even if you feel like your life sucks atm, think about the small things you take for granted in a different way. for example: “next week, i will have access to clean water. CLEAN. WATER. 844 million people don’t have that.” or “next week, my legs will take me wherever i want to go. not everybody has two fully functioning legs, so i’m lucky in that way.” you’re allowed to feel bad about your life, but you’re also allowed to feel good about things. 

• if you’ve stayed home most of the week, go out. go for a walk. go swimming. go to a party or dinner with friends. even if you feel like you don’t need to see the outside world, chances are you’ll feel great after you do. if you feel like you’ve been running around all week, maybe you’d like to stay home today. put on your ugliest sweater, comfiest leggings, and fluffiest socks and curl up under a thousand blankets. you a sloth today and it’s okay. 

• eat. i mean honestly: eat THE THING. i don’t care if you’re on a diet. if there’s something you’ve been craving all week that has turned you into the veiny-neck-dude meme just trying to resist it: EAT IT. you deserve it. not because you worked out or ate salads or did well in school, but just because you’re a human and you love to eat and life is short and you should be allowed to eat yummy things. it’s okay. you won’t gain 5 pounds or lose your brain cells no matter how unhealthy it is, i promise.

• plan plan plan yo week. it doesn’t matter if you use a planner, bullet journal, the calendar on your phone or the notes app: write everything down you have going on next week. appointments. events. coffee-dates. when are you going to the gym? what are you going to eat? (meal prep if necessary) also, create reminders on your phone for everything. “i won’t forget it!” is a sweet thought, but oh honey you will. schedule reminders for every event. let your phone remind you that you need to buy toilet paper when the store is nearby. schedule daily reminders for your medications. (once you’ve done this it honestly feels like you just cleaned out 38GB of your brain, you simply don’t have to worry about that anymore, space for more important info, like your new favorite pun to annoy everyone with)

Some days hit you like a ton of bricks, and for those who already struggle, those days can be even harder. Hopefully, these little tips can give you a boost in your darkest moments.

1. Open a window, let some light and fresh air in. You might not want it now, but it will help you feel better in the long run.

2. Take a shower. Sometimes, this can be more difficult than we expect, but that’s okay. Just letting the water hit your back, or washing your face can make you feel more refreshed.

3. Work on a hobby that gets you going. Unfortunately, as good as it feels in the moment, lying in bed and watching netflix while the work you have piles up will only make you feel worse. Now, maybe you can’t tackle your assignments right now, but sitting up and drawing your favourite character or watering your plants while blasting some music will get you in a better mindset.

4. Change your music. Sometimes we need to listen to a sad ass song and just get all our emotions out, but once that’s done and dusted, don’t dwell. Listen to some up-beat music (if I may, I recommend our Pick Me Up Playlist by You) and try to keep your environment from matching your mood.

5. Get a healthy snack and drink some water. Never underestimate the power of good nutrition. If you can’t handle the thought of a full meal, some fruit will suffice for now. But remember what you eat fuels your body, so if you can bring yourself to fitting in a remotely well-balanced meal, you’ll be all the better off.

6. Make a list, pick one, simple task, and get it done. Maybe you have laundry to do and it’s piling up. Maybe you have to wash down the kitchen counter. Maybe you have a worksheet for school. Maybe it’s just making the list. Whatever you need to get done, write it down, and rather than letting that overwhelm you, pick one thing from that list to tick off. Slowly but surely, you will be able to tackle the bigger things.

7. Go for a walk. Getting some fresh air and simple exercise will refresh you without tiring you out. Bring some water, or maybe make it a trip to get some of your favourite snacks and a smoothie from Jamba Juice. If you’re struggling to get up and out, having something nice to look forward too can motivate you. 

8. Think of why you’re feeling this way, and then let it go. More often than not, there is a reason you’re struggling to get up and out. Understanding the root of this feeling can help you move past it, tackle it, or keep it from holding you back.

Research suggests that being an early bird or a night owl is actually down to genetics (an interesting article to learn more about that here). Whilst many are getting their beauty sleep, you, brave night owl, are burning the midnight oil by choice! (One study has even shown that night owls are more intelligent than early risers.) 

There are benefits of studying in the evening/at night: you are less likely to be distracted by phone calls/texts/emails/active social media, you are more likely to feel calm and relaxed because the bulk of the day is behind you, and most people experience a spike in creativity at night- meaning out of the box solutions or deciphering problems by approaching them in a different way. These tips are for you, my nocturnal friends, to get the most out of your time!

