January 2022
Wow, January has been a MONTH! I don't know about you, but it flew by for me! Amidst all of the crazy, I've had a little time to pick out some January Favs that i'd love to share with you all!
You can click those links to be taken straight to those pages!
I've also created 5 new habits this month that I want to share with you. I've found that through creating these habits, I'm able to be a whole lot more productive in my daily life than usual! These habits purpose are to keep me organized, energized, and prevent me from getting burnt out!
1. Morning Routine
Monday-Friday, I have one class at 8 or 9 am, then a break that at the least lasts about an hour and a half. On MWF I have a 9am so I always wake up at 7:50. On T/T I have an 8am, so I always wake up at 6:50. This allows me time to stretch in the morning, wake up a little bit, check my email, and not rush through getting ready to go to class. After the first class of the day, this is what I do:
MWF:
I return to my room from class, eat breakfast with a side of Celsius, and treat myself to 1 youtube video that is no longer than 20 minutes. This gives me a chance to fully wake up and fuel my body before I really get into my day.
I spend the next hour working on any assignments that I can get ahead on. Whether it's reading for a class, a discussion post, editing a paper--I get some kind of work done.
Exercise. Some mornings I take about a 30-40 minute walk, and other mornings I do a 20-30 minute HIIT workout in my room. Whatever fits in my schedule for the day! (this also doesn't always happen in the morning, sometimes it's after classes and in the evening!) While I do these, I tend to either listen to a podcast or talk to Jesus. It's very difficult to pray and do a HIIT workout, but most days I feel like I won't make it through without talking to Jesus!!
Take a minute to get ready! I feel most productive when I feel put together. Sometimes it's a little makeup, sometimes it's just having a put together outfit, and some mornings it's just the minimum of cleaning my glasses!
Make a little content. I make a few TikToks or a few reels to save in the drafts. I find when I am able to bulk my content, I'm less stressed about posting throughout the day!
Lastly, and most importantly, I spend time with Jesus. Some mornings my brain is so full that I just have to sit in the quiet and write my prayers. Some mornings I sit down and get into Scripture. Some mornings I do both!
Tues/Thurs:
I have a shorter break these days so I'm not able to get as much done, but I make sure to do the things that are most important for me to have checked off the list!
Breakfast with a Celsius. This is a daily. Being someone who has to live an almost vegan lifestyle (due to food allergies) it is very important that I keep my body fueled and get all of my daily nutrients! This breakfast time doesn't always include a YT video, but mainly just scrolling my FYP on TikTok for a few video ideas!
Spending time with Jesus! I have less free time on T/T so this definitely moves up in the list!
Exercise, if I have time. If I don't I just do it in the evenings! But it is a priority for me.
Pull myself together. This is the same as MWF. Whatever I have time for in order to feel put together and prepared for the day!
2 Meal Prepping
I've struggled with a lot of digestion issues since 2019. After countless tests, trying out different diets, and having my gallbladder removed, we finally figured out the main issue over fall break in 2021. I have 36 allergies in total. Half of those are environmental, and the others are digestive. I'm allergic (food sensitivity) to all meats, dairy, all nuts except for almonds, soy, and sesame. My body is vegan (except for eggs) and was extremely irritated because I was giving it foods that it couldn't properly digest!!
Being in college on a vegan diet is not an easy thing to do, so I've started meal prepping. I go to the grocery store every Sunday, get the things I need to meal prep for the week, and make myself meals (with only a microwave to cook with lol) to eat throughout the week. This has saved me so much time and grief! If you want to know some of my favorite plant-based meals, LMK and I'll make a post about it!
3 Proper Sleep
With my roommate student teaching, it makes it easier that both of us are going to bed earlier. But I've figured out a pretty solid night routine to help me wind down as well.
For starters, the computer is off at 9:30pm. The only reason it would be on is if I have an assignment, email, misc. that must be completed or responded to. But I have a goal that all must-do tasks are completed before this time.
Melatonin. I have struggled to sleep through the night for a while and also have major insomnia. I do my best to be in bed by 10pm and asleep by 11. With the help of my favorite melatonin gummies from OLLY, this has been much more achievable! Taking melatonin has helped me to have better quality sleep so that when I wake up in the morning, I truly feel rested!