Improve your lighting

It’s natural to want to work in dimmer lighting come night-time, but working from the glow of your computer screen might not be the best for you (plus this can cause unnecessary eye strain), so switch some bright main lights on and see if that changes your energy

Alternatively, you might continue to work with bright lighting but may find that you work better with softer lighting. Play around with a desk lamp/fairy lights/dimmable lights if you have them, to create the ambience that makes you the most productive

Commit to your study environment

Just because it’s night-time doesn’t mean it’s bed time - create and use the workspace you’ve set up (at a desk or table) and avoid crawling into bed with a textbook

Hit the library

If your institution has a twenty four hour library, this is the perfect time to get the best seat in the house to study in. With the exception of the weeks leading up to the exam period, libraries will usually be very quiet!

Switch your phone off

Unless you need it to set break timers, switching off your phone is BLISS because not many exciting things will be happening when it’s late. Allow yourself the freedom to study without wondering who could be texting you/who just posted another beige facebook update

Keep to a sleep schedule

Just because you stay up later than some doesn’t mean you still can’t have a schedule and wake up early - in fact, it’s been suggested that night owls are actually better at waking up than the early birds! It’s a good idea to have a cut-off point for studying. There may be times when a creative streak or an academic rush propels you through the early hours of the morning and you find yourself still working when the birdsong breaks, and that’s okay. Allow all nighters to happen sometimes, because that’s when the best work can happen! But ensure you do still get enough sleep and keep a loose routine

Music: destructive or productive?

During the day, I am most productive when listening to music (I make study playlists that you can find under my playlists tag!) After about 10pm, I find that music becomes a nuisance and instead prefer working in silence. Rules can change at night. Find out whether this is the same (or the opposite) for you

Stay hydrated

Don’t forget to have a big glass or bottle of water with you (if you’re bad at remembering to drink enough water, there are lots of cute apps to remind you such as Daily Water for iPhone/iPad or Drink! for Chrome)

Allow yourself time off 

Don’t always feel the need to study if you don’t want to- use the still of the night to work on that novel you’ve been writing, read a book for pleasure, paint, etc. 

There I was again tonight forcing laughter faking smiles so I made up this long ass post for y'all!

So you a potato. Me a potato. World conquered by we potatoes. But potato need survival tips. So your bro potato help you out. Yay potato. Go go potato.

Study related stuff :

1. Get good grades

Catch concepts, not chapters. Your portion is most likely gonna be super vast, so it’s helpful to know a little something from every chapter rather than knowing just 50% of your syllabus.

Figure out which concepts are important and master them.

Keep all assignments completed at least 1 day before submission date. This isn’t always possible but trust me if you do this you’re guaranteeing marks for proper submission. Job done early? Proof check and add touches to enhance that essay!

Let the teachers know that you’re working hard. I actually passed math because my math teacher knew I was working super hard on my math skills. Participate in the class, gather a bunch of doubts and then dump them on your teacher when the chapter ends.

Try not to miss lectures because chances are you’ll remember that silly mnemonic your friend made up in class and get the answer correct.

Analysis of your exam type is super important. Want me to make a long ass post about it?

2. Be more productive

Having a stuydjo/bujo by your side helps hella lot.

Plan plan plan. Lists, organise lists and colour code them. Basically become Monica Geller Bing and you’re set for life.

Motivational quotes from pinterest almost make me guilty for not being productive and force me to do something.

Before starting your study session, dance around to upbeat music for like 5 minutes. You’ll see the difference I promise.

Seek out inspiration from your smart friends /tumblr friends /people you look up to by constantly reminding yourself about them. I always think of hermione granger because even randomly picturing her with books in my mind ignites that badass boss feeling complying me to study tf up.

3. Manage your time

Studyjo/bujo saves your life.

Wear a watch all the damn time, it will remind you of how much time you’re spending doing nothing. You’ll end up saving several extra minutes!

List out what you’re gonna do every hour of the day on a sticky note and refer to it when you feel lazy.

Get a super nice friend /parent /sibling who will constantly remind you to utilise your time.

Think of time as currency and pretend that it’s all a game where you need to save up as much money as you can to become a billionaire. Save up your time and become rich af.

4. Avoid procrastinating

Stduyjo/bujo again. You know the drill now.

A little bit of exercise before starting work generally works you up and sets the correct mood.

Knowing how ahead your friends are from you often makes you wanna catch up so try getting that motivation.

Set goals + rewards that actually matter to you. Maybe a face care spa day isn’t your thing but munching on a snickers bar is. Treat yo self.

Tell someone a detailed plan of what you are going to accomplish the next day. Now whenever you see that person you’ll want to prove to them that you’re doing what you promised. Or the guilt may drive you too.

Appearance related stuff :

1. Look more put together

Try the lipstick trick. There are days when you do not have the time /want to put on makeup, so just put on a lipstick that matches your outfit and you’ll automatically create an illusion of being more put together, boss af and fabulous.

Try out cheap (potato can’t afford sorry) but elegant accessories. If it’s a necklace try tucking it under the collar of your shirt and see the magic. Stick to one staple accessory that’s gonna be your trademark.

Tame that mane potato. Your hair isn’t gonna detangle itself. You gotta do it. I mean, don’t you love your hair?

Minimalistic colours rock. Some outfits never go old like flannels or white shirts or black dresses.

2. Feel beautiful

The lipstick does the trick for me.

Putting my hair in a sky high ponytail makes me feel like I’m a queen or something.

Save little compliments for yourself as reminders and when you get them you’ll feel 10x more beautiful than before.

Mind related stuff :

1. Deal with burnout/slump

Try to accomplish super tiny stuff. Break down every task into micromolecular basics.

Give yourself a ted talk. It works.

Sometimes the best way of dealing with burnout is by detoxing from the thing that caused burnout. Stay away form books and after some time you’ll actually want to study.

2. Study with slumps/mental illness

Step one is to finish homework /assignments. If you can concentrate on them, you’re good to go.

Do not take up a lot of load, just skimming through textbooks, reviewing notes, going over flashcards should do the trick.

If you desperately need to get shit done, just ignore the fact that you do not want to do it. It’s harsh on your mind but desperate times require desperate measures.

Avoid forcing yourself to study because you’ll not retain info like that.

Take it easy. But consistently. Maybe just one topic a day. But do not miss a day. A steady everyday practice goes long way in the future.

3. Strengthen self control

There are several apps that can help you with this, like forest. My top pick is the Tide app which has a gorgeous interface and super aesthetic timers with new pictures everyday. I shit you not every time I quit my pomodoro I feel the guilt of having killed 1000 puppies its worse and I avoid doing that at all costs.

If you study in your room, keep your phone in the kitchen for some time. Your lazy ass is less likely to get up and use the phone.

Switching the phone off before starting a study session works because I care for my phone like a baby and it feels horrible to switch it on and off and on and off.

Practice 30 minutes of digital detox everyday. You don’t have to study at that time, just stay away from everything that is technology. Read and book, eat a fruit, make a sandwich, paint, sing, dance, exercise. Study if you want. Just no gadgets.

4. Deal with stress

Yoga works. Potato body ain’t that flexible so just breathing exercises for a start is also enough.

Highly recommended : brain dump every night before sleeping can ensure that you’ll not stay up too late pondering over the meaning of your existence and world politics.

Having a hearty talk with someone you trust will also lift weight off your chest.

Pin point the cause of your stress and annihilate the problem. Slay it.

Life related stuff :

1. Drink more water

Carry a cool ass bottle of water with you every frigging where.

Make it a rule to have a drink everytime you go to the loo or you take a bath /shower.

Replace one of your daily caffeines /sugars with water. You don’t have to get rid of coffee because that’s just non potato ish, but maybe that third cup could be replaced with water.

Try a game thingy. Maybe everytime the word ‘procrastination’ pops in your mind take a drink. Wow, I’m so creative *sighs for eternities*.

2. Be more healthy

5 minute stretches right after getting up works you up.

Try one of those YouTube videos of 15 minute workouts. You can have 3 such workouts through the day and call yourself a fit potato.

Replacing one packet of junk food with nuts/fruits also works.

Everytime you hear someone say something related to money, have a banana. Random much? Nope, bananas are known to increase hormones that make you happy in your body, meaning you’ll feel full and happy. Maybe offer the person a banana too.

3. Be more happy

Eat bananas!

Take pictures of things you love, not things your followers love.

Puppies are a source of eternal joy.

Reading goofy/cheesy/romance books make you giggle and feel good in general.

Watching cheesy films or good ass romcoms works just well.

Friends was created for a reason.

Writing down what you accomplished today gives a sense of pride and satisfaction. Take that shit.

Tumblr has shitposts made basically to make you happy.

4. Find your true calling /figuring tf out what you wanna do with your life

Lists lists lists. Subjects you love, you hate, you’re good at, you suck at.

Consulting your teachers, family etc and find out what they think you’re good at. Sometimes other people can see traits of yours better than you.

Career tests rock.