My bed is only for sleeping. I used to have a bad habit of being in bed to do schoolwork, to be on my phone, to read, to do everything. Going into 2022, being in bed all the time did not get a rose and got sent home (bachelor reference anyone?). When my bed is for living, and not just sleeping, being in bed does not make me want to sleep. But when I am only in bed for sleeping, It helps my subconscious to recognize, okay we're in bed, it't time to go to sleep! This also will do wonders for your circadian rhythm!
4 Actually Using My Planner + Google Sheets
Having a planner is a favorite of mine, buying
planners is a favorite of mine - using planners...
I'm not highly skilled in that department.
So far this semester though, I have been using the LIFE out of my planner. I figured out a system that worked best for me. My planner has 3 rows in each day of the week. I use one for due dates, one for homework or assignments to start working on, and one for my schedule. I have different colors for each section and use sticky-note tabs and flags to label the things on my calendar. Instead of writing assignments and due dates directly on the calendar, I put them on little sticky-notes so that I can move them around with out having to white out and rewrite things a million times. This has HIGHLY increased my productivity. The planner I use is The Happy Planner!
Here's a link if you want to check it out!
Secondly, I also use a google sheet for all of my assignments. It's color coordinated by class and sorted by due date. That way, if I need a reminder on what assignments need to be done that day, and don't have a chance to look at my planner, then I can go to my google sheet, see what is dated for today, and then mark it off when completed. This also allows me to go back and see what assignments i've done for certain classes without having to flip through every page of my planner.
5 LISTS
I have a terrible habit of getting overwhelmed by the amount of things I need to do in a day...and grocery stores. So often I feel like I can't even start on assignments and tasks because there's so many to do! My mom has always told me "make a list" and now I'm finally implementing that into my daily life! Making lists allows me to rank my tasks from most important to least important and get things done! BIG NOTE: I schedule breaks into my lists. 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there. And most tims, those breaks consist of responding to text messages, checking my email, or just putting my head down or closing my laptop for a second, just to gather my thoughts before jumping back in. Most computers have an on-screen note option. For Mac these are called "stickies" and they're in the "other" folder in the launchpad. I use these RELIGIOUSLY. This is my favorite way to make a task list because I can't lose it and it's right there on my homescreen!
On the topic of grocery stores. I have a habit of needing a few things, and leaving with everything I don't need. This is how I combat that. I make a list of what I do need, and I leave 3 blanks. Those three blanks are for something that once I see it in the store I remember I've been meaning to get it, something I see and want that is usable and a realistic purchase, and then one more for something for me. For example, when I went to the grocery store yesterday, my three blanks were filled by the following:
Something I've been meaning to get that I didn't remember until I saw it = toilet paper
Something usable and a realistic purchase = a ring light (I left mine at home and it was $3)
Something for me = a new car vent scent because my current one was empty
It's not much, but it keeps me from spending a ton of money on things I don't need, or don't have the space for.
BONUS #6: NO MORE NAPS EXCEPT SUNDAYS
When I nap, it's not just for 30mins-1 hour. Its for 4-6 hours. I can't help it, it just is what it is. So I've eliminated nap time. If I have free time, I work on STG or I read, or I watch a show, or I call my Mom, or I look at job openings on LinkedIn. I fill the time that I would sleep with something that energizes me. The only time I make an exception is on Sundays. Why you may ask? I've eliminated Sundays from the work week and have deemed them my Sabbath. I don't make content, only post, and all assignments are completed before Sunday. My Sundays are for (in order), church, grocery store, meal prepping, resetting my room, and R E S T I N G. If I do nap, I set an alarm for an hour and a half, and if I wake up before that alarm, I get out of bed ASAP so I don't fall back asleep!
Well there we have it. My 5 +1 big habits that I've created this January!! These have majorly improved my day to day life! I don't know if these are the same habits I'll be sticking to by the end of February, but that's okay because as life changes, we have to adapt to it! I'm excited for these habits though and believe they'll be sticking around for a little bit!
I encourage you to start making habits that fit your lifestyle and benefit you!
TTYL,
Carrie xoxo
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