You’ll figure it out in the end somehow.

And that’s about it for now folks, hope this helps. See y'all laterz~

Hey guys, this is my first original post! This is what I personally like to do when I clean my room in spring or whenever my room looks like a giant mess!

I won’t pretend to be an expert on anxiety, but I have experienced feelings of anxiety of the social kind as well as general anxiety towards various aspects of my life. I spent over a year and a half in what I can only describe as a depressive state which, combined with these crippling feelings of anxiety, affected my ability to focus on school work. My motivation to make this post was triggered by several messages I’ve received in the few months that I’ve been a studyblr, asking me how one can balance studying and anxiety. I have attempted to compile a list of resources that will help anybody out there who suffers from anxiety, no matter how severe. Some of these resources are external sources and some are just personal views/pieces of advice based on things that really helped me. Some will relate specifically to studying whilst some will relate generally to taking care of oneself. They won’t work for everyone, but I hope these help at least one person feel better.

Apps

Pacifica From simply telling the app how you feel to conducting deep breathing exercises, this app aims to flush away as much of your anxiety as possible by combining elements of mental and physical relaxation. Logging your feelings like this can help you track patterns and triggers in your anxiety, which can help you prepare or control for those triggers in future. Nobody’s anxiety is the same, so this helps you understand your own anxiety as opposed to the general umbrella-term definition of anxiety they give online. This technique might not be equally effective for anyone, again partly because of how diverse anxiety is, but part of understanding your own anxiety is also understanding what doesn’t work. So trial it for a week or so, and if it doesn’t work you absolutely don’t have to continue using the app.

Self-help for Anxiety Management (SAM) Similar to Pacifica, SAM was developed by a team of Psychologists, Computer Scientists and students at the University of West England. This app has great reviews and not only has it been trialled by the student demographic but it was developed in part by them too. This app also enables you to build your own bespoke toolkit of in-app resources based on what you find personally helpful.

Other resources

My self care tag features a lot of posts (by other people) that have resources to help you look after yourself. Most of these are nothing to do with studying or academia; Instead, they focus on general wellness and self care

How to deal with anxiety when learning by David Mansaray

Printable anxiety self-help guide by Moodjuice

Anxiety and panic attacks by Mind

Managing anxiety with creativity by Mind

10 best ever anxiety management techniques by the Australian National University

How Do You Feel? By This Way Up This page helps you establish exactly what emotions it is that you’re feeling and gives you self-help advice based on that specific feeling/those specific feelings. They even offer courses to help you control and hopefully overcome your anxiety. They report that 80% of users benefit substantially from using their programmes, whilst 50% emerge reporting that they are no longer affected by anxiety. A 3-month supervised course costs $59 AUD. Online courses/iOS courses are also offered, but those are only available in Australia. If you’d require a parent or guardian to pay on your behalf, please ask the cardholder’s permission before you purchase the course. Courses are viewable here but you can navigate the site to find courses that fit different, specific needs.

20 scientifically backed ways to de-stress right now

Personal advice

These are things that have worked for me personally, so I’m sharing them with you in the hope that they help some of you too.

Break things down. Looking at the big picture can be daunting and triggering. This works for general tasks as well as for academic ones. Break down your day into a list of all the individual things you need to do. First of all, externalising the information and making it a visual list as opposed to a jumble of thoughts will help you make sense of everything. Then, look at the tasks you have and see if they can be broken down further. For example, if you have a 30-page chapter in a textbook you need to read, break that down into 6 sets of 5 pages as opposed to one big lump of 30 pages. Then, take it five pages at a time. Each fifth page that you read is a stepping stone achievement towards the main achievement and having those smaller, more readily achievable goals to aim for really will help. This also works with academic topics in general. If you have a really complex concept you need to digest and remember that you just can’t make any sense of, break it down into the simplest terms possible. For example, start with “In the English language, there are consonants and vowels.” Once you’re certain with that, try and further that to “There are front, central and back vowels.” And “There are nasal, plosive, fricative, etc. consonants.” Get comfortable with each extra step you take before you take another step towards the more complex stuff. Learn things and break them down until you could teach them to someone else.

Widen your margin of error. This one was the most difficult for me to achieve, but if you work towards it, you will get there. It’s all about accepting that perfection is unattainable. Nobody is perfect. Everyone messes up, everyone makes mistakes, and everyone makes wrong decisions. It’s a part of life and it’s a part of how we learn. Whether it’s tripping over your words whilst talking to someone or failing a test, you need to allow yourself to accept that it’s happened and you can’t change it. Focus on what you can change (i.e. your future) as opposed to what you can’t change (i.e. the past). Sure, you could have gotten a B on that test if you’d studied more. But you didn’t. And you can’t change that now. So why worry about it? Worry about making sure you do get a B on the next test by studying further in advance. It took me so long to learn to think like this but now I’m able to put things into perspective. If I’m worrying about something I ask myself “Why am I worrying about this?” and then “Can I change this?”. I often find that the things I’m worrying about are either things that have already happened and I no longer have control over, or things that are yet to happen that I am totally capable of controlling for.

Try to avoid catastrophizing. It’s all so easy to think “I’ll never get this done today.” When you’re working on a really long, difficult piece of work.  Sometimes, you get so caught up in thinking that you’ll “never get this done” that you waste precious time worrying about it when you could be making progress. Instead of saying “I’ll never get this done.”, try thinking “Okay, maybe I don’t have as much time as I’d like to complete this. But I’ll make the most of the time that I do have and do as much as I can.”

Trick yourself with early deadlines. This one was a game changer for me after dragging myself (and what felt like 1000 tonnes of anxiety through my third year at Uni). This year, when I’m told a deadline by a lecturer, I write it down in my planner two days before that date. So if a deadline for an assignment is 11:59pm on Friday the 15th of January, I write it down in my planner that the deadline is 11:59pm on Wednesday the 13th of January. Then I work towards that deadline as though that’s the actual due date. This means that even if I don’t start the assignment until “the day before it’s due” (the 12th), I still then have a couple of days to fix it up before the actual deadline. This won’t work for everyone, but it’s changed my life.

Change where you’re studying. Sometimes, you develop negative connotations with a certain room or space. Sometimes it’s good to associate a certain activity with a certain space, but a lot of people study in their bedrooms which is also the place they tend to go when they’re feeling anxious/depressed. So try switching it up. Study in the kitchen, or the lounge, or the library, or outside someplace, or at a coffee shop. Somewhere different that extracts you from the environment you associate with negativity and into a new, positive-feeling environment.

Talk yourself out of it. Quash negative thoughts as soon as they sprout. All it takes is a spark to start a fire, so you need to stamp that spark out before it can do any damage. This relates back to catastrophizing, where you feel like you’ll never get something done and then your mind takes you down this long, winding path of catastrophe after catastrophe and before you know it you’ve given up entirely on studying because what’s the point? If you counteract these negative thoughts with something more productive like “I might be starting a couple of paces further back than I’d like to be, but at least I’m starting.”

Hold a pen between your teeth. I know this seems ridiculous, but this is something that absolutely works for me. You know how people tell you to smile even when you’re not happy because it tricks your brain into thinking you’re happy? Well bullshit to that. Sometimes you just don’t feel like smiling right? Sometimes, even, you can’t smile because you feel so down. Instead, pop a pen between your teeth and hold it there, with your teeth bared. This has the same effect on your brain, only you’re not having to force yourself to smile. Besides, it might even cheer you up because you’re sitting there now biting down on a pen because some stranger on the internet told you to. But it genuinely works. You might not feel happy and dandy just because you held a pen in your mouth, but your mind will react in ways that you don’t necessarily pick up on.

Keep a diary. Don’t make it so that you have to write a page-long entry about your feelings every day because this can be as triggering as anything else. Instead, keep a little pocket book somewhere that you can access easily if you need to. Split the pages into three columns: How I feel; What caused it; and Action. In the how I feel column, write the emotion you’re experiencing. In the next column, write what triggered that emotion, whether it’s school work or a friend or a family member or a social situation. Next, write down what you’re doing to turn that emotion into something positive or something you can learn from. I used this technique last year, and it’s basically a way of logging your feelings in the same way as you do with the apps Pacifica and SAM. It helps you visualise your triggers but you have the added, positive element of seeing the action you’re taking to try and elevate your anxiety. Externalising your thoughts by writing everything down makes them seem more manageable.

Exercise. Exercise really helped me overcome my anxiety. Even if it was just 10 minutes, there was something so invigorating about it that I just wanted to keep going, mentally and physically. After I was done working out and I’d showered and felt good, I’d want to keep that feeling going by doing more productive things. Plus, working out helped relieve stress through physical exertion. Exercising always boosts my focus, motivates me, and releases stress, plus you can get fitter at the same time.

See a counsellor/doctor. Some people aren’t comfortable visiting a doctor because they think they’ll immediately be put on medication. This is when it might be advisable for you to visit a counsellor. Most universities offer a counselling department where trained professionals listen to your problems and provide advice where they can. They can recommend that you visit a doctor if they believe that you need medical assistance. If your anxiety is really bad, though, I wouldn’t rule out the option of going to your doctor.

Study tips made easy

the “i accomplished something” mood: you decided to be productive that day but at night you realise you haven’t accomplished a single thing from your to-do-list. stressed you get yourself a cup off coffee and sit next to your desk really unmotivated and exhausted. half an hour later you’ve solved one math problem. you smile, you have done something.

the “i’m so fucking motivated” mood: early morning. you get out of bed right after the alarm goes off. well-rested you brew yourself a cup of tea.you write your to-do-list. after that you take a seat in your bed and start reading trough the textbook of your fave subject. “i’ll succeed today” you think and take a sip of your tea.

the “oh i’m so gonna prove you wrong” mood: “you can’t do it”, they say. determined you start working early. you read, you write notes, you revise, you discuss, you watch videos. on the test day you walk in with confident, take your test & fully ace it. proudly you turn your back to those bastards.

the “why do i not understand this” mood: papers scattered everywhere, several coffee mugs on your desk. you’ve been doing that same problem the whole day and still can’t solve it. you’ve looked trough the theory, asked your friends & even your teacher. frustrated you pick up your phone and hope someone else has asked the same question on google.

ABOUT ANGELS +angels in different religions +history

The Book of Enoch

The Torah and The Bible

The Qur’an

Wikipedia Article (contains Bible verses, tidbits from different religious theologies) 

Different religious histories +sometimes mentions angel names

About the Biblical rebellion

The Book of Jubilees

Sefer Raziel Hamalach +another .pdf download (Book of the angel Raziel)

The Magnus (a nice guide to Kabalaah and the Celestial Intelligence) 

Our Angels Are Different (TV Tropes)

Catholic Encyclopedia

Saints and Angels (Biblical)

More Info (spiritual) 

What Does The Bible Say About Angels?

Creation of Angels and the fall of Lucifer

A-Z

All About Angels (have I already linked this? nobody knows) 

Angel Numbers

More About Angels

Angelic Nature

ANGEL NAMES (contains meanings and the names of the fallen)

Wikipedia Article

Angels and Ghosts 

Names of Angels From Different Religions

Whispering Worlds

Zoroastrianism +a little history

20000 +info about the hierarchies ect. 

This is a really cute website omg

A generator thing I found ????

Proper names of Angels

REGARDING ENOCHIAN (the language of angels)

History of Enochian- Wikipedia Article; A SPN Wiki Article

Enochian Alphabet and Spells (IMPORTANT NOTE: please, please do not try to practice these spells on your own without a High Priestess or an experienced person aiding you. Also absolutely do not try to use or form your own exorcisms, exorcisms should ONLY be used by those who are know what they are doing. Exorcisms and the practicing of magick with a lack of guidance, especially if you’re a beginner, and/or without you conditioning yourself can prove to be fatal. Just because you watch Supernatural, Charmed, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, or any show that involves types of magick or exorcisms does not mean that you know what you are doing)

A downloadable software 

An online translator 

The Fourty-Eight Calls, a pronunciation guide, spells and rituals

Texts and Enochain Temples 

More Information, yay!

A Really Small Glossary containing the Enochian words introduced in riseofthefallenone’s lovely DeanCas fic, Angel’s Wild

Towards Enochian Grammar

Links and Essays (might’ve already linked this, idk)

The Enochain by John Dee used by Supernatural

So much shit by Aleister Crowley +contains Enochain also I think 

The Book of Law, where Crowley converses with his Guardian Angel (The Cry of the 8th Aethyr -links to the other Aethyr’s are towards the bottom of the page)

REGARDING TRUE FORMS (according to the Bible)

Words In The Bible

Just read this, like woah

OTHER PEOPLE’S CONCEPTS AND THEORIES (contains other people’s tags**)

The City Is Full of Wings +A Glory of Angels (I highly suggest that you read the tags because they’re always so freaking beautiful)

A Small Collection: Angels, Fallen Angels, Heaven’s Wrath, Trueforms

Four pages of a tag

Also contains SPN angels

Angels, Catholic Imagery, Biblical Subversions +religious mythos

Because I can

IN FICTIONAL BOOKS (for what books I could find, books are in downloadable .pdf format)

His Dark Materials Triology -Book One, Book Two, Book Three by Philip Pullman

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

A Wind In the Door by Madeleine L’engle

The Vintner’s Luck by Elizabeth Knox

The Glory Days by Isobelle Carmody

Daughter of Smoke And Bone by Aini Taylor

The Space Triology -Book One, Book Two, Book Three by C.S. Lewis

Angelology by Danielle Trussoni

Skellig by David Almond

Angel Fire Series by Andrew Greely

IN NON-FICTIONAL BOOKS (for what books I could find, books are in downloadable .pdf format)

Angels In Late Ancient Christianity by Ellen Muehlberger

Fallen Angels and the History of Judaism and Christianity: The Reception of Enochiac Lit. by Annette Yoshiko Reed

From Gabriel to Lucifer: A Cultural History of Angels by Valery Rees

Heaven and It’s Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen by Emanuel Swedenborg

FANFICTION (I just really like how angels are portrayed in some of these fics, even if some barely mention angels)

Daughter (DeanCas but mostly the wonderful Claire Novak hunting angels)

Angel’s Wild (DeanCas; one of my favourite views on angels)

MOVIES AND SHOWS

Wings of Desire

The Prophecy

Michael

City of Angels -click the third link

Dogma

Constantine

Gabriel

Legion

Shows: Supernatural, Touched By An Angel

MUSIC (for when you write about angels or just need some inspiration)

Angels and Demons

Because some angels are desperate to go home

For the Fallen who miss the voices of the Host

Just for writing really

Holy shit, like woah. For all your music needs.

EDIT: Because I’m a douche bag I forgot and didn’t credit dottewa for making this post, which helped notbeacauseofvictories make her post and helped me indirectly in making this angel masterpost. 

Also if you ever need help with writing or anything like that feel free to ask me! I have a crap load of resources and am somewhat knowledgeable about writing in general uwu. __________________________

*I don’t know if you want to call this a masterpost, masterpost. It’s kind of just a collection of what’s been it my bookmarks and likes for a while. I’ll probably make a second part to this post as I find more stuff.

Hello, rayslablr here!

First of all, I want to apologize for being inactive these days but it has been chaotic with a lot of assignment from university that I didn’t find the time to post original content in here. Secondly, just a disclamer: this are the things I do, they might not be any help for you but you don’t loose anything with trying besides it can motivate you to find what really works for you.

As students is common that we sometimes don’t have the time to properly study and do our assignment correctly hoping we get a good grade, but that is because we have other extracurricular activities to attend. Maybe you have intruments lessons, or you have choir practices or any sport practices, or perhaps you work and study at the same time.

Having so many things to do you sometimes try to schedule but end up leaving some stuff to work at night. That is totally fine, some people are more in the morning side and other in the night time side (I’m more of the last one)

Planning for a productive night doesn’t mean having an all-nighter, I don’t recommend that at all because is not healthy for the body and your mental health. Even though you might think that you get all your tasks done, what happens after that night? What are the implications for the next day? So for that I give you a few tips that might help when have tasks to do at night:

Before I begin, let’s talk about what is productivity?

PRODUCTIVITY:

According to the Merriam-Webster site, productivity is “the quality or state of being productive.”, and what’s productive? As state in the same site being productive is “yielding results, benefits, or profits”; “ yielding or devoted to the satisfaction of wants or the creation of utilities”  

For the Cambridge Dictionary site, productivity is “the rate at which a person, company, or country does useful work.”

Finally, as indicated by the Business Dictionary, productivitu is “a measure of the efficiency of a person, machine, factory, system, etc., in converting inputs into useful outputs.”

What we can gather from these concepts, roughly and vaguely, is that productivity not necessarily has to be associated with doing homework or any kind of assignments, it can also mean doing one push-up, making the bed, walk or breathe exercises, and endless other things. Being productive means that we’re using out time wisely by focusing on what matters.

SKINCARE: 

I know that sometimes skincare is the least of our problems, and after studying at night we feel exhausted that we forget to wash our face. It has happened to me a lot and I truly regret it. #AcneHasEnterTheChat

By doing your skincare night routine you start to feel good that you are taking care of yourself, and that idea of productivity can motivate you. So keep it going while you’re still active. Do your skincare routine after having dinner or any other extracurricular activity, that way you can start fresh with your productivity process. The sooner you’d do it you have another less thing to worry about so you can properly focus.

When you splash yourself with water your brain actives because your skin is warm so water cools it down making you relax and it awakes you. Take that opportunity to stay active so you can take your time and divide it for things that matter.

Side Note: Always wash your face with lurkwarm water!! 

Side Note 2: If you ever want a blog about skincare let me know because I really love that topic and I’m all for it

COMFY OUTFIT:

Pajama. Shorts. Sweater. Underwear. What ever you feel comfortable with. But never do things in your bed if you really want to work on something otherwise you’ll fall asleep. 

This is simple. Just wear an outfit where your body doesn’t feel tight or uncomfortable, where you can stretch and feel relax. It has happened to me many times where I forget to change clothes and start working with my jeans, long shirt and shoes on, after a few minutes I get up from my sit and try to stretch without success and I keep doing my work; after other minutes I do the same and that is just distracting me more, so after a long moving day imagine how your body would feel.

Imagine getting inside a narrow hole, how do you feel? It feels uncomfortable, like you need air or you need to move, well that is how your body feels. At night. After all of the activities you did throughout the day. Tired   

So let’s make it easy, just change! That way you won’t get distracted or focus your attention in moving around or trying to find the a comfortable spot to work.

PRIORITIZE

We led busy lifestyles meaning that not every activity we have would be completed so don’t feel bad about that. Plan ahead of time, and know which activities you will leave for the night. Be realistic, it’s night time, you’d feel tired so don’t give yourself a lot of tasks, and if you have one big activity divide it into mini tasks so you don’t overwork past your limit. Every day review your list of tasks or your to do list and figure out the importance of each one of them. Figure out if all of them are worth your limited time and energy, you don’t necessarily need to pull an all nighter.

A tip for you is to organize your activities by categories, this allows you to recognize which task is more important than the others. What I like to do is an ABCD categories, meaning:

A: Crucial  –> I need to do this right now

B: Less important –> I can do this in a few hours

C: I shoul get this done –> Essencial task but I can do it tomorrow

D: I still got time –> I can do it the day after tomorrow or next week

This way you can analyse which tasks you can leave for the night and which ones you’ll do in the morning.

Another tip is giving yourself a time limit to decide until what time you will have your work done. This works for me, it might not work for you, but I always tell myself to stop working (even if I haven’t finish) around 11 pm max. so I could sleep more and don’t get exhausted. By the way, this also helps for your skincare; your skin cells start rejuvenate at 10pm and stops at 2am the next day, so it’s a way to help your skin stay fresh, young and healthy.

HYDRATE

This one is simple, JUST DRINK WATER!! There’s nothing more to say, water helps you stay energized and that transforms in motivation to be productive. So give your body a happy boost you’ll thank yourself later.

Here are some beverages that helps you stay hydrated in case you want to try different things.

WET RAG

Get any rag you find, get it wet then squish it to take away the excess of water, next put it in your freezer and wait 20-30mins after that put it around your back side of your neck and that is everything you need to do! Very simple! Now, why?The back of your neck absorbs the heat of the environment quicker than any other part, and by doing that you get agitated or some kind of discomfort because you’re warming your body so it gets relaxed to a way of tiredsome. 

So if you put around that area a cold wet rag you make your body cool down and helps you improves your circulation, ease stress and increase the alertness, in short words it keeps you active. Think about this: when you shower with lukewarm or cold water it wakes you up inmediatly and that is what happens with the wet rag but in a minor scale.

If you ever heard of the myth: “If you feel sleepy get your face wet”, well that is true, you wake up when you splash water to your face but sometimes that effect only lasts for a few minutes, if you want the whole experience put it in your neck for at least 15 minutes.

Another benefit of this, that you can do it at any time you wish, is that a heated neck is a big enemy for the pores. When your neck is hot it inscreases your natural control sebum making your pores enlarged which leads to wrinkles, pimples and more, so try this! Try putting a cold wet rag around the back of your neck because is very benefitial!

POMODORO

You heard of this before. You can work for 25 minutes and take a break of 5 minutes, this completes the cycle and this 30 minute period is then called a “pomodoro.” After four pomodoros, you take a longer break (15-30 minutes). Of course, the great part about ths method is that you can custumize it to your liking; you can take more time (without excessing) or less time if you are in a hurry. There are a buch of app you can search in the app store (I use Forest because not only it helps you not procrastinate but you’re helping the world by planting real trees) and even google extensions when you’re working in your computer.

Here are other  blogs that can help you understand this method:

“The Pomodoro Technique” @studious-simplicity​

“How to: my pomodoro technique” @aestaeric​

That is everything that I have for today, I hope these tips are somehow a help for you and that you have lots of days full with productivity and happiness which is the most important. 

10.22 Today was really busy for me, I was at uni the entire day, but I was able to get a bit work done which is nice. I also spent an hour at the library after school printing out all the PowerPoint presentation so I can start to study for my cell bio midterm which is next week >.<